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C Street - Surfer's Point Overview
SAFETY AND COURTESY GUIDELINES
FOR KITESURFING AT C-STREET
AND SURROUNDING BEACHES
Updated 4/10/12
BEGINNERS: If you are a beginner and have not had lessons from an experienced kitesurfer, DO NOT attempt to fly a kite here or anywhere else. Kitesurfing is an extreme sport and cannot be self-taught. If you are a beginner and are not yet proficient in launching, landing or kite flying skills, this beach is NOT recommended due to the lack of open sand space and the high concentration of rocks and other obstacles. Please hone your kite launching, landing and flying skills where there is ample open space (i.e. Hueneme Beach) well upwind of any beachgoers. If you are a proficient beginner, stay at the River Mouth between the gun turrets and the rock revetment – do not go into the Cove. If you do not know how to ride waves or you are in the process of learning to ride waves, proceed upwind, north of the rock revetment at the river mouth until you develop good wave kiting skills. NO body dragging south of the rock revetment.
ON LAND
1. ALWAYS wear a safety leash connected between harness and rear or centerline of kite per kite manufacturer’s recommendation. Only undue/eject leash in the event of an emergency.
2. NO beach or practice flying south of the rock revetment within the main launch site at any time. No beach or practice flying north of the rock revetment at the river mouth when other kiters or beachgoers are within 150-feet (50 paces) downwind or crosswind of your position.
3. NO kiting in the estuary itself. The Friends of the River and Audobon Society (bird people) will get extremely upset with us and call unwanted attention to us.
4. NEVER launch or land your kite less than double (2x) the distance of your flagged-out kite and line length or at least 150-feet (approximately 50 paces) north of the rock revetment/bike path, whichever distance is greater. Beginners are strongly advised to launch or land your kite at a greater distance from the revetment/bikepath whenever possible.
5. NEVER launch or land your kite when beachgoers are within the “sweep zone” of the kite. Greater distance upwind of beachgoers is highly recommended whenever possible. Help each other land and launch kites quickly and safely, especially when other kiters and beachgoers are downwind or crosswind of your position. Avoid self-landing and self -launching whenever there are other kiters around that can assist you.
6. ALWAYS be prepared to pull your quick release and flag out your kite during launch and lands. DO NOT try to recover your kite from a bad launch or landing. If you launch your kite and the kite sweeps downwind, begins to loop and/or crashes, PULL YOUR QUICK RELEASE. If the kite is dragging you downwind, it is time to pull the quick release. Secure your kite and do not allow it to drift any further downwind by holding onto the leashed line and walking toward the kite.
7. NO storing of pumped kites or equipment in the main launch site south of the rock revetment. Either put them away or outside of the high traffic area.
8. DO NOT fly your kite directly over any beachgoers or waders to the greatest extent possible. Always assume that you may experience equipment failure, a sudden wind lull (or gust) that could cause your kite to crash.
9. DO NOT land or launch your kite on vegetated sand dunes. The sand dunes harbor native plants and sensitive animal species and doing so will bring unwanted attention to us plus the offender could be liable for costly repairs to the dunes.
IN THE WATER
10. ALWAYS respect surfers, boogie boarders, waders and swimmers. DO NOT jump, surf, or ride through or between them. Kite well up or downwind of anyone in the water, especially the Surfers.
11. ALWAYS give the right of way to the kiter or surfer on a wave. If you are heading out or in through the surf, and someone is on a wave, yield to the waverider. STOP, SLOW DOWN or TURN AROUND and give them room to ride the wave. Exception: This does not apply if a kiter is routinely “short-cycling” – see 14 below.
12. Kiter closest to the peak is deemed legal owner of that wave (going right OR left). When an outbound rider (away from shore) converges on an inbound rider (towards shore), the outbound rider has the right-of-way. Inbound rider on a converging path with an outbound rider must maneuver downwind of the outbound rider unless the outbound rider has already done so.
13. NO slogging (fading out of one wave for another one that someone else is already on).
14. NO short cycling. Make a full tack cycle after you catch a wave, head back out to where the majority of kiters are tacking, and then come back in forming a triangular rotation. Don’t short cycle onto another kiter’s wave. Short-cyclers lose their right-of-way privileges.
15. ALWAYS use extreme caution when jumping while riding out. Insure that there is adequate distance between you and other kiters in front, upwind and downwind of you before jumping.
