Crandon Park

[ricki]

This just in from Christophe:

The park is currently working on installing signage and buoys to set the boundaries and rules of the kitesurfing designated area in Crandon North beach.

Re-opening for kitesurfers will definetly happen and is scheduled in the next couple of weeks.

As you may already know, the access to Crandon park will be strictly limited to 25 advanced kitesurfers at a time , with an IKO or PASA card level 3 ( independant riders staying upwind CONSITENTLY- know the self rescue procedures- know the righ-a-way rules , and can kite among multiple kites around)
AND MUST CARRY AN IKO KITESURFING LIABILITY INSURANCE.
For those who already have then IKO level 3 card, You can purchase the kitesurfing insurance instantly online at :
http://www.ikointl.com/kb_insurance.php?affil=S656

Riders who do not have the IKO card level 3 yet will be able to obtain it on the beach after a quick check up with MKB instrcutors.
PASA card holder will obtain the IKO equivalency card on the beach as well upon presentation of their current PASA card.
Immediates Insurances policies will be available on the beach too.

DO NOT CALL THE PARK OFFICES INDIVIDUALLY TO ASK FOR RE-OPENING DATES AS THEY ARE BUSY ENOUGH WITH DAILY TASK ALREADY . The informed us that they will officially spread the info through this kiteforum, once the dates are set officially.

Anyway, the wind is not picking up good before October usually. and it's a matter of week or 2 .
Matheson park is still open for now, just be very careful with other kiters when launching / landing , and go offshore right away to open up the spaces as it's kinda of congested on windy days since it's the only access so far.
As well as Miami beach wherever there is NO LIFEGUARDS , but always stay far clear from swim Zones !

see u on the water.

[miamikiteboarding]

yes guys,
we work on it ,and will make a big effort to make things work. the school will pay sbdy to be in charge of helping with sign-in and respect the rules. but nothing major than before:
-advacned riders only ,Level 3 IKO or PASA check on the beach
- no more beginners, ( unless taking lessons with a MKB instrcutor) ,
-Individual insurance mandatory ( $89 /year valid worldwide click here : http://www.ikointl.com/kb_insurance.php?affil=S656 ),
- helmet not mandatory anymore
-daily sign in directly on the beach with a streamer to put on the kite
- max 25 riders. we all will have to be courteous with other riders to let everybody enjoy a bit of the day.

and obviously respect the limits with swimmers. they won't be kidding on that. i can tell you the lifeguards do not want to see any rider drifting or fooling around the swimmers, that could lead to direct expulsion.
so make sure you can stay upwind at all times , or anticipate and rescu back to the shore kite in hands !

we expect within a week.
to tell you the truth, we are waiting for 4 month already at Miamikiteboarding.

And yes it was us this summer , teaching from our boats on the sandbars 200 yards form the shore, when the thermals were picking up. It's still the safest set up for beginners or intermediates during onshore winds.

Plus i refuse to add more crowd especially beginners, to the already congested Matheson area where couple of good instructors are trying to do a good job, but a bunch of others Out-of-the-trunk " lesson-teachers" are buzzing the place with uncontrolled beginners all over the spot.

And that's how a spot get shut down , as soon as somebody gets hurt during or after a lesson with a non-legal,non-insured,non-licensed, non-certified instructor sucking up the temptative opportunity to make extra Cash for a while regardless of crucial safety and risk-potential aspects of the sport, and have no idea of what Liability could mean in case of incidents... but the authorities on their part know very well , and it takes just one time-accident or complaint for all the kitesurfing to shut down in the region.
And we all loose, especially those who recognized, accepted and respected the inherent danger of the sport in public areas from the begining , and always made the extra 100 yards to keep the buffer safety zone.

Hopefully there are some great and commited fellow riders out there in Matheson for a while , who gave enough of their time and patience to spread out the safe word and prevent from majors incidents.

That is the scenario crandon park didn't want to see happen, and that's why they reviewed completely the kitesurfing deal in Crandon park. tightened the rules , narrowed the number of riders down, and imposed liability insurance to all .
From now on, u safe or u out.

we keep u updated in Crandon park. I have to update my website too , u right, Labor day is way passed already.