Watch out for a couple fishing at Rufus

rightguard · Since 22 Oct 2012 29 Posts Maui

I think this is a problem all over the world... On Maui we were having issues because one family wanted to play in an area that was heavily used by kiters.

Remember just because it is the best launch or maybe even the only launch it doesn't mean you get to chase off someone else using the spot. It's your and only your responsibility to not hurt others. I would be pissed if you launched your kite into my wife, even if she was sitting in your way.

Do you run over pedestrians if they are in the road?

I was at the event site one morning swimming with my 6 year old nephew. As the wind picked up I couldn't believe that people would come over and launch right next to us and then yell at us to get out of the way. That place is huge and they chose to launch next to us.

I wouldn't choose to swim in the middle of a bunch of kiters so why choose to kite in the middle of a bunch of swimmers?

Can't we all just get along?

Jimbo · Since 16 Jul 2009 58 Posts Seattle

In early part of the season there were lots of fisher-people at Rufus. There were poles every 5-10 feet along the bank and right up to the end in the cove. Some of the kiters were grumbling about it but we all managed to launch at the end of the cove and there were only a couple of instances because of the current where someone snagged a fishing line. I found the fisher-people to be pretty friendly and at one point a few of them even gave up a bit more of the beach at the cove so we could launch and land. My only concern was the remnants of fishing line and hooks left behind. I picked a number of hooks that could have punctured a foot or kite.

The instance in this post is a different instance but I think this whole thing can be avoided by just communicating to whom may be "in the way" that we are going to launch and they might just want to move for a few minutes while we launch...otherwise enjoy the show. I think if you are kiting at Rufus you should be adroit enough as a kiter to be able to avoid the fisher-people.

Alternatively if you go west down the river about 60 yards past the rock pile there is a nice sandy launch where the rocks are actually flat and less painful on your feet. However you have to stand in the water to launch your kite and then bring it overhead. It is not a big deal but not as forgiving as in the cove.

Kiters are just a blip on the history of the use at Rufus. Everyone just needs to be respectful and cool and everything should be just fine. I think it will all (pun intended) blow over.

Be Stoked!!! Laughing

bill77i83 · Since 09 Aug 2014 3 Posts Kook

I do worry about access issues down the road as bigjohn and others have noted. I does seem to have busier this summer. However I think jimbo said it well and thanks for the tip on an alternative launch point jimbo!

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jahmbi · Since 28 Jul 2005 622 Posts MORE HUMAN THAN HUMAN River Troll

Wind Slither · Since 04 Mar 2005 2573 Posts The 503 METAL

I thought we took it all in '08.
Drunk

jahmbi · Sat Aug 30, 14 9:05 am