Sunset Beach FYI

[jakester]

Did anyone see the new guy the other day at sunset?
Went in the water fine. Was body dragging for about an hour in 3 feet of water. Came out and had this weird rash from his waist to his knees. He said it was burning like fire. Looked like some kind of strange bites/rash thing going on...said it happened to him the last time he was at sunset as well!!! I think he called the state to have the water tested.

[Todd RT]

Originally Posted by jakester

Did anyone see the new guy the other day at sunset?
Went in the water fine. Was body dragging for about an hour in 3 feet of water. Came out and had this weird rash from his waist to his knees. He said it was burning like fire. Looked like some kind of strange bites/rash thing going on...said it happened to him the last time he was at sunset as well!!! I think he called the state to have the water tested.

Yup, I think his name is Tom? I saw him with the hose down his pants trying to ease the pain. I try to stay above the waterline as much as possible.

[Danimal8199]

Todd,

you guys see me crashing all the time out there no doubt, I even had to drive to howard park and wade through the muck to retrieve my kite after my safety leash failed yesterday, but I have actually never felt the burning or itching that is being described here.

However, a couple years ago when I was just getting into the sport I spent alot of time in the water at Lassing Park and I can confirm that I did have some stinging sensation that lasted over the night.

I did not have a rash though and nothing lasted more than a day...

[Whitey]

Check it out. What if everyone at Sunset tries to do the following? And passes the word to folks that don't, that this is how it works at SB.

Always launch as far east as possible.

When you are launching have your board placed by the waters edge BEFORE you launch your kite.

As soon as the kite is in the air get off the beach with a sense of urgency, like you were getting off an airplane full of passangers waiting behind you.

Don't stand on the beach with a kite overhead and have a conversation, if you see this happening just ask the person if they are coming or going, they should get the point. You don't park on the on ramp to the freeway.

Stay away from the launch area unless you are coming in to land your rig or change boards.

If you are coming in and see a kite in the air at the beach take another tack and come back when there is no kite in the air.

When you come in drop your kite wrap up your lines quickly take your kite from the person that landed you and put the rig up on the grass NOT on the beach. Notice the "wrap up your lines", this pratice will keep your lines from being damaged and causing you a potential nightmare in the future, not to mention it makes launching and landing much faster and SAFER for everyone there.

Don't ride even near the swim zone or swimmers that are not in the swim zone.

The few teachers at SB are very very good about getting way way out before starting their lessons, and staying out while the lesson is going on. They are doing that out of respect for the better riders not because it is easy to walk out there. Show them the same respect and give them and the student some room.

If you see kookism don't stand there and wait for the show to unfold, address it with the kook before an event takes place.

Be aware that their ARE power lines on the southern end of the lagoon. Don't tempt fate and our access by riding at the extreem southern end of the lagoon. The winds not good or safe in there anyway.

Realize that you are kiting on a very lush and live grass flat. This ecosystem is the breeding grounds for many kinds of sealife. Respect the grass flat and the life on it.

This time of year there are very small jellyfish that are hard to even see. They sting. One sting or a dozen you don't even notice, 10,000 - 100,000 stings you get a rash. Their stings will not get thru tight nylon or spandex rash guards. If you are going to body drag for hours there get a cheep pair of ladies panty hose wear them under your shorts and booties and you will not get any stings on your lower body (from the jelly fish, can't protect you from fellow kiters though)

The water at Sunset does not need to be tested the kiters do.

I'm not suggesting that most folks there are not already doing some of these things, they are. I'm just suggesting that if everyone made an effort to do all of these things it would be cool.

Enjoy the wind.

[Unimog Bob]

Excellent list. Most of it can apply everywhere.

[Whitey]

Thanks Uniscott.