LJ Launch Closure? go slow !! - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

-scallywag- · 07-14-2009, 10:42 AM

This is from last summer but still kinda relevant
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/m...9-1m8boat.html .

Yesterday afternoon at the launch was scary, first i almost got in a head-on while entering the launch area, i was watching the people on the boardwalk waiting to cross while a fellow yakker comes flying out of the entrance and squeeezes between me and the barrier

.....in the 15min it took me to unload i saw several variations of the above scenario complete with engine revving, burn-outs and honking.This has pretty much been the daily scene for the last couple weeks with the soft sand, sun and crowds.

Im just as lazy as the next guy and would hate to loose the right to launch here, but i'm afraid that all it would take is a child to get injured and 10minute video clip showing the recent launch antics and city counsil would vote to shut it down (except to licenced commercial groups). Any ideas on steps we can take to help this problem before the lifeguards take this to the city council and ask for a closure.

TCS · 07-14-2009, 03:14 PM

It was pretty apparent on one of the other posts that some of the people on this forum view the people on the beach as nothing more than annoying obstacles. How dare they stand on the beach and watch the sunset!

I have also seen many cases of private kayakers in 2wd vehicles driving in a manner that is frankly scary. My ten year old daughter was real close to a revved out high speed Honda SUV trying to get out through the soft sand just about two weeks ago.

If someone is injured by one of us, closing the launch to our vehicles would be the right decision. I don't want that to happen any more than you do, so slow the hell down and make sure others to as well.

Willy · 07-14-2009, 04:18 PM

All true.

Fortunately, there are some pretty high tides coming at the end of next week that should cover that soft sand and harden it up a bit.

We haven't had a good week of high tides for a while, and I contribute the soft sand to that fact.

It does seem like the existing system really doesn't work well in the summer. If the life guards were more vigilant about not letting peds cross the driving area of the launch (you know, guarding lives), that is one possible solution.

Another would be to close it to traffic during peak hours (the rentals too).

Better signage for both motorists and peds would be helpful.

A low, long fence along the curb on the north side of the street keeping the peds out of the street there, and on the sidewalk, with a cut out in the sea wall to let them on the beach in the rental staging area would be a good permanent solution. That way they would have to try really hard to make it into the vehicle area (and some always will).

A rocket launcher on the street to shoot us, seated in our yaks, out past the waves?

I dunno. I have a 2wd truck. I am one of those hill-billys, and can make it on and off with little problem (or speeding). I grew up wheeling trucks in mud snow and the like. Nanner nanner.

Willy

tylerdurden · 07-14-2009, 04:46 PM

Bring wheels. I almost never use mine, but they do come in handy. The day of the LJ benefit tourny the beach was a mess. Wheels got me out of there in 5 minutes.

I too wish the pedestrians wouldn't stand in the middle of the street/launch blocking progress. I really hate it when they step in front of you when you are right in the soft stuff. 4wd won't save a big heavy truck all the time, they just bury 4 wheels instead of 2 sometimes.

The only thing worse than getting stuck in the sand, is hitting a pedestrian though. Just one more excuse to close LJ to kayak fishing.

dorado50 · 07-15-2009, 11:51 AM

I am one of those people that view others on the beach! But only bikini clad girls with nice bods between the ages of 20 to 35 years! Sorry but I perfer females only,the rest of the crowd can go away! Seriously, I think the major conjestion comes from the rentals,sorry just my view point! By the way, don't think one would lose the right to launch a kayak,if so the same would apply to surfboards. Maybe lose right to drive on beach thats about it.

pchen911 · 07-15-2009, 12:00 PM

Big truck came this morning and removed most of the loose sand. Was able to glide through the driveway in my 2wd pickup after that when I landed.

However, for some reason, there was one car after another that decide to stop in the middle of the driveway to offload their kayaks.

I guess they were too afraid to drive onto the sand, but not afraid to block traffic even with the green zone just 20 feet away.

Matt · 07-15-2009, 12:01 PM

Don't traffic laws get applied to the launch area as it is essentially an extension of the road? It would also help if "tools" didn't prep their kayaks in the middle of the launch driveway (with the kayak layed sideways)

.....the sand was super soft yesterday and I got to see a gentleman with a catamaran get stuck until a nice yakker with a large 4x4 pulled him out!

OI!

