CGKA - EVENT SITE TEMPORARY ACCESS RULES/AGREEMENT

cgka · Since 18 Jul 2006 278 Posts Obsessed

IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR EVENT SITE KITEBOARD ACCESS.

- EXCEPTION IS JULY 7/8 KITEBOARD ACCESS CLOSURE DURING WINDFEST DEMO WEEKEND - THIS IS A RESERVED EVENT SPECIFIC ONLY FOR WINDSURF DEMOS.

THE PORT OF HOOD RIVER is really starting to appreciate kiteboarding on the waterfront.
As of Sunday morning (July1st/2012) THE EASTERN MOST SECTION OF THE EVENT SITE WILL BE REOPENED FOR KITEBOARD LAUNCHING AND LANDING ACCESS. THIS IS A TEMPORARY AGREEMENT ALLOWING ONLY UNTIL THERE IS ADEQUATE SANDBAR FOR SAFE LAUNCHING AND LANDING OF KITES.

Mother Nature reigns supreme, but when it comes to water levels, the Corp of Engineers rules all.
If you have not already noticed, the Sandbar is currently not useable due to a short period of forecasted high water for the first part of May.

To allow for kiteboarders to have continued safe and responsible access along the Hood River waterfront, the CGKA has worked together with the Port of Hood River and the CGWA to establish a temporary extension of access for kiteboarders to launch and land at the Event Site.
This extension is permitted only until the water recedes to a level in which the Sandbar is then exposed enough to provide safe and consistent launching and landing.
Be advised to stay posted to NWKite.com or your local Hood River kite shops for updates, as changes may be made within a 24hrs notice regarding this launch status

LAUNCH and LANDING RULES : Simple Tips to Remember
1) Pump/dry and attach/remove your lines IN THE DESIGNATED PUMP/DRY ZONE AT THE EAST END OF THE EVENT SITE. This keeps the designated launch and landing zones clear for others to launch and land quickly and safely

2) Launch from the upwind box and land in the downwind box. It's pretty simple, treat this area like an aircraft carrier. Your either launching or landing in and you'd do well to clean up your gear from either zone quickly.
Once your kite is flying, get out and away from the Event Site (standing flying a kite at 12o'clock a the Event Site is very dangerous!)
When you land, coil up your lines and move your kite up into the Pump and Dry Zone. Do not leave gear all over the beach, it is for launching/landing only.

COURTESY :
The Event Site is the Port of Hood River's recreational property, that was specifically designated for windsurfing, but due to the highwater issue keeping our sandbar submerged, we have been given the opportunity to SHARE the Event Site with the windsurf community. If you like this situation, it would be best to treat it like a special gift that you appreciate and take care of. Please be courteous to other kiters, windsurfers, spectators on the beach and the windsurf instructors who are trying to do their job.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post and for any help that you may provide in sharing and promoting these safety and courtesy messages with the rest of the kite community

THE CGKA AND ALL LOCAL KITEBOARDERS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THIS IS A DIRECTIVE DRIVEN AND SUPPORTED BY THE NEW WATERFRONT RECREATION DIRECTOR WHO IS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CGKA REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS THE CGWA.

Bettyboarder · Wed Jun 06, 12 3:51 pm

Huge thanks to the CGKA, CGWA and the Port for working together and allowing kiters to use the Event Site while the water was high

Pepi · Fri Jun 08, 12 3:37 pm

Save this link for water levels forecast updates throughout the season :

http://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/stp/station/stpplot/stpplot.cgi?TDAO3

Jonpnw · Fri Jun 29, 12 12:25 pm

I am confused.

forrest · Fri Jun 29, 12 4:05 pm

The important part:

caps · Since 23 Dec 2010 347 Posts Obsessed

Nice job, CGKA!

Sella · Sat Jun 30, 12 10:01 am

Great decision.

cgka · Since 18 Jul 2006 278 Posts Obsessed

Gratitude for this blessing should be directed to Liz the new Waterfront Coordinator for the Port of Hood River.

All it took was her observing the actual daily situation that kiterboarders were going though at the Event Site, plus the extra comments provided by all the kiteboarders who attended the Waterfront Rec Committee Meeting last week.
Those that attended made respectable, reasonable and logically based comments for the Port that really resonated with the committee and the Commission.

Not to take anything away from this, but a plead/request to those who think that they are being rebelious in a positive way by launching when it is not allowed, those that have been doing are currently the only ones giving kiteboarding any sort of negative perspective. Luckily the Port recognizes and rewards for the majority of safe and respectable users.

Thank you for your continued support and ability to follow the rules!
Your CGKA Board of Directors

jblum · Since 13 Jul 2008 306 Posts The Gorge Obsessed

Has anyone considered trying to establish new flexible guidelines about the launching landing situation at the event site? Here are a few ideas that seem reasonable for open launch/ landing at the Event Site:

1) Sandbar not out
2) Monday-Thursday
3) Before noon/ after 6pm
4) Before May 31/ after Aug 31 excluding weekends
5) Certain number of kites on the water TBD

If the launching/ landing regs at the event site are about safety, the thing that makes it the most unsafe are tons of people/ spectators/ kooks/ families using the site. Flexible guidelines would make this easier for the Port (fewer meetings and agenda items) and better for users (clearer, logical guidelines) while increasing the safety of the launching/ landing situation for everyone. Just an idea.

Sella · Tue Jul 03, 12 9:22 am

J.........I totally agree with you new guidelines will help with the flow of traffic so the way Pepi explained it at the CGKA meeting was send the Port (Email Liz Whitmore) suggestions/ideas so she can compile feedback and present when the Port and the Waterfront Rec Committee meet again. The Port needs time to make sure any long-term change is well planned.

Pepi......correct???? Thoughts?

It has to be easy for any person, not just kiters, to understand but considering the amount of traffic coming and going right now from the ES it's really cool to see it working well on a very informal basis so I think whatever is planned for 2013 can probably be quite simple. Time will tell....but all ideas are needed.....and attending the meetings also gets your voice heard etc.

D-Krep It Kiter · Since 18 Jul 2011 417 Posts Obsessed

Mark · Tue Jul 03, 12 1:14 pm

Year round access......