Dana Point : Supervisors to Weigh Ban on Harbor Wind Surfing

Restrictions on wind surfing in Dana Point Harbor will be considered this morning by the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

Supervisors are considering the new rules because of increased accidents and near misses between boaters and wind surfers, harbor officials said.

The proposed ordinance would ban wind surfing in the harbor, tentatively from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and county-observed holidays from May 15 through Sept. 15.

Although the ban would affect all of the harbor area, it is intended primarily for the west end, where wind surfers tend to congregate. The area, which is adjacent to a pier and beach, has predictable winds and is relatively self-contained. But it is also near one of the main channels to the ocean.

Wind surfers who wander only marginally outside of the basin area find themselves directly in the path of boats heading into and out of the harbor. So far, no injuries have been reported.

The regulations also would apply to swimming and wading in the area.