The US authorities have banned kiteboarding in the Rickenbacker Causeway area, in Miami, Florida. The Biscayne Bay was always a perfect spot for wind riders, providing a safe and quality regatta field for sailing.
The Hobie Beach is a long strip of sand along the Rickenbacker Causeway onto Virginia Key that has always been popular with kitesurfers, windsurfers and other sailors. Hobie Cats used to set sail from this shore.
Now, there are new signs allowing the police to arrest and fine anyone not following the rules. Local kitesurfers have been blaming kite instructors for not respecting the no-riding zone inside the buoys.
In crowded days, Hobie Beach could easily watch more than 50 kiteboarders enjoying the winds. The new ban reduces the number of available wind spots where kitesurfers and windsurfers may train or compete.
In the latest months, local kiteboarders have tried to impose themselves rules that ensure safety for swimmers and for themselves. Avoiding rides close to the shore, reducing speed in the buoy zone and banning kite schools were some of the suggestions made.