paul lang photography

The following was published in the August 2008 issue of The Kiteboarder Magazine.

It’s time to face a simple truth about kiteboarding: it’s growing, and local beaches everywhere are getting crowded. A few years ago, when it was rare to see more than 20 kiteboarders on the water together, there was almost always enough room for everyone to do their own thing and not bother anyone else. Now, that just simply isn’t the case anymore. In some areas, 40 or 50 kiters might be a mellow day. It is no longer unheard of to have over 100 kites in the sky at one single beach.

With the escalating crowds have come increasing problems. Many people who have been kiting since the beginning feel they are entitled to do whatever they want. Riders who started on bow kites two years ago are so overconfident in their skills that they feel they can tackle any conditions out there. Many riders are so focused on landing a new move or riding one more wave that they either don’t notice or care that they cut
other riders off. Some riders like to jump near shore or in a crowd of kiters because they feel they can handle it. All of these examples are very bad for our sport and are causing tempers to wear thin. It has progressed to the point that the general feeling at some beaches is downright unfriendly.

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