Sandbar kite launching area at normal water level?

Nak · Since 19 May 2005 4203 Posts Camas XTreme Poster **CGKA Member**

There's a few links showing what the Kite-legal area will look like at the sandbar, but these links all show the "Kite Continent" at very low water levels. I thought I'd use a current picture and see what we'll have at normal water levels. Perhaps my depictions are wrong, they certainly could be. If so, could some one please post more accurate pictures?

1. The first photo shows today's sand bar.

2. The second photo shows the same picture, but with the area used for kite launching & landing highlighted in green. Admittedly, this is a small portion of the sandbar, but the rest of the sandbar is too dangerous to use for a launch/land site. Or am I wrong? I've only been out there a few times, nobody is launching anywhere else. Of course I heard someone launched over near the logs recently, but that didn't work out too well, did it?

3. The third photo shows the area closed to kiteboarding in yellow. The only area that is legal and safe to land/launch kites is shown highlighted in green. If you can't find it, it's right at the corner of the yellow area. I've put in an arrow to help point it out.

I know that this could change. If we can get rid of all of the debris matters will change pretty dramatically. What happens if we are unable to clear those logs?

Are there other safe areas to launch/land? I'll admit that I haven't explored in depth, it just seems that the areas I've depicted are the only ones being used. If someone could point out all of the safe areas it would possibly go a long ways towards defusing some of the tension that is in the air. (Safe area being safe for newbies/intermediates, not just experts.)

Nak

trevorsmith · Since 25 Apr 2005 501 Posts PDX Addicted

In looking at your pic and the one provided by the port: http://www.portofhoodriver.com/Port%20Waterfront%20AccessZones.pdf

This is very sad. They want kiters to pump, rig, launch and land upwind on big massive trees and "Natural Harzards". Drag our kites and lines over the Natural Hazards debris to get it to a safe launch zone. 40 kiters on a postage stamp area, now that is safe. And we have to hump over all of our gear to the furthest possible spot on the spit before rigging it. Sounds like a great plan, looking forward to summer.

magicmaker · Since 29 Oct 2006 895 Posts da Hood Opinionated

ok, so many people are worried that there is too much debris and things will get too crowded and there will be no safe places to launch, but this is seriously not true. I've been out to the sandspit and ridden a bunch of times already this year. The areas shaded in the thicker green are safe to launch in. the only thing you have to worry about are very small sticks that you lines may get hung up on, and they can easily be thrown out of the way, and hopefully we'll clean them all up on may 19th during the cleanup party.

it isn't perfect, but i've hot launched my new fuels probably 6 times this year in the fuller shaded green areas, all i had to do was make a quick visual check that no large logs were downwind of me. Personally i hate walking all the way to the edge of the bar when you can go out either the pool towards the middle or the northwest portion of water. Please dont go out the pool if people are hitting sliders/kickers and you're gonna mess up the rotation. If people are playing in the pool or you dont feel safe going out there, then goto the large water opening on the northwest end, if you go out here you'll need to watch in the water for logs and shtuff, cause while there isn't that much and it is very easy to get out, there are some and you need to keep an eye out for them.

BTW- i'm not recomending anyone to hot launch where i have shaded, if it went bad you'll get rag dolled across some logs farther to the east like the guy with the waroo did. I would encourage more people to rig and launch from down there, then people like me wont be tempted to hot launch because i'll actually have someone to launch me. Wait, who am i kidding, i love hot launching my new fuels (as long as i'm not super lit up like i was yesturday and had somebody launch me cause i knew it would be unsafe to hot launch). Very Happy

gabe · Since 16 May 2005 475 Posts Obsessed

the little sand spit just off the event site should clearly be usable by kiters to launch, and the lagoon downwind of it also usable by kiters to ride (too shallow for WSers anyways.) it does seem that the "600ft" no fun zone covers half the sandbar. i don't know if anyone really takes the map seriously, but it would be very hard to make kiters stop using this, and there's no reason they shouldn't. it's downwind of everyone else.

trevorsmith · Since 25 Apr 2005 501 Posts PDX Addicted

The areas in green are where you hot launched from.. I assume you have some kiteboarding experience. But a beginner launching from either one of these areas would be less than idea.

1. the West most green spot..there will be a ton of people there - bad
2. The middle green..directly up wind of lots of debris - more bad
3. The East green spot, lots and lots of land to get dragged over, and stabbed by smaller debris - not so good.

None of these areas I would ever take a non-experienced kiteboard to launch from.
Plus where is your self rescue spot being east of the spit?

I was there the other day, with about 10 kiteboarders using the "Illegal" Yellow area and it was crowded. Start throwing in lessons, beginners etc. into the smaller postage stamp "Legal" area..it will be sad for everyone.

magicmaker · Since 29 Oct 2006 895 Posts da Hood Opinionated

tstansbury · Since 06 Jun 2006 649 Posts Rowena and P.C Addicted

I am taking these markers to mean no kiteing in the water and that layeing out lines and launching landing in the sand of this area is Ok. I am probally wrong but that is how I treated the yellow marker on the sand.

KiteBoy007 · Since 12 May 2007 1 Posts New Member

You weenies...how small is your memory??? I remember launching out of a parking lot last year; ANY sandbar is better than no sandbar. See you out there - look for the big grin with sand in my teeth! Shocked

bamboo · Since 24 Jun 2005 165 Posts da 'chung; taiwan Stoked

i've been out of the picture for some time but hot damn skippy that spit is a fooking mess. if it stays in it's present shape there is certain to be a major injury if not death there this summer. holy shiat! of all the places i've kited that has got to be the most dangerous, most ridiculous spot. hidden snags. gapers usa. funky winds, shallow waters. can you add anymore crap. it's a lawsuit waiting to happen. i hope the county is ready.

do you think we can make a differece on the 19th? i hope so! the summer will count on it....

shastadogs2 · Since 28 Mar 2005 336 Posts Obsessed

i remember my first instructor smitty telling me NEVER to launch or land with head-knockers downwind.

now i have seen a lot of it over the last 4 years, but the port encouraging/mandating the same madness takes the fooking cake.

someone is going to come to an unhappy end if these rules are in place and that crap is left on the bar during the summer circus.

i sincerely hope i am wrong.

jmmi

boardrider · Since 05 Apr 2006 1034 Posts Ventura, CA XTreme Poster

If the sandbar looked like this, no one would care about the 600'.
I know - keep on dreamin'.