The Alameda Incident

[JCoffey]

There were post made about an incident at Alameda on Saturday May 26, most of them by people who were not even there. Letís set the story straight.

Firstly, many people making posts have made comments regarding Sandiís ability to kite. These comments have been partially based on posts made by Greg Boington. Regarding these allegations, we would like to clear up Sandiís experience preceding these events.

Sandi is a capable sportsman. She has been flying a trainer kite since last year and after a year on the trainer kite, she flew a 5 meter 4 line kite several times, ranging from light to moderate wind and once devoting an entire session to launching and landing only. She then moved to a 9 meter SLE with 100% de-power and had several tandem body drag sessions, followed by several solo body dragging sessions without a board. She is an excellent kite flyer and except for loosing wind, or intentionally dropping the kite to practice re-launching never once dropped a full size kite.

We were ready for her first board use attempt. The wind at our usual location was a bit too off shore so we headed back up to Alameda that day.

Sandi and Jan showed up at Alameda early Saturday morning as we had several times this year. We pumped our kites up in the same spot we have all year. We were between the big tree and the antenna just as we had been instructed.

The wind was good, moderate and steady. We set up in the usual spot (ìusualî being the spot we had been instructed to launch from and did so with the help of Greg Boington the last time we were at Alameda). We were preparing to launch when a girl from the shack freaked out and told us we needed to launch in the area south of the shack. There was quite a bit of commotion, with people grabbing the kite, the lines, and ushering us across many kites. With the distraction of all this happening, Sandi aborted launching her kite.

We then discussed the problem with the girl (from Boardsports). Her rendition of the community rules were quite different than those we had previously been told. After her initial confrontational attitude about us trying to launch in the ìwrong areaî, she was pleasant and helped us get the kite in the right place. Sandi proceeded to launch without any problems.

Sandi had a good first board session; she even got up and rode for short distances, with Jan walking along ready to land her kite when she was finished. We landed her kite easily wrapped up the lines, and walked back. Sandi wanted to rest up, so in the meantime Jan went out for a ride. When Jan came back it was time for Sandiís second down-winder.

This time there was no room in the designated launch area to set up. There were lines over lines over lines. Jan started helping people get launched and landed while Sandi got ready. Jan even helped one guy who came in laid his lines across everyone elseís and yelled at everyone while he re-rigged. Itís a small crowded space, there was a lot of tension, and we couldnít help but think it was the result of a very bad system in too small of a space. Never the less it was a good lazy Saturday with lots of wind for everyone. It was clearly going to blow all day long. Eventually the beach cleared up.

We headed for a place that had just opened up, and was out of the way of some of the more hard core riders that seemed more in a hurry and whom Sandi did not want to get in the way of.

Even before we had gotten the lines laid out, (in almost exactly the same spot as the last guy) we were confronted again by a tall boy with a big attitude. He had such a look of disdain on his face and in a rude tone of voice, he yelled at us that we could not set our kite up here. As we had no idea who this guy was, or why he was trying to tell us what to do, and because we were setting up to launch in the designated launch zone as earlier instructed, Jan told him he was full of it. We had spent the better part of an hour helping to clear a tiny section of beach to launch our kite, and there was plenty of beach for everyone. And now we had this young punk with an attitude and an air of authority trying to tell us what to do.

Jan told him to chill. We were well within the launch area (which according to the orange cones and what we were told 2 hours before, we were. We were 3 feet from where the last kite had launched, and well north of the antenna).

This kid said that this was a ìbeginner launch areaî to which Jan responded by saying Sandi is a beginner. He then said that itís illegal to teach here which was really irritating because itís NOT ìillegalî to teach your friend a sport. He said it was because Boardsports has a permit making it illegal for anyone else to do so. He insisted that Jan was breaking the law. This outrageous claim made everything he had to say completely unbelievable.

Jan informed him that we did not believe him. Quite obviously enraged he said he could get someone to speak with us. Frankly, we wanted to get to the bottom of why we were being told we were breaking the law, by some boy with a big attitude. We figured that if he came back with someone, that they might offer a more professional attitude as well as an explanation as to why we were being accused of breaking the law. After all, the lady from the shop had launched Sandi in the same spot a couple of hours before. We were hoping for a professional attitude, but we were very disappointed.

