I was at Takapuna Beach on Sunday (15 Feb) it was absolutely packed with people swimming/on the beach etc.

There were 2 guys near where I was who thought it would be a good idea to take advantage of the pretty weak sea breeze and go kiting.

One guy was on a black/grey Cabrinha Switchblade 1 and the other was on a yellow/white Cabrinha Co2 (a learner by the look of it). There was also a guy further down the beach on a what looked like a White Airush Kite. He managed to slam his kite on the beach a couple of times and managed to clear quite a large area as people obviously wernt to keen to hang around.

This has been raised time and time again and yet there are still morons out there who seem quite keen to have an active part in having kiting banned at some good locations.

In a breeze that was as weak as it was yesterday, its pretty average kiting anyway and I really struggle to understand what these guys are thinking.

Paul, totally agree. I know it is hard when you work all week and there is even the hint of wind on the weekend to feed the addiction, but people need to take a reality check and if the beach is crowded (most Akld beaches on a hot Sunday) unless you can stay offshore go somewhere else, or go home.

When kiters get banned from their first beach, they will have deserved it.

I agree with you about all you said,
but complaining is pretty easy.... and before it gets ban on crowded summer beaches (it s like that in many places in europe during summer), try to get some kite areas for summer time by dealing with the council, though it is much easier by making a local kitesurfing association.

That is definitly one approach...however I think there are enough beaches around (i'm only talking around the North Shore and Auckland here) that are good for kiting during summer that are not that popular with swimmers.

An association would be a great idea, but I think in the interim people just need to be prepared to perhaps drive 20mins to find a beach with a lot less swimmers. The beach doesnt need to be empty but preferably not as busy as Takapuna (perhaps one of the busiest on the shore during summer). Also a little common sense would go a long way if there are swimmers around.

Same problem at Orewa on Sunday. One guy went and crashed his kite right in the middle where little kids were doing their Sunday morning surf club. Fortunately no one got hit, but it sure did not make a good impression with the life savers.

A few also screamed through between the swimming flags again.

This is while the rest of the beach further south was pretty much open.

I would join a kite surfing association if someone started one.

One thing is to go up and meet the riders concerned and getting to know them a bit first with a short chat before even mentioning their actions.. It always works if you are real nice and are genuinely trying to be helpful. They are probably going to become locals anyway and will be stoked on any advice.

"try to get some kite areas for summer time by dealing with the council" what like more than about the 150 beach options you have within driving distance of AK.. NZ is not Europe god hopes it does not turn it into it with too many stupid rules, associations and laws - only around 4 million people live here...

I got speaking to some guys that were riding through the flags, good people from overseas, had a chat , had never seen red and yellow flags before in their life (from europe) - now they know and were thankful for the help

This is what self policing is about and that is what works best for kitsurfing, it is even what the harbourmaster supports! Just takes a few mins of time.

After travelling the world nz kiters are the most clued up respectful bunch around...

with orewa in particular my heart sinks when i see someone going through the flags, but to be fair the guards need to chase down the person and sort them out, its thier job to protect the swimmers and i dont think they use the available resources very well. the inflatable is there so launch it and educate the offenders !! Doc has been doing a great job of this recently on the west coast of akld in another area, no agro just education. This is what i would hope for in the future. Taka is close to population but fairly useless for safe flying and way too many folks during summer, surely we are talking learners or mental cases during the summer peak ? 5 years and all those beaches will have a ban, why not focus a stake for free activity at places like long bay, Orewa etc where there is room to land even at full tide ? I like the idea of an organisation, for sure kitesurfings oponents are already organised.

i argree with you on some kiters getting pretty close on getting us banned i dont no weather anyone has noticed but up at orewa they put some signs up awhile ago but just lately i have noticed instead of banning us from the beach the zone allicated to us is now being shorted the flags used to be the middle of the life guard stand but now they are slowly moving down towards the estary it looks like they will move them in the middle of wear we kite soon is it just me or has anyone else noticed

also i find that there are some learners out there with the kite straight above them and start heading out right in the middle of the flow to me its fustrating and it creates a traffic jam as everyone has to wait till they are gone but they crash and no one can move commin at orewa alot

Some good places that never get to crowded and work well for learners on light wind days are
pt chev at low tide
maola reef low tide
shole bay low tide
long bay far far end away from the resturant at any tide
4x4 track at muriwai low tide

I hope this helps those people that are pushing kiting we all have to start some were but in all commin sense the first this you learn on a lesson is look out for obsticalls dogs poles cliffs flags and people and you need at least 100m down wind clear incase something goes wrong so please use your head if your at the learning stage people and learners dont mix

oh i forgot to orewa has a flow from left to right so for the learners can you please keep to the flow and start off were everyone is turning to go back the other way instead of smack in the middle its just fair thanks

We will have to keep an eye on where the surf life saving flags are at orewa. I know that on Sunday they were right in front of the kite launching area, but that was probably more because they had a big event day there + the tide was high for most of the morning. The wind sucked big time when their event was on, so we had little reason to be in the flagged area even if it came "our way". I think that those events are relatively rare, and we shouldn't have to worry to much...but as I said, keep an eye.

Was anyone at Chelternham on Sunday morning? There was a Wheetbix kiwi-kid triathlon there until about midday - did this effect the kiting? or did kiters just use common sense and get on with it like they should have?

As IanC said, its gonna come down to us going up to learners, starting a friendly conversation, and pointing out to them the "rules of the road". Sure we can see what they're doing wrong, but half the time they're probably so focused on the kite and oblivious to the dangers around them, and they just need a friendly face to point this out, move them on, and maybe even give them a little helpful hint.

Orewa mid arvo last SAT:

Red 13m Waroo going hard out through the flagged area (- again - ) and yes there were also swimmers in there.

I hear theyre thinking about booting us.

just thinking...Maybe in Orewas case the council should erect a few big signs on the grass/rigging area.

they have signs put out on the beach in the launching zone and at the car park you cant miss the one on the beachits bright yellow on and last sat joining the red best rider was a black bandit 12m

"hear they are thinking about booting us." who are "they"? and who told you that........... I can imagine some of teh lifeguards want to boot the rare few who go though the flags - hopefully from oveseas and may know no better - ie once told - never do it again..

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heya Ian

All I know is that a tall American bloke told me that while I was getting ready for my session. That and something about second hand cars but I wasnt really listening to him when he was talking about that.

I dont know who 'they' is...would imagine its the Council? God I hope not.

I would have thought the Surf club wouldnt have the power to do that would they?

cool I know who you are talking about - The council has always used kiteboarding to promote the Rodney area. Also the area we kite in is dangerous for swimming due to the outgoing current so it is a winning situation really.

simple really form a possy , and cut the lines of those that are repeat offenders, way better than a fine. And have the surf life savers put out buoys 50m from the shore line to help us a bit.

My kids used to take part in the Orewa Surf Club every Sunday morning. They only move down into the "kiters area" when the tide is high, which does not leave enough beach to the North of the surf club, for their activities. They are being very considerate towards the kiters as they still left us half the area to launch last Sunday. Usually on non-windy days they use the whole area, including where we launch. The lifesavers are not trying to push us out. They only want us out of the swimming area. It drives them wild when someone goes through it.