VANCOUVER ISLAND WINDTALK

Hi All,

This message is not intended to point fingers or otherwise offend but
after returning from the lake after a few glorious days of kitng, I have decided to post, as this has been bothering me.

I was astounded at the large amount of garbage littering the beach. I especially noticed a large amount of broken beer bottles and liquor cans, it was despicable! With children, pets and barefeet it's downright dangerous and irresponsible.

It's not a lot of work people, to return to your party spot the next day and clean up your mess. Don't assume someone else will take care of it.

Show some respect for Nitnat and our play area.....Pack in, Pack out.

I concur.

Was up there on Sunday/Monday, and I have never before (this is my 5th year up there) seen so much garbage.

Perhaps for the next little while we can all pack out a little more than we came with, to ensure it isn't an absolute pigstye by the end of July...

And, I can't help but contemplate the link between this thread and the "kiters eat their young" thread.

As a kiter, I must say that every year up there I have seen nothing but friendly faces. This year, there are fewer people meeting my eyes, and people walk right by without even a nod or a smile. Perhaps those that don't view Nitinaht users as a community are less willing to help others/clean up after themselves?

Let's let those of us who know better lead by example.

Cheers,

Paul

Well said Paul. Now we just need to remember to clean up and leave with a little more than we came with.

I'm in for a good group cleanup next time there's no wind...maybe a morning cleanup party..?? I'll bring some extra heavyduty garbage bags and talk to KSD(Dale) about a place we can put the garbage without having to haul it all the way out. Mabye someone with a pickup can help with transport. About eating kids.....this is only my second summer at Nitinat but I haven't found anyone that hasn't acknowledged my greeting yet this year and believe me I have said HEY DUDE to every single person I have seen. Really!! So, maybe it partially(not completely) what each of us is putting out to others. I'm a pretty friendly(definitely not just pretty) fella with kiter-dudes/dudettes(especially the dudettes) and windsurfers alike.

As long as I make sure I'm the friendliest guy on the beach/campground/water/outhouse then the rest is up to everybody else. If we all try to smile and say HEY or WAHOOO as I speed by you then I think we'll see our 'Secret Spot' (that's not that big a secret) be a very, friendly place just as it should be.

ps. If someone could rebuild that sauna soon, I'm sure a few naked sauna sessions will make everyone a bit friendlier too....HA!!

I was up Monday to Wednesday and it seemed OK at the non-party end. (i.e. the close end) BUT I talked to the fellow who collects the fees and he said he couldn't believe the manners of the people that left the disaster from last weekend. He had to get a few kids from the village and they worked continuously to clean it up. Man, I wasn't there for the weekend but I heard a lot of stories. Especially about one pig who had the music on way too late i.e. 3am and had the attitude of frankenstein. I also heard that travellers from the north-shore mountains off the island forgot to bring their manners with them.

Anyways a lot of really nice friendly people with a few rotten apples thrown in. I think there should be a friendly vigilante committee to adjust a few attitudes 'cause if this keeps up it isn't going to be too much fun any more.

Yes I concure.
Please pick up after yourselves. For those new visitors to Nitnat, this is a magic place that has been used with respect for almost two decades. We (the users, and you) would like to keep it that way. It is a non-commercial fun place to play, camp and enjoy wind driven water sports.

Plus, I do believe the Sauna was a great ice breaker for wind surfers and kiters alike. I have enjoyed meeting many a fine person while hanging around the sauna. I am willing to help to rebuild it. I can swing a hammer, and can cut wood but lack the vision of how it should look. So who would like to join in starting the rebuild of the sauna at nitnat?

Gerry

again its those mainlanders and newcomers.......not the regulars..........i have also witnessed their lack of social skills/cleaning skills

It is very apperant that there is a huge amount of new comers to the beach this year, however, I am reluctant to lay blame on the "mess" to newcomers and mainlanders. Every year that comes and goes there have always been the noisy crowd, the family crowd and the crowd who likes their peace and quiet. When you get soooooo much people jammed into a small area you are bound to come across others that do not share the same "vision" or "attitude" of camping. However with that said, respect for others around you should also weigh in heavily. As for the guidelines, I must concur that for both sports to co-exist, we really need to understand how both sports work so that we know the limitations of the riders and their equipement. I like the idea that experienced sailors head to less busy waters thereby freeing up the valuable space for launching and landing, as well as for those that are learning. Anyhow, happy sailing, friendly smiles and good times are what I think it should be all about!

D

just another side effect of no organization promoting family/friendly group-

well, so ya wanna run a commercial operation, put up with the s**theads and pay for the clean-up/ rowdy control.... this was well controlled when the society had the run of things and it pisses me off to no end that the society types now have to pay AND be the good guys to clean up and control the boozegeeks............

vent vent...
Anyway, I'm always in for a cleanup, with ya Bobson and BTW anyone I chatted with there last week were the usual (and expected) friendly types and we wanna be careful with labels such as "mainlanders" as I know a whole lotta them love the place as much as we do . Kus

I agree with KUS, paying AND having to clean up sucks! Having one of the few pickups at the site, I'd be happy to load it with beach/camp garbage if we could dump it at the dump. Otherwise, the bed is pretty full of camping/biking/sailing gear. I'm hoping to be up for the long weekend.

So KSDale-dude, any chance taking some garbage that we pickup from campground and beach to a dump anywhere near the village. Where do the villagers take their garbage..?? If we're cleaning up do you think they would mind that we use thier dump also..??

I am pretty good at organizing and sometimes good at getting participation and usually good at making it fun(campfire games not-included) so hopefully this looooong weekend we can do cleanup if needed!

KSD-dude, let me know what you think. Unless you maybe wanted to swim the garbage out...?? HA, just joking DOOOD!!

Bobson, you've never seen the garbage dump just south of camp? On the access road back to the logging mainline on the Caycuse/Carmanah side - almost guaranteed bear sightings (popular with kids). Don't know about use for camp cleanup, but better the garbage is here than in camp.

The old garbage dump is officially closed, hence the gate at the entrance to the campground. It is slated as far as I understand to be cleaned up and rehabilitated somehow. Do not take your garbage there. As far as I know, it is pretty much haul your own garbage out at the moment, however there may be other arrangements soon.

D

you mean the "dodge the bears" morning bike ride is no more?! cryin shame.

Well actually you can still get a bike around the gate, but....probably after the dump gets cleaned up that will mean they will need to look else wear, bratwurst anyone! Hah

d