COVID-19: Kiting & Winging in Wellington
Update 13th? September 2021 - Level 2
Sports and recreation at Alert Level 1
At Alert Level 1, you can do your usual sport and recreation activities. There are no limits on the number of people you can exercise with.
Community sports and large sporting events and tournaments can go ahead. There is no limit on the number of spectators.
All indoor and outdoor recreation facilities such as gyms, swimming pools, climbing walls, driving ranges and skate parks can open.
If you are unwell, you should stay home.
Even if you have been vaccinated against COVID-19, you should still continue to keep track of where you go, wash your hands before and after touching shared equipment and surfaces, and stay home if sick. These actions help to slow the spread of the virus and help protect you, your whānau, and your community.
All sport and recreation event organisers, including voluntary and not-for-profit organisations and businesses providing facilities or venues for sports activities legally must display NZ COVID Tracer app QR codes to help with contact tracing.
Update 1st September 2021 - Level 3
At Alert Level 3, you can exercise in your local area on your own, or with people in your household bubble.
If you are exercising outside, try to keep a 2 metre distance from people who are not in your bubble.
The most important thing is to stay safe and stay close to home. Go to your local park or beach, not your favourite one. You cannot stay overnight at your bach or holiday home.
Do low-risk activities so you do not need rescuing or medical care.
If you are experienced you can do more activities. These include:
surfing — if you are an experienced surfer, you can go to your local break. If you are not experienced, do not surf.
Stay within 200 metres from shore if you are kayaking, canoeing, rowing, surfing, wind surfing or paddle boarding.
Source: Covid19.govt.nz
Update 17th August 2021 - Level 4
Kite surfing is not allowed under the current COVID-19 Alert Level as a specific Health Act Order has been issued which prohibits participating in swimming and water-based activities (for example surfing and boating).
This is to reduce any additional strain on emergency, medical and search and rescue services if an incident should occur.
Source: Covid19Outdoors
Update 15th February 2021 - Level 2
The key guideline for kiting in Wellington is:
Risky activities
Activities should only be completed within your confidence and
skill level to continue to reduce the need for emergency services
assistance.
Update 13th August - Level 2
As per guidelines below.
Update 15th May - Level 2
Note the guidelines below on risky activities.
Source: Sport New Zealand / Ihi Aotearoa
The principle of Level 2 is 'Play it Safe'. You are allowed to do this activity under level 2, provided you:
Stay well within your comfort zone and skill level to reduce the likelihood of needing emergency services.
Maintain a minimum of 2m physical distance wherever possible, especially from people you do not know. Care must be taken to avoid interacting at communal points such as car parks, beach accessways and changing rooms.
Regularly wash and dry your hands.
Exercise caution with common touch points (e.g. benches, showers, public toilets) and wash or sanitise your hands after touching these surfaces.
Minimise the sharing of equipment if possible. Equipment shared with others should be washed and dried before and after use.
If you’re sick with flu-like symptoms, stay at home and self-isolate.
Participate with 10 or fewer people.
You can carpool with others provided the requirements above are met.
Source: Covid19Outdoors
Update 28th April - Level 3
We continue to bring you the most update to date information on the impact on COVID-19 and kiting.
The guidance from Covid19Outdoors for kiteboarding in Wellington City states:
Kite surfing/boarding is discouraged during the current COVID-19 Alert Level. This is to reduce any additional strain on emergency, medical and search and rescue services if an incident should occur.
The advice from MaritimeNZ states that:
Activities such as kite boarding
….
,as are any water-based activities which might expose you or others to danger or require search and rescue services. If in doubt, don’t go out.
Update 4th April - Level 4:
Ministry of Health and police have released additional guidelines for Alert Level 4, including around shared bubbles and what exercise people can partake in.
…
The notice sets out:
…
Recreation and exercise does not involve swimming, water-based activities (for example, surfing or boating), hunting, tramping, or other activities of a kind that expose participants to danger or may require search and rescue services
Even if you don’t need to travel to get to a beach, it is our stance is that it is not appropriate to kite during this period.
From a health perspective, kiters could think that sport is a good way to get exercise during the lockdown and does not pose any health risks due to the distance that can be maintained from others.
However the activity does involve an extra due to the risk of either injury or needing rescue
Here is the official statement from Coastguard New Zealand
Coastguard appeals for people not to go out on the water
Coastguard New Zealand is asking people not to go out on the water today or during the lockdown period to avoid putting themselves or Coastguard volunteers in harm’s way.
“Last year Coastguard volunteers responded to more than 3,700 calls for help, proving that regardless of planning and preparation, people can’t always rely on their own steam to get home,” says Coastguard New Zealand CEO, Callum Gillespie.
“As individuals we need to recognise that our actions can have an effect on others,” he adds.
“We have had a lot of calls and messages from the public asking if they’re able to go out on the water during the lockdown period, the answer is no. Should you get into difficulty, you will quickly want help from Coastguard volunteers and staff, requiring them to leave self-isolation and come together to help you.”
“Please don’t put yourself or others at risk, stay off the water and out of harm’s way as we unite against Covid-19.”