16. If you drop your kite in the water and cannot re-launch, flag out your kite and wind up your lines before coming in (if safe to do so – don’t attempt to wind up your lines if your in the surf ). Wind up your lines and stay with your kite before swimming/drifting onto shore. Do what you need to do to keep lines from wrapping surfers and yourself.
17. Spread Out! Form multiple triangles along the beach between Emma and C-Street. Time your outbound and inbound tacks so that your not getting in each others way at the surf break. Reserve riding in the cove for the more advanced riders.
Thank you for your cooperation. You can e-mail any suggestions/concerns/questions regarding these guidlines or report any flagrant violators to venturakiteboarding@roadrunner.com.
Emergencies: dial 911
For downed kiters that are not self-rescuing, contact Ventura Harbor Patrol:
dial 657-3948
The above guidelines do not represent all practices that should be exercised by kitesurfers and are not a substitute for using common sense. Kitesurfers are responsible for their own safety and the safety of others around them. REV 4/10/12.
Years have been spent developing good relations and mutual respect between the local surfers and kiters at C-st . Many of us surf here regularly. All it takes is one total kook kiter tearing through the line up or crashing their kite close to the surfers on a good wave day to destroy all of that hard work. When it happens the local kiters who surf here are usually immediately approached by some pretty irate surfers or called soon after and the fireworks begin.
REMEMBER THIS: When the surf’s good at the point, it’s a CROWDED! There’s always somebody watching looking for an excuse to go off. If you are the kiter who decides this rule #6 doesn’t apply to them; you, your kite , and probably, your car will likely be pointed out to the approaching surfer/kiter posse. Why not just avoid the confrontation ahead of time by staying OUT OF THE LINE UP!
Ventura offers summer shortboarding when sites to the north like Jalama have died in a blanket of fog. Summer winds are best when dense fog is slightly offshore 200 feet to 1/4 mile and a local thermal blows towards hot inland valleys. In these conditions wind from 10 to 18 knots are likely, with the best in spring or after a storm passes over. Launch site is near the fair grounds (Seaside Park) when the fair is in town the parking is very crowded. There is a gentle point break with a fairly easy launch. Lots of surfers but plenty of wave riding upwind of the popular windsurfing spots. Sandy to rocky at the launch site, with more sand in the summer and rockier in the winter. Waves can vary but the size best in south swells. Waves can go almost mast high but normally is 3 to 6 feet, there is little shorebreak. The waves break as close as 75 feet offshore to as much as 300 feet at low tides with a good swell. C-Street is also becoming known as a top kitesurfing spot.
Water temperature in summer is around 68 degrees. Winter and spring can bring 20 - 30 kt winds with storm fronts. A 3/2 wetsuit in winter a full suit is needed. When the surf is good expect long rides on good rights. There is a pier which is down wind and best avoided. The big Holiday Inn is a good landmark.
Ventura is an intermediate/advanced sailing/kiting site that has a problem common to many Southern California sailing sites. Too many sailors for too little good wind and is crowded on weekends in the summer. Ventura charges $2.00 per day except for the free lot, which is usually occupied by surfers.
In Santa Ana conditions the best place to go is Port Hueneme to the south. Winds are best in the morning. It has a sandy beach and you can launch near the Pier. Side offshore winds so take off on port tack. Good parking but with a charge. Rig on the beach and sail in flat water. Very rarely any crowd.
Local wind/kitesurfing group: <a href="http://www.venturalink.com/~gibbsrus/" target="_newone">Full Sail Windriders Club</a>
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Regional Directory
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| Season: |
Spring and storm clearing winds |
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| Water: |
Summer is 68 degrees |
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| Ability Level: |
Intermediate to advanced |
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| Wetsuit: |
3/2 year round |
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| Familiness: |
Beach, no park. |
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| Parking: |
Free or $2.00, State Beaches enforce $10 a day |
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| Launch: |
Sandy to Rocky |
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Maps & Directions
Heading North on the 101, exit California Street, turn left. At the dead-end turn right. Go to the stop sign and turn left on Figeroa. Figeroa will dead end at the beach. Rigging and launching are best from the area across from the second parking lot. This is a paid parking lot with a daily rate of $2.00. If heading South on the 101 exit Ventura Ave., turn right onto
Thompson Street and turn right on Figueroa.
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Sensor Notes
Located on top of the building directly across the street from the sailing site. The sensor is about 45 feet above the water and 200 feet from the water's edge. It has been calibrated to report 20% less in prevailing winds. Accuracy is considered very good. Obstructions are none, 360 degrees clean air.
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