Kiteboarders at Waterfront Park

jayala · Joined: 31 May 1999 Posts: 8

My family and I traveled to Hood River this weekend and really enjoyed playing at the Waterfront Park. My children are 7 and 5 years old and they loved the sand and swimming area. I noticed the kiteboarders have discovered the park and have essentially taken over. I realize kiteboarders also have a right to enjoy the river but with so many children around I am concerned there will be some encounters between kids and kite lines. Does anyone know the intended regulations for the park? I noticed there is a sign banning kiteboarding at the entrance to the parking lot but someone knocked it down.

abrandol · Joined: 01 Jul 2008 Posts: 8

If you're talking about the new park area west of the Event Site, the only reason it was busy with kiters was because the kite spit was closed down by the Port because of the holiday fireworks. It's a shame they close down one of the few safe launches for the kiters during the holiday long weekend, but them's the breaks. I can't imagine you'll ever see the new park that busy with kiters again, at least not until next July 4th. Given the choice I think most kiters would gladly prefer to launch from the spit/sandbar.

Cheers

rdalbeyjr · Joined: 20 Aug 2000 Posts: 6

abrandol is right, the port of HR needs to give kiters an alternative launch site if they close the spit. There 100s if not 1000s of people who come to HR to celebrate the 4th and kite! Why wouldn't the port cater to their every whim?? After all, the Port's mission statement is based on economic development, and kiters contribute to the local economy in a BIG way.
In regards to launching at the new park, I take your word for it that there is a "no kiting" sign posted and was knocked down, but kiters had virtually nowhere else to launch in or near town. Is the park currently open to pedestrians/beach use? I haven't heard a thing about whether it is open to the public yet? or who is or is not allowed to launch from the park (kiters/ windsurfers)? Anyinfo. out there? Lastly, most kiters are extremely safety oriented and would never rig or launch near children, or anyone else for that matter, though curious onlookers often walk over to kiters, step on lines, and can unknowingly create dangerous situations.
This was a one time deal, hopefully, provided that the port provide a different launch site if they close the spit.

Stacey Wenger · Joined: 21 Jun 2001 Posts: 10

I launched my kite at the new beach on 4th along with what I thought was a fairly small group of kiters. The whole time I was there, all kiters were very respectful of the swimmers down on the beach keeping a very safe distance up in the rigging area and down wind. The two-three families actually had the whole swimming area to themselves.

Your fear that it will be "taken over" kiters shouldn't be a concern. The designers of the park managed to create nasty environment for kite activity with tiny difficult launch, sharp rocks bordering the shoreline, a long kite walk to the water and trees that will soon be a hazard. You can expect it will be taken over by windsurfers and they will be on the swimming beach because most of the beginners will not make it back to the fancy but disfunctional launch.

We all need to just stop it with the 'us versus them'. Bikers vs horserider, snowboarder vs skiiers, kiters vs windsurfers. In a year where there is positive poof that anyone can be president, we all need to look at different groups really as groups of individuals taking part in a legitimate activity. That day I help launch a local doctor and a guy who was in his mid-fifties. Most were uncomfortable about the launch but dealt with it because theyt really just wanted access to the water.... same as you....

rigatoni · Joined: 25 Feb 1999 Posts: 498

I would suggest keeping the political rants off Iwindsurf. I appreciate Stacey's post and can relate to a kiter's reaction to their main launch getting closed off on a holiday weekend. Be respectful and considerate of others regardless of what your toy may be.

jota · Joined: 28 Feb 2001 Posts: 205

FWIW, signs have been ordered for the new park but not installed yet, so the allowed uses and areas should be clear in the future - the park isn't done yet.

mik377 · Joined: 05 Jun 2005 Posts: 55

I thought that the new park might be designated for bathers/swimmers and would be a good place for their kids to play. That way they event site could become more of a dedicated windsurfing park and less of a tourist trap/zoo. From my observations last year its crazy for kids to swim anywhere near Kiters and windsurfers (especially inexperienced ones). Last year I saw kids swimming underwater and in the middle of traffic at the event site during 4.0 conditions. I dont blame the kids the parent should know better but many are ignorant of the dangers as evidenced by the numerous times I've seen them spread out their picnics directly downwind from someones whos rigging equipment in high winds.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

I asked its parents to remove their two-year-old from the rigged, loose stranger's sail he was playing on in winds gusting to 40 ... 30 feet upwind of a brick building. They just got angry with me for asking the little $#!+ to get off the sail and KEPT RIGGING THEIR SAILS. We very commonly have kids playing in the water beneath kites and lines being launched by novices in extremely gusty shoreline winds, and notice to kiters and parents of the risk accomplishes nothing.

Mike \m/

motherofjehu · Joined: 04 Sep 1998 Posts: 17

I know of cases where a kid was run over and no matter how negligent the parental unit, the jury/judge had much more sympathy for the grieving parents than for the guy who accidentally did the running over.

Why can't there be roped off areas for little kid swimming like other busy parks. That way, if a kid drowns in murky wind swept water, it's not because a WS or KB was involved.