[ricki]

Kiters visiting anywhere else need to be particularly concerned about access issues and act with care. Lots of Florida riders should be able to easily relate to this.

I recall things have been touchy regarding the private island of Eustatia for many years given the layout of the reef protected beach to the trades and how close it is to the Bitter End, Little Dix, etc.. it is the easiest and closest launch but it belongs to someone else with limited tolerance for disregard.

Went there twice long ago on our own large flotilla with the HiHo in 1998 and 2000. The second time I took kite gear along but did the windsurfing race in lighter winds at that location that day. Did kite around Beef Island and Anegada. Still, these issues should be common knowledge with informed and concerned kiters traveling in from most points. Didn't Rusty Henderson and others write a kiting guide to BVI assuming the deluge of bare boating kiters was going to expand in the future. As I recall it was well written and a good guide to getting some good rides in while working to avoid problems.

Visiting kiters need to be considerate and exercise care, especially those with large commercial outfits. I am not sure how open he would be to discussion, but Andy Morell, organizer of the HiHo for decades and a resident of BVI would be an invaluable contact for ideas and tips to avoid problems with a kiting flotilla. He tried to organize some HiHo kite events at other times of the year but they just didn't take off, this was a while back before kiters may have connected the dots between travel and prime riding. If he is still in the same trade, he operates a large liquor provisioning business in Road Town on Tortola.

Real is a large, well known organization which for a variety of reasons is under close scrutiny by riders all over right now. This would be a good time to try to regain some positive ground and improve how they might be perceived by some riders. Actions speak louder than words and pro operators should be able to anticipate problems like this a mile off and work to avoid them. It would make sense to have a care and work extra hard to not cause kiters and other locals to regret rather than welcome the business and substantial capital brought to the BVI by your group. With the Internet, negative reports can get back home and in fact travel worldwide.