Rockingham Council is proposing to dredge a 300m long 30m wide channel with markers through the sand bar at Bent St. They are meeting Marine Parks and Reserves on Thursday. All pond users need to state their opposition to this proposal.
Article from Saturday's West


Facebook page.
www.facebook.com/pages/No-dredging-at-Safety-Bay/106760259451420

Just out of curiosity, why would pond users oppose it? If the boats using that boat ramp go through the channel as oppose to going wherever they want, wouldn't that be a good thing?

Or do you think an easy way from that ramp to open water would encourage more boaters to use it, that the current sandbanks keep people away?

If that's the case, what grounds would you state your opposition on? 'We don't want to share our beach'?

The preferred central channel would put channel markers right in the path of kiters and
windsurfers forcing even more congestion in an already crowded spot.
Kites and channel markers (unless buoys) sound like a bad idea.
Many of the learning windsurfers use where the eastern channel is marked to get off and turn around or as a safe place to try and gybe or to take a rest.
A channel would allow more/ bigger boats to use the area increasing congestion and certainly not lessening any conflict between windsurfing/kitesurfing and recreational vessels as mentioned in the article.
"Regular dredging would be required" ? A barge or dredger parked in a good sailing / kiting spot for part of the year.
There are much better facilities at nearby boat ramps and parking is already tight. The beach is already shared by a lot of water users. Not saying close the ramp.

Fair enough, I haven't been down there since about 2008 so I don't know what it's like these days. Just playing the 'both sides of the story' card. Perhaps removing the boat ramp is the better idea. Where are these other ones nearby you speak of?

I was with you on this Pat and just looked on the map and there are 2 within 1km of this one. I would think it would be better for us if they spend the money upgrading the Carlisle st one.

Ahh yes, and there's one between Donald and June. My Google Earth-fu was not strong.

Two local papers have already made contact about the issue.
Does not seem to have attracted much interest over here on the kite side does that mean that SBay kiters are not concerned?

Select to expand quote

WindsurfingWA said...

Two local papers have already made contact about the issue.
Does not seem to have attracted much interest over here on the kite side does that mean that SBay kiters are not concerned?

I know I shouldn't say this, but I think the reason a lot of kiters probably don't care is that they don't go as far as that eastern sandbar and only seem to do short runs into the middle of the pond.

Anyhow, that's just my opinion on what I have seen there. It might be the Teuros, or it might be more beginners, but that's the way it looks.

you all cant just, like, you know, go elsewere???

A facebook page of itinerant anonymous personalities will do absolutely diddly squat.
If there is an issue here of concern to kiters then WAKSA is the organisation to represent us.
WAKSA has saved the Pond for kiters once already - to the point of getting the butter made an exclusive 'advanced' kiting area. (with huge props to the windsurfers org. for backing the move for a sensible usage division)
Without looking at it too closely yet my guess is this may well be a huge bonus for the Pond as a kite beach. At the previous 'interested parties' meetings; chaired by the city council; there was pretty significant evidence presented that the Pond would become a sunbaking area in the very near future (like within 10 yrs - more likely 5 or even less!!) regardless of our efforts to save it for our freestyle kiters.
May just be that a dredged channel off to the SE would stop this natural silting up of the Pond. An assessment by those who know these things would be appropriate. As opposed to a 'lets stop it regardless' campaign without any hard evidence of potential effects.

I read this article this morning with interest. The money has already been spent by council on upgrading the ramp and associated infrastructure. They are not going away. They won't close the ramp or move it elsewhere. The channel will go ahead eventually and rightly so - I have kited there regularly and have seen boats hitting the bottom. I have also stopped and waited for boats to pass, as boats have for me on occasions. We all need to share the resource (ie all of the pond and local area) - the ramp was there before windsurfers and kiters...

Time to step up and become a part of the process - there are already interested and committed locals who may be keen to make representations to council and DEC.

Windsurfing WA and WAKSA will (I'm sure), assist if needed. Let's all take a mature and consultative approach to this issue - it's the only thing that will work. Mark - if you're that concerned, get involved and participate in the process. There have been many comments lately about people needing to stand up and participate in process rather than moaning on a forum.

I've made my comments with positivity and motivation in mind, but the flame suit's on - flame away if so minded...

Select to expand quote

dunk said...

I read this article this morning with interest. The money has already been spent by council on upgrading the ramp and associated infrastructure. They are not going away. They won't close the ramp or move it elsewhere. The channel will go ahead eventually and rightly so - I have kited there regularly and have seen boats hitting the bottom. I have also stopped and waited for boats to pass, as boats have for me on occasions. We all need to share the resource (ie all of the pond and local area) - the ramp was there before windsurfers and kiters...

Time to step up and become a part of the process - there are already interested and committed locals who may be keen to make representations to council and DEC.

Windsurfing WA and WAKSA will (I'm sure), assist if needed. Let's all take a mature and consultative approach to this issue - it's the only thing that will work. Mark - if you're that concerned, get involved and participate in the process. There have been many comments lately about people needing to stand up and participate in process rather than moaning on a forum.

I've made my comments with positivity and motivation in mind, but the flame suit's on - flame away if so minded...

Just for info I am a member and committee member of WWA. I have helped organise 10+ WWA events this season including Safety Bay. I was part of the discussion on behalf of WWA with WAKSA and City of Stirling about the Scarborough exclusion zone.
I feel passionately that we need to defend any sailing/ kiting areas that we have otherwise we will increasingly get squeezed out.
Should we not all be concerned about a proposal to dredge a 300m by 30m channel with markers which did not even involve consultation with significant users of the area?
I have contacted the council and Marine Parks and want to be a part of the discussion but as far as I am aware there has not been any involving windsurfers / kitesurfers on this proposal.
I would encourage all that use this area to make the council aware that they are concerned. Two local newspapers have already made contact looking to find out more about the issue. Seabreeze, Facebook etc are all part of making sure that everyone that should know is aware.

Who is the best contact at City of Rockingham? Sod it. Will call them myself and post later ....

Pretty disappointing with the kitesurfings's non participation in this issue. And that dickhead with the trainer kite today launched above the windsurfing/footpath. if you crashed it (i could hear it whizzing past over my head ) on my head or on a young kid / school kid walking past on the footpath i would of gone over there and knocked you the **** out.
If your going to learn how to kite don't fly it above a footpath where it can harm pedestrians and non water users. ****nut.