Seems every day I am now politely and or not so politely telling guys and girls to please not learn in the POND area of Safety Bay 
We have recently seen the kite in the powerlines situation which has flared a lot of interest from the council and newspapers, I have heard all the excuses that you dont like choppy or deep water if this is the case then please look for another sport.
I will be having a meeting soon with the council to enforce these concerns.
I would appreciate a bit more support from local kiters who would rather express their concerns to me rather than confronting the person direct.
There are lots of great learning areas in the area, DONT try and mix it with the advanced riders until you have paid your dues.
Yours sincerely
The angry old dood at the pond!!
I was at the pond yesterday and it seemed to be running pretty well despite the crowd. There were a few less than competent kiters but everyone that I spoke to/launched/landed was a tourist and most ended up going out the back.. Like someone said yesterday, "it's like learning to ride a bicycle on the freeway".
I'm one to talk, I got dragged nearly all the way across the mouth pond trying to relaunch my 12 after I tomahawked it.
Ur one I would never had thought of admitting to 'old'
I agree, the pond is not the place for beginners.
If you're worried about chop or deep water, why not try the sand bar near Penguin Island, plenty of room downwind if you need time to recover after doing something inelegant
I am local
Safety Bay is my home
I do not ride the pond
because everytime I do I end up going off at someone
for 'not having a clue', silly stupid things, that should be common knowledge
The local boys had it sussed a few seasons ago, with a good clear
circuit that worked, but that slowly got destroyed with ignorance and not givin a @#ck about others
This is a intermediate kiting spot, that has been drowned with 'look at me blowins'
and of course us locals will tell you where to go except there is properly only 10% locals riding at any time.
Lines have been cut in the past
So if you get informed please have a brain and go elsewhere.
I have a feeling the END is near.
My reason is that after the recent incident with the power line, there will be significant pressure on the council from the non kiting community to have it banned. That one incident may not be enough to sway them but from what I saw today at the pond I think there will be more incidents to come unless there is a drastic change in the level of kiters who go to the area. Today was a marginal 15-18 knots at most, there was kites going down through the dunes out the back, kooks standing in the middle of the pond with kites at lunch tuned incorrectly, girl doing backrolls and crap like that for the camera in close with kite above kiddies heads with their buckets and spade on the shore. I can go on and on but you get the idea.
I also live in Safety Bay and unfortunately don't kite the pond for the last 2 seasons, I went down today to see a friend from work and try his kite. I won't hurry back as I have heaps of other spots without the drama, I do however feel for friends who will be affected if there is a ban imposed.
Unfortunately there not much the local group can do, there's simply to many vivistors to try and be diplomatic. About 2 years ago we identified that this day would come. A few guys took it a pone themselves to correct and guide people politely, but it became to hard. Lines have been cut, people have been threatened and told to reimburse others for damage after a f#ck ups.
At the end of the day it's the teuros that come in their wicked campers on a tight arse budget so they can try and last the season here, effectively spending no money to help our community and local business. When the council realise it's non locals and it's a non money spinner for the local economy it will ultimately be banned IMO. I certainly hope not for my friends sake but I'm just playing the devils advocate.
Yours Sincerely
The grumpier, but younger old dude not from the pond anymore!!
PS I am keen to hear from anyone that knows at what point you can classify someone as no longer a learner and advanced enough to be able to enter the holy waters of the pond?
Even more so how this will be decided, who will decide this, who will enforce this etc...
Beginner kiters should not kite at the pond. Not because the experienced guys want more room, and not because anyone was there first!
Beginner kiters should not kite at the pond, as it is a dangerous spot for beginners. Not only is it an onshore location upwind of trees, fences, roads, pedestrians, but also it is a very busy spot. The local kiters there do endeavor to share the water with everyone that was there before us. The windsurfers, the fishermen, the kids playing in the shallows. Beginners will not be able to avoid any of the above in any level of accident. Advanced riders can maneuver out of the way of other water users, and should in most cases be able to avoid an accident.
