For mulitple reasons riding in the southern lagoon, the one closest to the parking lot, bathers, protected birds, expensive homes, etc. NEEDS TO FALL way off. For practical purposes it appears that it should end.
Another thing that wasn't mentioned above. At low tide the lagoons particularly the one to the south becomes extremely shallow. No big deal if nothing goes wrong but if you strike bottom & miscontrol, wrap lines with a few of the hundreds of other lines potentially present flying around the place ... you get the idea. This bad practice has paralyzed, knocked out, fractured ankles and otherwise maimed riders for sometime.
The authorities have put us on notice with repeated warnings in past years. Sound familar? It should, it has been repeated enough times in other places around the world.
We need to use D I S T A N C E. How many times in the past would needless stupid problems have been avoided if this simple thing had been done? I understand riders should plan to walk 20 to 25 minutes into the launch area for the north lagoon and offshore area routinely. People are sometimes just too lazy for that and we are now trying to deal with the consequences.
One idea is to ride OUTSIDE the lagoons, gasp! It may not be butter but it isn't offshore wind unlike the east coast and it should see this unique launch stay open longer that it looks it will under current conditions.
Worried about locals? These guys have been dealing with this stuff for years. Guess what? Many now don't even ride and launch here routinely, they use chase boats among the MANY islands and bars away from this threatened area.
Get a clue guys and work to protect this spot. The writing is on the wall for Hobie Beach being closed in the near future to ALL shoreside water access in the Miami area. Without a boat or a desire to drive further and further away, what other options are we leaving ourselves in westerly winds?