kite board lessons in the middle of the hatchery??

[Kraig]

I was sailing yesterday and a instructor with jet ski was giving a kiteboard lesson right on the middle of the hatchery for hours? What is up with that? It seems like there is plenty of space east of the hatchery where there aren't so many sailors. I couldn't figure out which school it was but the kite board instructor had longish blond hair. It would be nice to know to ask them why they would choose to do it there.

[johnl]

I agree it was strange, but at least it was way over by the Oregon side, so not too much of a problem. I couldn't get over the other kiters "hanging out" right in front of the Cove launch at the Hatch. Why kite right where windsurfers launch?

[ldhr]

[westender]

The kiters I've been around at the Hatchery were less trouble than some of the Windsurfers I've seen. No attitude and never been cut off. YMMV.

[johnl]

[westender]

The kiters I was playing Chicken with were downstream from Kodak Pt. and were no problem as were the others I've encountered at the Hatchery when it was not prime time peak season. I usually avoid that place when it gets crazy. If there were Kiters hogging the launch at Old Farts Cove, they maybe came up from the Event Site and brought their attitudes with them. The few ruin it for the many.

Even at Bob's Beach they've come up and flaunted their skills right in front of the launch in light winds. When I heard people questioning their tactics I jumped to their defense saying they were there for the Butter. I'll ask the Dangler but I'm pretty sure that's what was going on.

[ericandholly]

Hey John, I was there yesterday until the wind came up and a lot of sailors took to the water, at which point I looked for a less crowded realm. The swell was there, and there only until that point. Moreover, I was kiting with my wife who was windsurfing from the cove. We don't get to do that too often, so that was pretty great for the two of us.

Best,
Eric

[surfersteve]

ldhr - Sounds like you live in Ptld? I live, work and sail in the Gorge. I regularly see kites now at Mosier, Rowena, the sandbar/event site, Hatch, Stevenson, an Arlington/Roosevelt when I to out that way for travel. The topic is a little silly, really. That kiter was NOT anywhere near anyone. I saw him also. That is about the safest place on the entire river for a lesson IMO. We all have to be little more patient this year. Maybe a few extra miles to Mosier or Rowena where the reach is broader and there is a wide stretch vs. the Hatch? Last year there I sailed around the same kiter dude on consecutive days at the Hatch and Rowena where it was 4.2 or 3.7 the whole time and he was dumping his kite everywhere. No control, no common sense. We all have to learn. Everyone has their first day at the Hatch. 95% of the kiters I see at the Hatch are quite good and very alert. I salute that respect for everyone's river. This year it is the nets, not the kites F-ing it up for people.

[kiterperson]

I was there. There was a kite lesson in the middle of the hatch as well as one on the Oregon side. The lesson in the middle? Well the kite was down in the water with lines stretched down wind for quite a while. A very dangerous situation. I am a veteran kiter, as well as a windsurfer. My observation at the Hatch is that we all need to all share the river, but when 5 (or 15+) kiters are doing short quick reaches on the swell it provides few, if any, opportunities for the windsurfers to surf the swell too. Windsurfers are much slower to maneuver, and have very limited visability. It appears that the kiters "take over" and windsurfers are basically "run off".

[Bret]

SURFER STEVE,

Nicely said! We take it one day at a time! Love the wind and warm weather and smile!