I never thought it would happen to me. You know, that old rambling man in some surfing magazine talking about the smell, noise and disruption that a jet ski produces in the line up. Blah blah blah, ban them all, blah blah blah, they don't belong here, blah blah blah.Well, I'm pretty disappointed in a couple of my neighbors of late, towing through me and my guests while we paddle surf. I won't name names and I won't point fingers, because at the end of the day anybody who knows me and knows my neighbors will know who I'm talking about. What it boils down to at the end of the day is a lack of "civilized" norms for us to fall back on. There is no law out here to keep people in check. People come and go and engage in any kind of activity that they want to without concern that they might get pulled up, or ticketed, or jailed. I repeat, THERE IS NO LAW IN THE MENTAWAIS.
AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTERS 13-250 AND 13-256 HAWAII ADMINISTRATIVE RULES REGARDING PWCs
(g) When operating a thrill craft for tow-in surfing, all operators shall:…
(g) When operating a thrill craft for tow-in surfing, all operators shall:…
4) Yield right of way to all other boating or ocean recreation activities by leaving the same surfing break area and remaining a minimum of one thousand feet (300 meters) from the other activities.
If you missed it that is a PERIOD on the end of the sentence.
If you missed it that is a PERIOD on the end of the sentence.
Even more alarming, even if there was a law, justice is only relative to how much money you have and can throw at your enforcer. As a repeat crook developer in these islands once told me, "this is Indonesia, we can do what we want". This was while he produced evidence that somebody was hacking into my post-office based email account and printing out copies for him of my private correspondence with friends!
So with a blank chalkboard to write on, we have an opporunity to make the law what we want it to be. I'm no lawyer or legislator, but these are the kinds of things I have to think about as a pioneering developer of a resort in the middle of nowhere. Is it OK to have somebody towing on top of my guests while they are paddle surfing 5ft. waves? Nowhere else in the world this is acceptable behaviour, so why are the Mentawais any different? As far as I'm concerned, rules elsewhere were written for a reason, chief amongst them SAFETY. I would be interested in reading anybody else's opinion on this matter, so please post away to give me feedback. Thanks, C~
I can't imagine what I would do if people started towing in around me on 5 foot days in the Ments.
ReplyDeleteYou work hard all year, put your cash on the table, and head to a remote place, only to find too lazy or too incompetent tow tossers wrecking your session.
Sure there may not be any rules in the Mentawais governing the use of jetskis, but there is common decency.
All surfers potentially going to the Mentawais should ask resort owners and skippers if they have skis. If they do, go somewhere else.
Imagine getting a week of swell and having every session wrecked by these no talent bogans?
What? Jetskis??!!! Sign me up! Towing is the best thing ever! Bah humbug....If Wave Park had a jet ski, then maybe I would come stay there...I will have to research who your neighbors are, and stay with them. If you can't beat em, join em!
ReplyDeleteWhat? Towing in Mentawais!!?? Sick! Sign me up! I was going to stay at your place, but if your neighbors have a ski, then I will have to find out who they are, and go stay with them. There will always be haters. Skis suck, only if you don't have one! If you can't beat em, join em! You know how high your wave count goes up when you are getting towed in? Talk about getting more bang for your buck! When calculating the cost of my surf trips, I would rather calculate how much each wave cost me instead of how much each day cost. I am sure with a ski my wave count will be up, and the cost per wave will be down. Win-win. You lose Wave Park. Better luck next time! Billy
ReplyDeleteOnly anti-jetski comments posted on this bogus forum.
ReplyDeleteActually Billy, I post every comment that comes up, regardless of content. Why? Because that's the fair thing to do when I'm looking for non-biased public opinion. Why don't you write back and print your real name and interest in this blog, along with professional justification for why you think it is OK to tow in on top of paddle surfers? The original question is not about the value, use or entertainment creation of jet-skis. It is about their operator's etiquette.
ReplyDeleteBilly,
ReplyDeleteYou are a very very selfish person. Why should two people with a jet ski ruin a session for everyone else?
"You know how high your wave count goes up when you are getting towed in?"
But at everyone else's expense.
And by your "join em" rational, every person in the water would be getting towed. Screw that.
The Ments are so perfect you don't need to tow to get into big waves. Skis are only for those without any ability, fitness, or kegs.
I've got a few friends heading to the Mentawais next year. If they came across a guy like Billy in the water who was towing over the top of surfers, my friends would simply take the person out. Smash his board and destroy the ski.
They aren't normally violent people, but if you'd saved up for five years and planned a once in a lifetime trip with your mates, and that event is wrecked by a billy, you'd be pissed too.
The Mentawais should be a peaceful please, but jerks on skis will ruin it.
Pull your head in billy before somebody knocks it off.
Hahaha nice picture. Towing is fun, but through a pack of paddlers is neither moral nor justifiable. Wish I was there though, jet skis or none.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could stand up paddle to bring the circus to par with the three-rings Barnival we have here in San Diego!
=)