He stomped off and a few seconds later we were accosted by an even more angry shop lady claiming to be in charge. The first thing she did was asked to see our permit. We told her you donít need a permit for kiting. She told us that we were in violation of laws that prohibited instruction. She told us that Boardsports had an exclusive permit for teaching and that anyone else on the beach was in violation of the law.

After arguing a bit that teaching a friend to kite board and teaching lessons commercially were clearly two different things she told us she would call the police if Jan continued helping Sandi.

We seriously doubted her claims and we were appalled at how ridiculous she was being. Jan looked back at Sandi and facetiously told her that she would have to go on her own this time, because this lady was going to call the police on us if he helped her. ( This is a violation of one of the other agreed rules at Alameda concerning a beginner always having a spotter to help with landing. )

So the lady got truly irate and told us that no beginners were allowed who hadnít taken a lesson. Jan asked her about other beginners on the beach and she told us that they had all taken lessons from Boardsports. Sandi asked the woman if that meant she wasnít allowed to kiteboard here and the woman replied yes, if you want to kite here you should sign up for lessons with Boardsports.

We were flabbergasted by this negatively and told her that this is a public beach and we paid the parking fee to get in the same as everyone else and we were not violating any laws. She said she was calling the police. Feeling like we were the ones being victimized, Jan agreed it was a good idea and followed her to the shack. She kept arguing with him all the way there and was questioning him whether she should call the Parks Department or the police. Jan told her to call whomever she saw fit.

But frankly, we were done. We didnít need that kind of scene; no one does, besides it was clearly all lies, so we started packing. We intended to get to the bottom of all this harassment in dryer, warmer clothes.

People started asking where we were going. We told them what had happened. They were as appalled as we were, so we told a few more people as we were gathering our things. The last of these items was an old liquid force board. As Jan went to get the board, that tall angry boy kicked it at him and told him once again to get off the beach.

Now there is a rumor that Jan assaulted that tall boy. But like the rest of their claims, it is simply not true.

We never would have imagined what happened next. We were leaving when a police officer ran up and starts telling Jan to keep his hands where the officer could see them. Etc. etc. What happened? Well, we had a bit of a talk in which we were told that the shop lady had called the police a second time and yelled, quote, ìhelp help, they are attacking us from all sides!î

Both parties gave their accounts to the police and after all the questioning was done we were told we could do as we pleased. The police themselves were not able to get information regarding the ìpermitî Boardsports claimed to possess. We have since discovered this supposed permit is merely a parks concession agreement. We were also told by the police that as far as the law goes, there is no law that prohibits someone from non-commercially teaching their friend at Alameda.

Although, there certainly are laws against denying others access to public lands and waterways.

Kite Free!

Sandi & Jan

[busski]

I've been following along with all of the online discussion about this incident and a couple of others recently, and I have to say a couple of things:

I've said this before, but I think it is critical that we get a clear set of rules and guidelines up at Alameda, out in the public domain, and constantly reinforced publicly. The guidelines here are great, the signs are good, but this needs to be a true marketing initiative, with flyers, quick-view cards, and a ready feedback mechanism with the public (non-kiting, kiting, and the pros who have this sport as their livelihood.) I know efforts are underway, but maybe it's time to step it up.

This community needs to be seen as one that is always looking to ensure safety and not one that is seen as an a source of risk.

I truly fear the alternatives, which I can only imagine are going to be a ban on kiting and no good place for us newbies to learn. The end result will be more dangerous situations as those who want to kite look to 3rd ave. or some less safe spot to learn.


Second, we all need to chill out a bit (particularly the ban-this guy don't allow that guy people). I'm just starting out in this sport, and I've been screamed at for making a mistake that could have easily been managed with a few encouraging/moderating words. I understand that safety comes first, but I'm going to put building an encouraging community right behind that priority.

I learned how to windsurf at Cal Sailing and the coop members are always kind, willing to help, and sticklers for safety too. Trust me it works wonders for making safe kiters. Not to be too pat about it: but there's a quote about honey and bees there somewhere.


Also, I wasn't there, but the incident described sounds ugly, and sounds like exactly the kind of thing that leads to the parks department skepticism of "safe kiting" at Crown.