People harp on about the locals kiters at safety bay, but all we are trying to do is to keep the pond open to kiters. We suggest alternate spots to people we recognize as not at a level to be able to avoid incident.
We only get frustrated and angry at the number of people who come to ride there (who are welcome, of course, it isn't our beach), when we get told to f&@$ off, and have to watch as our local beach deteriates into a chaotic mess, and then becomes banned due to the behavior of kiters who will be gone in a few months.
Exactly tgladman, all comes down to common sense, respect and courtesy.
On the flipside if you are an advanced rider why would you want to be anywhere near that congested mess of beginners?
All depends which side you look at it from.
You can also question why any kiters went there in the first place as was so congested with windsurfers?
By the way, it used to be deserted once, well until us windsurfers came on the scene. 
As a local that has sailed the pond (pre pond too) since the 1980's i was disappointed to see kiters encroach on 'our' turf not so long ago and get in the way, but you know what i accept that is how it is and we just have to get along. Its no different to the current issue of advanced kiter vs beginners. If you don't like it cause it's too congested, there are too many beginners or whatever, then go somewhere else. It's not your right to be there cause you are this or that.
I have had to go elsewhere.
99% of the time you won't catch me in the pond and i have been a local experienced windsurfer all that time.
Just how it is.
Subsonic - Safety Bay actually used to be a bay of water right inland bordered by Hawker St and June Rd roughly, so it's constantly changing.
I remember on high tide the bar would totally disappear.
Reminds me i have some aerial photogrpahs somewhere from a long time ago of the area, see if i can find em and post em up.
Here you are people.
Safety Bay in 1942 !!!
See the white dot?
That's me on my experimental windsurfer...
If safety bay is such a dangerous place for beginners because of the road and stuff then Melville beach is probably even worse because it barely even has a beach, it is cluttered with trees, it has a road a few meters from the water and there are a lot of houses staight on the beach. Yet there are probably more beginners at Melville than anywhere else in Perth.
I reckon the reason is most likely that they both have flat, shallow water. Can anyone suggest any places that have flat, shallow water that does not have any dangers? surely there would be some places like that..
I know that some experienced riders are gonna say: go into waves and deep water pay your dues!! but I reckon that is a load of bullsh!te because that only makes kiting harder and more dangerous for beginners and with that also for experienced riders. Surely the experienced riders out there started of in shallow waters too.
anyone prepared to write a list of places that you reckon are fine for beginners? no danger and easier te learn?
Freestyling and wake jumping is prohibited :
• within any speed restricted area;
• within 30 metres of another PWC;
• within 50 metres of another vessel or person in
the water.
This was taken from the Dept of Transport Rockingham Boating Guide - Feb 2011.
Interesting reading.
Whether a skier or kiter, sure it applies.
So i guess that means beginner or advanced is breaking the rules in the pond, which in the same document is classified as a mooring area.
No mention of the kiting/windsurfing zones.
www.transport.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/mar_rb_Rockingham-0211.pdf
When I grow up (if I grow up) I'm going to teach my kids to drive, in peak hour traffic. Learn to park the car, on Thursday night at late night shopping. Teach them to ride a bike, on a bmx track. Learn to swim, in waves. Learn to surf, at the box. Would you call me a bad parent???
Disclaimer. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I have never kited here on summer (or weekend) but when making an opinion or decision (reasonable) people should look at all factors available to them to make the best decision.
Perhaps we need legislation so that all probationary kiters wear a bib with a bright red P on it. Sure you kiters can manage wearing something over the top of your wet suits...
Will be just like on the roads.
Oh, hang on, P platers have as much right to use any road as any experienced driver dont' they...
Wow, how could i have been so silly to think an advanced driver has more rights than them.
Then again maybe P platers should only be allowed to drive on roads us experienced drivers don't deem as suited to our skills, levels of prowess cause there isn't another like it anywhere.
Hope nobody else on here thinks like me...
