Friday June 25 Waukegan at sundown

[gbleck]

Going to hit keegs after work. Hope it stays south and blowing.

[Pier]

I'll do the same, let's cross our fingers!

See you on the water

Pier

[slavman]

I may make a trip there too.
Slavi

[gbleck]

Stuck at work and it's going offshore. I'll go anyway.

[gbleck]

Frick. Stupid Waukegan now closes the beach at 6pm not sun down. YARG!

[Safe_Cracker]

What ya mean I go there in the middle of the night at times, no problems. No guards anymore confirmed by their website they must of just put up signs don't think I remember the 10am-6pm posted anywhere ?

Polo.

[gbleck]

Must be real new. Cop kicked us out.

[gbleck]

Found the posting. Must have been on the new signs and just missed it.



SHIT. WTF? 10am open. I'm picketing city hall.

[Safe_Cracker]

Ya that is going to be a problem , only open 8 hours out of 24? No matter what time at night or day I would go never seen or heard anything bad. no gang fights, no loud music no nothing just people who stop by to enjoy the water front. Going to have to find a different place to hide my car..

Polo.

[skysurfr]

Several years ago I was "boo'd" from Wisconsin, through Illinois, Indiana, and up the Michigan coast for suggesting that someone be the "champion" of each of our kiteboarding beaches. "No man...keep the beaches free...no rules... peace baby..." Well now "the man" has slapped you down again and doesn't even know you exist.

As the budgets are cut, and the beach hours and staff are cut, I suspect you'll see more of this all around the Great Lakes.

Use this opportunity to take up the ball and run with it. Set up a private sponsored "Lifesaving Club" like they have at Australian beaches. Change those hours to suit the needs of the beach users, not the needs of the local village. Get a corporate sponsor. Don't just sit and do nothing!

Mike

[gbleck]

The hours area posted in the actual ordience as 9am to 7pm.

http://library3.municode.com/default-test/home.htm?infobase=10165&doc_action=whatsnew

Looking closely I think that they may be aplying the mayor can close down the beach by proclimation clause. Durring the rescue in the chanel last week I belive he litteraly did this. As in used his voice to direct boaters away from the rescue divers area of operation. Hands on. I like that.

I don't want to make a stink as the city is likely to just ban all kiteboarding rather then acomidate us. I was thinking of going throught the friends of waukegan beach organization. Ask them if they would like help. I think they organize cleanup days if memory serves.

PS. Be carefull and watch out for swimmers in distress when out. This friday we had another fatality in lake county. 20 something male again. Sliped under off of the beach in zion. They had around 5 fire department dive teams, the coast guard and a coast guard air unit out. Bumped into one of them on the way to the beach and ended up leading them over to the boat launch. It's hard to find if you don't know the area. The pinged the swimmer with sonar and pulled him out around 7:30 after 50 min under water. Unable to resesitate. Cold water gives you a lot of extra time with out breathing before iriversable oxygen starvation to the brain so they did try and revive him. The water is cold. Swimmers without wet suits can cramp up or lose strength quickly. This is likely what hapened to this young man and the one that died swimming the shiping chanel in Wakegan. If we present ourselfs as equiped to help we are part of the solution not a problem. Oh and stay warm. Air is warm and the water is warmer but still cold enough to be a problem with prolonged exposure.

[Safe_Cracker]

Does Zion post the same rules? might be looking for other access or might go talk to someone at the company across the street to see if I can park in their lot. On foot I doubt Waukegan officers would pursue. I am going to call city hall some time this week and ask if their is anything we can do like a beach cleanup or similar to allow privileged access to the beach area.We might have to get some custom vinyl kiting dudes for our windows to identify us, just a thought? Honestly with us around on the windy days the waters are safer because I don't know a sinlge one of us who wouldn't save a person drowning, kiter or not..

Polo