Everyone involved should be embarassed that it came to this, no matter who was the agressor/ defender. I don't think that a public fight with cops is ever a sign of good decision making. I think the impulse to walk away was a good one, but maybe it should have been made sooner. Which is not to say you were at fault, but reasoning with a jerk is often a futile thing (or so my girlfriend reminds me when I'm being a prat).


I'm sorry for venting, but I have to say this as I'm starting to avoid kiting at Alameda because I have been so put off by the attitude that is brought to the table by some there. And a drive out to tomales hoping for winds coming from the right direction for a relative newbie means I'm going to be kiting a whole lot less.

[al-kite-a]

I think the fact that the "locals" in Alameda think it is a good ideas to launch away form the water says enough about the thought they put behind their *guidelines*. It sucks that there is such a "locals only" thing happen at Alameda.

[windhorny]

My 2 cents: I was on the water that day but didn't see it so I wont judge anyone. But I can only imagine that if it got to the point someone felt they needed to say anything in the first place, they felt there was a safety risk in one form or another.

As a regular at Alameda I can say that the thing that bugs me with newbies is that they dont yet know the protocal for setting up-such as not being the only one with lines running upwind when everyone else is running downwind. This inherently puts a kite in the middle of the launch and is the start of tangles and frusteration on the launch deck. We have tried to print this clearly and of course those that kite there regularly know this.

Pump your kite above the shower and cones.

Put your wetsuit on and bring your kite right below the shower/cones area.

Rig your lines downwind and get out to the water asap! If you are not comfortable doing this then people will see that and try to be more patient and help.

As much as some may feel there is an attitude at Alameda-which I am guilty of myself at times-there is not a single person I know there that wouldnt jump in to help if they saw the opportunity.

Lastly, Boardsports is the only school allowed to teach on that beach. Yet the question comes up, is it illegal for a dad to teach his 2 year old to fly his kite? If someone walks up to a beginner to help them launch, are they teaching them anything?

[konakiter]

Great Posting, from the looks of it, it seems like its been blown out of proportion (like always) my only question is when they approch you to consult you about your teach, did they ask you if you were teaching a student that paid you or are you just helping a friend out. the reason I ask is that I'm sure this could have been all avoided if common courtesy was applied.

[dewey]

There was a instructor a few years back at Alameda that was a real dick to everyone. I wonder what ever happened to him...............

Rumer has it he moved down south!!!
let the kona winds blow

[JCoffey]

Great Posting, from the looks of it, it seems like its been blown out of proportion (like always) my only question is when they approch you to consult you about your teach, did they ask you if you were teaching a student that paid you or are you just helping a friend out. the reason I ask is that I'm sure this could have been all avoided if common courtesy was applied.

We are sorry if it wasn't clear from our post.

They didn't ever ask any questions about whether or not the instruction was happening commercially. However, we most certainly did explain that Sandi and Jan are housemates and that this was a friend helping a friend.

When we told them this, were told according to their ìpermitî we were breaking the law. We were told that the only way to be a beginner at Crowne Beach is if you pay and take lessons from Boardsports.

Kite Free!

Sandi & Jan

[whitecap]

I wonder how I would have reacted if someone gave me grief when I was teaching my boys Alex and Brian at the beach. I probably would not have had much patience. Out last time there was quite nice, as we blew off the whole shack scene and launched upwind as it was pretty crowded....at least until Alex whacked himself and came in whining to the shack...

bob

[konakiter]

There was a instructor a few years back at Alameda that was a real dick to everyone. I wonder what ever happened to him...............

Rumer has it he moved down south!!!
let the kona winds blow


Dewwey Woowey, is this the great DewMan, anways whats your thoughts on the matter, To me it seems like another let me tell you how it is around here, or I will call the cops on you. somethings never change.

Dewwwwy

[Windseeker]

I don't know anyone involved so I can't comment on the childish fight, but can anyone explain the official "laws" involved?

I can understand that Boardsports owns the exclusive rights to commercial lessons but how can this stop someone from teaching a friend or family member to kite if they are not interfering with the lessons Boardsports is teaching? There is no law (yet) stating one must have a licenced instructor to kite.......