DEC 11th, 11.30 am 2014 BROAD BENCH ACESS FOR WINDSURFERS, NO ACCESS FOR SURFERS* !!

*WENT TO THE BAY TODAY AND SAW THESE "CATS" WINDSURFING THE BENCH WHILST THE RED FLAG WAS FLYING WHICH MEANS IT'S OFF LIMITS. I GAVE RANGE CONTROL A BELL TO ASK IF SURFERS COULD SURF BROAD BENCH TODAY AND WAS TOLD NO! ITS OFF LIMITS !! I THANKED HIM FOR HIS TIME AND SAID "JUST ONE OTHER THING HOW IS THAT PEOPLE ARE WINDSURFING IT AT THE MOMENT" ?? BIT OF A SILENCE ON THE PHONE, THEN HE SAYS OH NO ITS ALRIGHT TO SURF IT, JUST DONT GO FURTHER WEST !!, CLEARY HE WAS CAUGHT OUT IN MY OPINION AND BACK PEDALLED ON THE ACCESS FOR SURFERS. I THEN 10 MINS LATER ASK THE RANGE WARDEN WHO WAS THERE IN HIS VAN IF I COULD ACCESS THE BENCH, AND HE SAID NO ALSO! !?. I TOLD HIM RANGE CONTROL SAID I CAN AFTER SAYING I CANT, WHICH CHANGED THIS GUYS MESSAGE TO YES YOU CAN SURF IT JUST NO FURTHER WEST !!. IT WOULD SEEM CLEAR THAT THERE IS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST SURFERS AS WINDSURFERS CAN GO IN AND OUT THE RANGE WITHOUT TOUCHING THE LAND, BUT SO CAN WE BY PADDLING ACROSS THE BAY !!. I HAVE HEARD FROM WINDSURFERS THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED OUT THERE WHEN WE ARENT, JUST NEVER SEEN IT LIVE !!. WE USE THE BENCH UNDER LESS WINDY CONDITIONS THAN THEY DO SO MAYBE NOBODYS SEEN THIS BEFORE ? MAYBE ITS BECAUSE SOME TWATS HAVE WALKED ROUND THE BEACH WHEN THEY WERENT MEANT TO FOR BENCH ACCESS AND THE ARMY HOLD A GRUDGE ?? THEY SIGHT HAVING TO CLEAR THE RANGE BEFORE ITS SAFE TO WALK TO THE BENCH, THIS IS A PHYSICAL CHECK ON FOOT ALONG THE FORESHORE BY RANGE WARDENS TO CHECK FOR LIVE MUNITIONS WHICH DELAYS OUR ACCESS UNTIL ITS SAFE (UNDERSTANDERBALLY) TO DO SO. I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT SEEN THIS TAKE PLACE IN YEARS, SO MAYBE THEY USE ANOTHER METHOD ?. OF LATE THE BENCH HAS BEEN OFF LIMITS TO US, YET LITTLE OR NO SHELLS HAVE BEEN HEARD ALL DAY TO THE SURFING COMMUNITIES FRUSTRATION. PERHAPS THE TIME FOR DIALOGUE AGAIN IS BROUGHT TO THE FORE ??.