5th Club Fly - 2005 - Sept. 25th - Latest Club News

1. September Club Fly - Sunday 25th at Lakeview Park:

This Sunday we will hold our monthly club fly at Lakeview Park in Port Colborne from noon to 4:30 p.m. Come earlier if you would like to - we have the field registered to us by permit.

In addition to flying and some great kite socializing it is hoped that we can take 15 minutes to discuss some kite club programs for the 2006 flying season. Among the ideas that club members have brought forward are:
a) a Winter Workshop of kite making to be held on the last Sunday in January (as well as our traditional Spring kite making workshop in March);
b) a new special event for Canal Days 2006 which will keep all of our visiting kite flyers intrigued and engaged in participating;
c) a pair of new club banners that incorporate our club logo (to go with our club shelter and club sign);
d) the concept of having a pair of club members acting as named 'hosts' for the various home weekend flying events (this will make sure that there is a designated 'leader' for each of the monthly flys;
e) some portable field signs to advise spectators that the field area has been reserved for NWKA and to be cautious about kite lines on the field {i.e. do not cross the field in case of injury];
f) other new ideas that you have had percolating in your mind but have not as yet exposed to the 'air'! All ideas welcome!

One other item will be on the agenda: forming an NWKA team to attempt to fly across the Niagara Gorge (see the item below for background).

Hope to see you Sunday. In case of bad weather (heaven forbid) we can carry on the discussion at our final club fly in October where we will have some "HOT" apple cider and other fall goodies. (Absolutely no smart remarks are allowed about last year's '-c-o-l-d-' apple cider !!!)

2. Niagara International Kite Festival - October 7-9, 2005:

This festival will be a great chance for many of you to see some noted kite flyers from across North America in a setting that is very close to our Niagara Peninsula. The Festival is being held in two locations in Niagara Falls NY and will feature some very unusual kites and a great collection of flyers from club level to major competition level. No need to travel to Wildwood, Ocean City or Grand Haven to see a large array of kites and kiters - it will be located close by and easy to visit.

The complete festival website is located at: www.niagarakite.com

Here are some details:
a) Homan Walsh - Spanning the Niagara Gorge Re-enactment and Competition:

In 1848 Homan Walsh, a ten year old from Niagara Falls NY, entered a competition to fly a kite across the Niagara Gorge. The purpose of the competition was to get a light line across the river in a place where a suspension bridge could eventually be built to link the US and Canada and improve travel and commerce. Many entered, but young Homan flying from the Canadian side was the successful competitor. From his original kite line a series of increasingly stronger lines was pulled across the gorge until finally a rope big enough to pull a steel cable spanned the gorge. From that single steel cable a series of other cables was strung and the first Niagara suspension bridge was built. For his efforts, Homan Walsh receive the huge sum of $10. (remember, in 1848 that was a lot of money!).
This year, on Friday, Oct. 7th the Niagara International Kite Festival will provide an opportunity for teams to vie for bragging rights to join a very select few who have ever accomplished this feat. It was done by two teams in 1992, the last time this festival was held.
For details on Homan Walsh and his original flight visit the Niagara International Kite Festival web site at: http://www.niagarakite.com/history/history_pg1.htm This excellent historical paper was researched and written by Meg and Bill Albers. It is very complete and worth a read to understand the historical significance of the Homan Walsh kite flight.

b) The Festival:
On Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 8 and 9, the festival will fill the sky at Artpark in Lewiston NY. The details of a very full schedule can be found on the Festival web site at:
http://www.niagarakite.com/schedule/saturday.htm
and http://www.niagarakite.com/schedule/saturday.htm

c) Festival Planners:
The festival is being planned and coordinated by Meg and Bill Albers of Buffalo NY. All NWKA members know Meg and Bill as they are regular visiting flyers at our Canal Days Kite Festival.

This event is a great chance to see a terrific group of kiters and to raise your kites while standing shoulder to shoulder with some fine people from across North America!


3. TKF Kite Festival - Another Success!

Congratulations to President Don Brownridge and the members of TKF who, along with their sponsors, presented another great kite festival at Milliken Park in Toronto just this past Saturday and Sunday. Although winds were very light on Sunday, there were some mighty fine kites to be seen and lots of chances to trade kite stories and tips in the many lulls between puffs of wind.

NWKA member that I am aware of that attended were: Jim Anes, Vaino Raun, Bob White, and Paul, Mary, Michael and Kristen Kort. Ted and Joan Shaw and Meg Albers were there from our neighbouring club in Western NY (GLKS). Carlos Simoes from KW-Wind Climbers, Dennis Ische from Renegade Strings, Bill and Kathy Peart from Royal City Fun Flyers, and Eric Curtiss from SCKC were there as well. Of course, all the TKFers that we know in Niagara were there as well.

Some great kite photos of the festival were taken by some of the kiters. Two of the on-line galleries can be seen at:
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/chkoch/sets/987590/ (Harald Koch)
- http://rskc.studio1.net/tkf2005/ (Dennis Ische).


That's all the news for now. See you on the field on Sunday, Sept. 25th.