Jet Skis Banned Along Australia’s Adelaide Coastline


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Jet skis and motor boats are banned during the summer along a three kilometer stretch of the metropolitan coast of Australia’s Adelaide Coast. Motorized boats, including jet skis, are not allowed within 200 meters of shore between Torrens Outlet at West Beach and Grange Road. Labor member, Colton Paul Caica, claims to have pressed the government to introduce the motorboat ban for a decade and he finally saw it come to fruition in 2013. The government signed this exclusion which lasts from December 1 through March 31. 2015 marks the second year in a row that the ban has been enacted.

According to a report in OZPWC, penalties for disregarding the prohibition of personal watercraft range from a minimum $105 fine to a maximum fine of $750 AUD’s. However, no fines were issued during the first year and only 13 riders cautioned. Transport Minister Stephen Mulligan says the law will be closely enforced the summer of 2014-2015. He expects the Marine Safety to enforce the law.

Mullighan also wants to extend the ban along more of the coast due to pressure from families who fear injuries from the jet skis and motorboats coming inshore. Beach goers do not like the noise created by skis and boats either and agree that some sections of the beach should be preserved so that families can enjoy them. The people in favor of the ban say that the beach is much more enjoyable and less dangerous without jet skis and would like to see the ban extend north, beyond Grange Jetty in to prevent that particular strand of beach from becoming a haven for displaced riders.

Boating industry Association’s General Manager, Glen Jones, is disappointed by the decision to reinstate the exclusion of jet skis and other motorboats. He says, “There’s a handful of ratbags out there but that’s what the world is coming to. You can’t pick mum and dad off the beach, you can’t go back and refresh your bait.”

Jones considers the ban a law imposed upon the skiers because of a few reckless guys and he also believes the current laws, stated below are sufficient: Restrictions of motorized craft to 4 knots within 50 meters of swimmers or 200 meters away from shore.

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Ocean Priselac

An avid mountain and bodyboarder who lives by "if you don't go, you'll never know," with an affinity for wildlife and animal rescue; surf forecasting is a huge part of Ocean's life and was a winner in Red Bull's Project Swell several years ago. The 2014 LB2CAT was her first jet ski competition and can't wait to do it again!

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  1. David Youmans 8 January, 2015 at 10:27 Reply

    Many of the beaches in California have had a ban like this for many years. No restrictions on surfers but PWCs are restricted from launching the beach or coming near shore, especially in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas.

  2. Ocean Priselac 9 January, 2015 at 11:20 Reply

    We have bans on PWC’s and surfers in Wrightsville Beach, NC. Surfers are blackballed from certain areas of the beach during summer months. Bodyboarders, like myself can go where we choose. I’m usually in and out of the water before any restrictions apply anyway. I think most of our jet ski population hangs out in the channel or other waters. I rarely see them off the coast. We have had some close encounters with some fishermen in john boats though, coming right into the break!

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