[East Bay] Berkeley

Information about San Francisco Bay Area kiteboarding locations and guidelines.
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amlerner
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Re: [East Bay] Berkeley

Post by amlerner » Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:22 pm

BayAreaKite wrote:
At minimum, you need to be a solid 2nd or 3rd season kiter with solid upwind skills to kite here. You need to be able to, as required, self-launch, self-land and self-rescue and as soon as sending your kite, make immediate upwind progress -
Thanks for the great info - I'm a 3rd season kiter and am fine getting and staying upwind, but I don't get the 'self-launch' and 'self-land' thing. Do you mean with no one to launch and land the kite for you? I've asked better kiters how to learn and they just recommend never doing it b/c it's dangerous - so how do you recommend learning it? And is self-landing really an option at Pt. Emery, or isn't it safer to self-rescue to the frontage road beach?

I learned to windsurf at Berkeley Marina maybe 8 years ago and I recall the wind blasting all summer (particularly in the evening after work), so I'm surprised to hear the wind shuts down so early.

Thanks atain!

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Re: [East Bay] Berkeley

Post by OliverG » Tue Apr 26, 2011 4:43 am

I didn't clarify, self-launch and self-land, or safety your kite, if no one else is present to launch or land you. Self-landing is not ideal, but if you're the last one in after your session, if you kited alone or no one is there to land your kite, you'd need to work something out, yes?

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Post by robert-g » Tue Apr 26, 2011 7:38 am

Ollie, thank you for posting this.
As we start a new season we usually see alot of new faces at Berkeley. If you don't usually kite there, don't do it alone.
If there are local kiters around check in with them. Ask about the Berkeley program. All of us will tell you what needs to happen.
Most of all, be respectful of the people around you.
After 7 years of kiting at Berkeley,I still body drag upwind to get away from the rocks before I start to sail up wind.
I recommend you try it.

This beach can't handle alot of kiters, that is why you must follow the guidelines, don't be stupid, and respect your fellow kiter.

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Re: [East Bay] Berkeley

Post by OliverG » Tue May 24, 2011 7:09 pm

Windy today at Berkeley, I get there at 4 or 4:30, had a great session at Alameda yesterday and long work day, so figured maybe I'd rest and just wait for my wife to show up and send her out.

Three guys show up for the first time, two went out to kite, one didn't. The wind was totally filled in, blowing 20 or so, they go out. Can they go upwind? No. Kiter #1 is heading out skirting the shore, flying his kite above the Bay Trail immediately adjacent to the Frontage road. Only by luck and virtue of the wind (this is abnormal there) being totally filled, manages to stay off the rocks.

Kiter #2, same thing, but worse, even closer to the rocks, almost on them. Kite even closer on top of Bay Trail. Where does he wobble off to? Straight downwind. When leaving later, his buddy in the car was high-tailing it down the frontage road to go fetch his buddy who washed up on the frontage road beach.

I understand that it is not possible to learn to kite instantly and know that it takes time and practice, but this is not the place to do it. Today was unusually filled in and blowing well. Were it not for that, the both of them would almost certainly have been toast, walking up on the rocks, with the kite on the rocks or Bay Trail or road or whatever. I have no idea what their story was or where they learned or what, but it's kind of hard to shrug and say "It's all good, no worries" when you see it happen more and more. They were fresh off lessons from somewhere, that was clear. The guy launching them didn't quite know how to even hold the kite up for them.

Oh, but yes,you're thinking, I could have approached them, talked about the spot, quizzed them, told them of the hazards, etc., introduce myself, get everyones names right? No. Have been doing that for years. Jaded, can't do it anymore, I didn't sign up for a life-long term of beach ambassador, accident prevention and damage control.

Sorry, that's just how I feel sometimes after seeing this happen again and again and more and more. If you're not ready, Berkeley will eat you up...

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[East Bay] Berkeley

Post by robert-g » Tue May 24, 2011 7:56 pm

Ollie, the responsability shouldn't just fall on you. Every one that kites Berkeley regularly needs to step it up. If I haven't seen you there or at any other kite beach in the area I will question you to see if you are qualified to kite there.
I hope no one gets hurt for being there if they don't belong.
Newbys need to be smart about were they kite. We will respect you more if you ask about how to kite there, be respectfull of others and always check in with the regular kiter before going out.
Robert

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Re: Re: [East Bay] Berkeley

Post by kitenaked » Tue May 24, 2011 10:03 pm

BayAreaKite wrote:Windy today at Berkeley, I get there at 4 or 4:30, had a great session at Alameda yesterday and long work day, so figured maybe I'd rest and just wait for my wife to show up and send her out.

Three guys show up for the first time, two went out to kite, one didn't. The wind was totally filled in, blowing 20 or so, they go out. Can they go upwind? No. Kiter #1 is heading out skirting the shore, flying his kite above the Bay Trail immediately adjacent to the Frontage road. Only by luck and virtue of the wind (this is abnormal there) being totally filled, manages to stay off the rocks.

