Kiters permanent at Event Site?

[rowenaman]

I'm a long time windsurfer and now kiter who believes the HR event site needs to be designated multi use. I purchased the yearly pass for $50. When it's ripping 4.0 or less, I'm at The Hatch, The Wall, Dougs etc. - on lighter days, the Event Site is one of the very few beginner friendly access point for kiters; in particular, when the sandbar is under water.

There are 3X as many access points for windsurfers along the Columbia than kiters - on both sides of the river. It makes no sense to block off use to a vibrant and needed tourist destination for kiters. On light wind days, there are more kiters than WSers at the ES anyway.

Times have changed. Skiers and snowboarders adapted - so did the resorts. HR will do the same, as will the port, and the Event Site. Kiters need a reliable launch point in HR - the river may be high again next year. So far, I think us wind addicts have managed to negotiate the launch safely and respectfully. Kudos to both the CGWA and CGKA for helping to make it happen!

[tweeky]

Seems like a good discussion... about the walking-in/not paying, there's many different ways of looking at it... first, the parking fee is just that, for parking, not for water access. The new marina park is free for anyone to enjoy, whether it be as a windsurf access point, to utilize the playground, or go for a swim. There are public washrooms there as there are at the Event Site. So if we're going to start pointing the finger at kiters saying "hey, you're using the Event Site facilities, you should pay!" then fair enough, we should be asking people to pay a day use fee for the waterfront park as well. The other thing to keep in mind is that prior to this year and the high water levels of the Columbia, kiters were not allowed to launch from the Event Site during the peak summer months. Instead, they had to walk or swim their gear over to the sandbar. It looks like even when the water levels return to normal, kiters will definitely have to swim from the Event Site to reach the sandbar now. Its not too bad, I've done it, but if the Event Site is closed to kite launching, it doesn't help motivate kiters to pay the same fee as windsurfers who are allowed to launch from the grass.
Lastly, I've heard the argument both ways from the same people who windsurf at the Event Site. When they see kiters walking in on a quiet day, its "f#@ing kiters... they just walk in and don't pay to support the Event Site!!", then on a busy day where the parking lot is full its "f#@ing kiters, why do they have to park here when they can just park outside the Event Site and walk their gear in!!". None of this is to say one side is right, the other wrong. Its just to offer looking at it from a different perspective. By the way, love the photo of the KB4C start... all the lovely kites, the serene beauty of.. uh oh! wait a second, lets take a closer look!!

[Gorgekiteboy]

I have been Windsurfing for 35 yrs and kiting for 6. I also have a sailboat in the marina. None of us own the river or the various launches. There are no areas in the river that are exclusive to any particular use.

When kiting was banned from the Event site the end of June (or was it the end of May), the parking lot was less than half full. That should tell the Port something about who uses it. I'm sure they were not happy with their daily revenue on those days either.

Let's face it.. the number of people Windsurfing are dwindling and the number of people kiting are increasing. I still do both sports, but prefer to kite.

I suggest we vote about Event Site usage with our money. It is apparent there are more kiters using it than Windsurfers. In the Hood River area, there is only one safe kite launching area(Event Site/Sandbar). For Windsurfing there is: Event Site, Luhr Jensen beach, community park, The Hook, the Marina beach, The Hatchery, Swell City, Bingen Point and I would include Mosier.

The decision to allow kite launching at the Event site is obvious. I realize that people that only windsurf, and have been using the Event site for years have become territorial, but thay are outnumbered by other users of the site. They should be reasonable and share.

I do feel it is important for safety reasons to control access to the kite launch/land area. Perhaps some fencing with signage indicating it's use? The landing and launch zones should be off limits to beach goers and sight see'rs.

K

[isobars]

[Gorgekiteboy]

Isobars... it was not a confusing statement. The river is un-restricted. Access to it is restricted.

A designated access area for kiters makes sense so non kiters do not get hurt by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

K

[jsampiero]

I think the Event should be multi-use. Share. Play nice. Even with the kiters, it's not THAT crowded.

[rigatoni]

agree with Josh. Plenty of room there for both sports. Not sure how launching from the Event Site is impacted by kiting. Saw tons of kiters down there today treating that place with tons of respect. Handful of windsurfers launching upwind with zero issues. If sailing with kiters makes you uncomfortable, there are a lot of other places to launch including the Waterfront Park 100 yards away.

[katosandog]

We don't spend much time at the Event Site but one of the reasons I like to go there on windier days is to get out on the water in front of the White Salmon Bridge and sail with the kiters. It's one of the best parts of the Gorge for me.

Unfortunately, the Event Site is one of the few beginner/intermediate windsurfer spots in the Gorge, and my biggest concern about sharing it is the attitude of some kiters I have seen displayed when struggling windsurfers inevitably drift to the sandbar. There is a sense of ownership about the sandbar - i.e. "we kiters belong here - you floundering windsurfers don't". If that gets transferred to the Event Site, where do beginner and intermediate windsurfers go then? I am not going to be very tolerant of somebody landing a kite on my wife's head and then shouting at her.

[isobars]

[ericandholly]

I think you may have picked up on that vibe in the past, as kiters felt like "We can't launch from the grass, you can, so what are you doing here?" Many kiters these days, unlike 5 years ago, do not have a windsurfing background and may not really get the blown down wind thing. It takes a lot longer to learn hoe to stay upwind sailing, than kiting. I think with mixed use that vibe will be gone. You will ALWAYS have 5% of any population that does not get along with others. But, in general the vibe at the Event Site has really been pretty awesome this summer. I have not picked up on the "Us vs Them" BS of a few years ago.

I hear you, I think it's a valid concern, but with equal access I think it will be a non issue.

Good point, and glad you brought it up.

Best,
Eric Cohn