07-14-2009, 10:42 AM	#1
-scallywag- Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: on the road... Posts: 598	LJ Launch Closure? go slow !! This is from last summer but still kinda relevant http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/m...9-1m8boat.html . Yesterday afternoon at the launch was scary, first i almost got in a head-on while entering the launch area, i was watching the people on the boardwalk waiting to cross while a fellow yakker comes flying out of the entrance and squeeezes between me and the barrier.....in the 15min it took me to unload i saw several variations of the above scenario complete with engine revving, burn-outs and honking.This has pretty much been the daily scene for the last couple weeks with the soft sand, sun and crowds. Im just as lazy as the next guy and would hate to loose the right to launch here, but i'm afraid that all it would take is a child to get injured and 10minute video clip showing the recent launch antics and city counsil would vote to shut it down (except to licenced commercial groups). Any ideas on steps we can take to help this problem before the lifeguards take this to the city council and ask for a closure.

07-14-2009, 03:14 PM	#2
TCS Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 478	Couldn't agree more It was pretty apparent on one of the other posts that some of the people on this forum view the people on the beach as nothing more than annoying obstacles. How dare they stand on the beach and watch the sunset! I have also seen many cases of private kayakers in 2wd vehicles driving in a manner that is frankly scary. My ten year old daughter was real close to a revved out high speed Honda SUV trying to get out through the soft sand just about two weeks ago. If someone is injured by one of us, closing the launch to our vehicles would be the right decision. I don't want that to happen any more than you do, so slow the hell down and make sure others to as well.

07-14-2009, 04:18 PM	#3
Willy Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: La Jolla Posts: 189	All true. Fortunately, there are some pretty high tides coming at the end of next week that should cover that soft sand and harden it up a bit. We haven't had a good week of high tides for a while, and I contribute the soft sand to that fact. It does seem like the existing system really doesn't work well in the summer. If the life guards were more vigilant about not letting peds cross the driving area of the launch (you know, guarding lives), that is one possible solution. Another would be to close it to traffic during peak hours (the rentals too). Better signage for both motorists and peds would be helpful. A low, long fence along the curb on the north side of the street keeping the peds out of the street there, and on the sidewalk, with a cut out in the sea wall to let them on the beach in the rental staging area would be a good permanent solution. That way they would have to try really hard to make it into the vehicle area (and some always will). A rocket launcher on the street to shoot us, seated in our yaks, out past the waves? I dunno. I have a 2wd truck. I am one of those hill-billys, and can make it on and off with little problem (or speeding). I grew up wheeling trucks in mud snow and the like. Nanner nanner. Willy Last edited by Willy; 07-14-2009 at 04:28 PM.

07-14-2009, 04:46 PM	#4
tylerdurden Bad Clone Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 874	Bring wheels. I almost never use mine, but they do come in handy. The day of the LJ benefit tourny the beach was a mess. Wheels got me out of there in 5 minutes. I too wish the pedestrians wouldn't stand in the middle of the street/launch blocking progress. I really hate it when they step in front of you when you are right in the soft stuff. 4wd won't save a big heavy truck all the time, they just bury 4 wheels instead of 2 sometimes. The only thing worse than getting stuck in the sand, is hitting a pedestrian though. Just one more excuse to close LJ to kayak fishing. __________________ MLPA, if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem Let the Fish and Game Commission know what you think about the proposed maps. Be ready for December 9th and 10th.

07-15-2009, 12:01 PM	#7
Matt Support your local pangas Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lj Posts: 976	Don't traffic laws get applied to the launch area as it is essentially an extension of the road? It would also help if "tools" didn't prep their kayaks in the middle of the launch driveway (with the kayak layed sideways).....the sand was super soft yesterday and I got to see a gentleman with a catamaran get stuck until a nice yakker with a large 4x4 pulled him out! OI! __________________ Thanks Matt F.

07-15-2009, 11:51 AM	#5
dorado50 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla Shores Posts: 1,626	I am one of those people that view others on the beach! But only bikini clad girls with nice bods between the ages of 20 to 35 years! Sorry but I perfer females only,the rest of the crowd can go away! Seriously, I think the major conjestion comes from the rentals,sorry just my view point! By the way, don't think one would lose the right to launch a kayak,if so the same would apply to surfboards. Maybe lose right to drive on beach thats about it.

07-15-2009, 12:00 PM	#6
pchen911 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 218	Big truck came this morning and removed most of the loose sand. Was able to glide through the driveway in my 2wd pickup after that when I landed. However, for some reason, there was one car after another that decide to stop in the middle of the driveway to offload their kayaks. I guess they were too afraid to drive onto the sand, but not afraid to block traffic even with the green zone just 20 feet away.

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