Kiter #2, same thing, but worse, even closer to the rocks, almost on them. Kite even closer on top of Bay Trail. Where does he wobble off to? Straight downwind. When leaving later, his buddy in the car was high-tailing it down the frontage road to go fetch his buddy who washed up on the frontage road beach.

I understand that it is not possible to learn to kite instantly and know that it takes time and practice, but this is not the place to do it. Today was unusually filled in and blowing well. Were it not for that, the both of them would almost certainly have been toast, walking up on the rocks, with the kite on the rocks or Bay Trail or road or whatever. I have no idea what their story was or where they learned or what, but it's kind of hard to shrug and say "It's all good, no worries" when you see it happen more and more. They were fresh off lessons from somewhere, that was clear. The guy launching them didn't quite know how to even hold the kite up for them.

Oh, but yes,you're thinking, I could have approached them, talked about the spot, quizzed them, told them of the hazards, etc., introduce myself, get everyones names right? No. Have been doing that for years. Jaded, can't do it anymore, I didn't sign up for a life-long term of beach ambassador, accident prevention and damage control.

Sorry, that's just how I feel sometimes after seeing this happen again and again and more and more. If you're not ready, Berkeley will eat you up...


Yah Ollie you got better things to do.

uploadfromtaptalk1306299785167.jpg
uploadfromtaptalk1306299785167.jpg (61.89KiB)Viewed 16513 times
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Re: [East Bay] Berkeley

Post by WindMuch » Tue May 24, 2011 10:24 pm

A scary scene Ollie describes above, for sure. I don't even wanna think about what happens when kite lines tangle with a car driving down the frontage road, attached to somebody who's too new to pull their safety and kite leash fast enough.

While on the subject of Berkeley, I'd like to remind riders how small the beach often is. It's really, really kind to others if you get into your wetsuit, harness, etc. BEFORE you pump up and run your lines. Otherwise your gear is right in the middle of the launch, often blocking other's ability to launch or land while you're in the parking lot getting dressed.

Thanks.

Kirk out

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Re: [East Bay] Berkeley

Post by nick_80044 » Tue May 24, 2011 11:19 pm

Has anyone ever looked into what it would take to get the city of Emeryville to post a sign at Emery Point that delivers the gist of Ollie's comments?

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Re: Re: [East Bay] Berkeley

Post by OliverG » Wed May 25, 2011 5:45 am

kitenaked wrote:
BayAreaKite wrote:Windy today at Berkeley, I get there at 4 or 4:30, had a great session at Alameda yesterday and long work day, so figured maybe I'd rest and just wait for my wife to show up and send her out.

Three guys show up for the first time, two went out to kite, one didn't. The wind was totally filled in, blowing 20 or so, they go out. Can they go upwind? No. Kiter #1 is heading out skirting the shore, flying his kite above the Bay Trail immediately adjacent to the Frontage road. Only by luck and virtue of the wind (this is abnormal there) being totally filled, manages to stay off the rocks.

Kiter #2, same thing, but worse, even closer to the rocks, almost on them. Kite even closer on top of Bay Trail. Where does he wobble off to? Straight downwind. When leaving later, his buddy in the car was high-tailing it down the frontage road to go fetch his buddy who washed up on the frontage road beach.

I understand that it is not possible to learn to kite instantly and know that it takes time and practice, but this is not the place to do it. Today was unusually filled in and blowing well. Were it not for that, the both of them would almost certainly have been toast, walking up on the rocks, with the kite on the rocks or Bay Trail or road or whatever. I have no idea what their story was or where they learned or what, but it's kind of hard to shrug and say "It's all good, no worries" when you see it happen more and more. They were fresh off lessons from somewhere, that was clear. The guy launching them didn't quite know how to even hold the kite up for them.

Oh, but yes,you're thinking, I could have approached them, talked about the spot, quizzed them, told them of the hazards, etc., introduce myself, get everyones names right? No. Have been doing that for years. Jaded, can't do it anymore, I didn't sign up for a life-long term of beach ambassador, accident prevention and damage control.

Sorry, that's just how I feel sometimes after seeing this happen again and again and more and more. If you're not ready, Berkeley will eat you up...


Yah Ollie you got better things to do.

uploadfromtaptalk1306299785167.jpg
I don't know if anyone else caught that, but that's some funny sh*t! I knew I shouldn't have left my dishes in the trailer...you broke the handle too...

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Re: [East Bay] Berkeley

Post by kitenaked » Wed May 25, 2011 6:08 am

It was really a funny pic. I was hoping you caught that Ollie.


Note: The pic is strictly for humor purposes only.

Kite Naked doesn't Kite Baked.

:)
Chris

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209-304-2200

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