Skyway Beach Cleanup

[TritonKiteboarding]

Before the Kitemasters Triton Kiteboarding is planning on hosting a full beach cleanup at the Skyway launch so the beach is clear for the kitemasters launch. We plan to do it early feb would anyone be interested in helping, all gear provided.
-matt

[amber]

sounds good.

[toby wilson]

Count me in Matt, great idea! You get the honors with the dirty condoms and syringes tho... :D

[Gui]

Great initiative I'll be there 2

-Gui

[Galego]

what a great idea, count me in.

[Danimal8199]

Why do I even need to come now with all the responses you are getting Matt?

I would be useless anyway.

NAH I'll be there to help just post the details for everyone on times.

[genew]

Count me in. Please send dates and times. Need Anything?

[kite-4-life]

Definitely count me in Matt! Things like this can go a long way towards building a positive image for kiters with the county, state, and general public. We are in the process of setting up these (simple and fun) types of service for the community, and will soon become a regular occurence throughout the state. If you have ideas or want to learn more about this org. and its goals/gameplan/programs, please contact me and I will fill you in. Later.
Steve Sadler (813)389-3683
Action Sports Foundation/K4L
www.freakdogkites.com (http://www.freakdogkites.com)

[vstone511]

cleaning the beach up sounds like a plan lets do it
time and dates, matt

[TritonKiteboarding]

The morning of Feb 9th might not be a bad idea, get everyone out to clean things up together then go home clean up and meet back at Watersports West for the Pre-Party for the race, solid all day community activities. The preparty should be a real great time, i know john steve and steve-o have made some great plans and we'll be following up with the redbull guys and our college party antics.

so i guess hows the morning of the 9th for people

[Galego]

works for me. where will me meet for the clean up, im not to familiar with the st pete area. coming from venice.

[C. Moore]

Matt,

Count us in. Thanks for spear heading this. Great idea.

[E-Bone]

The worst shape the Skyway was ever in was after a big fish kill a few years ago. About 6 to 8 big-ass fish that looked like carp had washed in dead to the launch, so someone decided to stack those bitches in a heinous pyramid right in the middle of the launch.

Those bastards sat there and rotted in the sun for about a month and stunk so bad that even the flies wouldn't go near them. One day, I was launching a kite and actually tripped over the damn fish pile and fell on my ass right over the top of it. Then, once all the fish rotted away, we were picking fish bones out of our feet for the next three months.

Be careful in you venture near the mangroves during the clean up. Comments about used condoms and syringes are not an exaggeration. A lot of people ride at the skyway, and some are riding the white pony and others are riding man-ass. Take universal precautions and don't come away from the mangroves with hepatitis or something worse.

[kite-4-life]

That dolphin smelled much worse. You could smell it while driving on the bridge with the windows up.
Anyone remember all the dead Redfish on East Beach? There was also a giant sea turtle dead on the beach up at the point. Shortly after that we had a clean up out there with Bob and his big ass Unimog dump truck and scooped up as much funky fish guts and seaweed that we could handle. I will NEVER forget that smell.......:confused:

[toby wilson]

Yeah Steve, those were N-A-S-T-Y!!!

[CrazyJay]

sounds like redneck sushi to me! yum yum

[Danimal8199]

HAve you guys seen the video from the 70s when a city tried to blow up (with C4) a blue whale or somehting that washed up on the beach and it just rained down big chunks of rotting whale carcass? Its so damn funny, one piece smashed a car from a 1/4 mile away!

[CrazyJay]

Scott posted that on the forum about 3 years ago. Was very funny... and i dont think they've tried it since.

[Tom Stock]

The sea turtle isn't nearly as bad as the old harness shorts I left at the skyway last year.

If you find them you will know it.

[Erick]

I'm in Matt, at what time should I be there? thanx

[TritonKiteboarding]

I'll be leaving from eckerd with a crew at 10:00 on saturday, if people want to meet around 10:15-10:30ish that would be cool, if people have extra rakes it might not hurt to bring them, rusty cans and old broken bottles have burrowed down into the sand so lets try and fully overhaul it, i'll bring the garbage bags, a rake or two and the trucks to haul away the junk

hope to see you all there if not the after party at wsw should be a blast.

[Galego]

, if people want to meet around 10:15-10:30ish that would be cool.

meet where?

[Gui]

I guess we are talking about skyway north, right ?
Sounds good will see you guys there at 10.15

[TritonKiteboarding]

correct

[Galego]

skyway north it is, see you there @ 10:30ish AM.

[kite-4-life]

Hats off to Matt Sexton/Triton Kiteboarding and the volunteers who made this happen. The launch area was cleared of trash, glass, and hazards and we made a little progress around the mangroves, which needs about 100 volunteers, a hazmat team, and a garbage truck.:confused:
Thanks Galego for making the drive up here, next time we might have some wind for ya!:rolleyes:
Thanks Gene W. for providing volunteers with some sweet decals.
Doin some good for da neighborhood.....:cool:
Steve (813)389-3683

[Erick]

It's amazing how much broken glass we found on Saturday among other things and yet Yesterday when I was walking I still saw a lot of sharp dangerous objects. I'm wondering if asking Pinellas County to install 3 trash cans there would help reducing all these trash in the area.

Had fun and thanks to the Triton guys for organizing the event.

See ya at the beach!

[kite-4-life]

That land is controlled by the state. I have seen volunteer crews out there before cleaning the mangroves alongside state workers, and we will attack this problem again (and others) in the off season, hopefully with their support. By taking a proactive approach, it shows that we care about the beaches we use everyday, and working hand in hand with local authorities may give us a leg to stand on when facing access issues. Things like this are very important for the healthy growth of our sport, and staying in the good graces of "the powers that be" is critical. Many more community service events are in the works for the summer, if you have ideas or want to help out, please contact myself or Matt.
I would also like to note that East Beach had about 40 kiters on Sunday and lotsa spectators, and was left in great condition at the end of the day! Thanks Steve-O, Team Triton and others who double checked the beach for trash and forgotten gear. If you're the last to leave, please take the time to walk the launch area and make sure we leave it in good shape.
If you left something at the beach, check the lost and found, chances are that one of your bros is looking out for ya!
Thanks again everyone!

[TritonKiteboarding]

Just want to thank everyone who made it out to clean up our most used local launch. We cleared over 60 lbs of trash and that was just the tip of the iceburg as steve said. Hopefully next time we'll get full community support including gulfster and surfrider to truely make a difference. Still trying to figure someway to get a built in Air Compressor and or Live Cam Feed that might make the mangrove men think twice before tossin' their rubbers around our launches. Any idea's here would be a huge help and i'd be happy to undertake any neccesary litigation/red tape to make it happen. We need to establish our presence there and show we care about the area not just continue to let it get dumped on. Thanks again to everyone, especially gene for the kickass stickers. If anyone can imbed the photo or the link it would be appreciated it told me the file size was to big to directly attach.
http://inlinethumb46.webshots.com/34797/2206096090062782977S600x600Q85.jpg


-matt

[C. Moore]

I embeded the pics for you. Great job Matt and to all those who helped!!

[TritonKiteboarding]

Thanks Chris