Be Safe this Kite Season

It’s kite flying time in Barbados again and this means an opportunity for people to be interacting with their friends while enjoying nature, and also with power lines. Most people won’t have a power line experience and their kites will be safely flown in wide open spaces dancing on the wind while ‘singing their songs’. However, it just takes a rogue gust of wind to carry your kite for a ride and into a tree or overhead power lines.

If you do find your kite is stuck in power lines or in a tree with power lines running through it or just above it, you should immediately let go of the handle/baller and report the stricken kite’s location to the Barbados Light & Power. You should not try to remove the kite yourself, as this can lead to serious injury. Kite string, and sometimes the tail, can conduct electricity which will travel to the person holding the kite. A beautiful Bajan round kite can have decorative foils, metal filament tails and the like which all promote conductivity.

Also, on the topic of power lines in trees, remember that trees which rest on power lines can be energized in the right conditions, so you should take care of this scenario. The temptation to use a long stick/pole/fruit picker to get to that juicy mango can also be hazardous if there are power lines nearby. You don’t want to come into contact with these electric wires while holding your implement. Be careful out there!

Remember when you’re flying kites to be safe and choose wide open spaces away from airports, power lines and busy roads. Districts which fall five kilometres off the perimeter of the Grantley Adams International Airport are considered no-kite flying zones. This zone stretches from Oistins in Christ Church to Boarded Hall in St. George, Brereton and Six Roads in St. Philip, back to South Point and Oistins.          

Kites must not be flown in the following areas in Christ Church: Silver Hill, Gall Hill, Kingsland, Wotton, Maxwell, Cane Vale, Newton, Scarborough, Pegwell, Gibbons, Thornbury Hill, Silver Sands, Ealing Park, Wilcox, Lowlands, Coverley, Charnocks, Pilgrim Road, Fairy Valley, Durants, Callenders, Chancery Lane, Parish Land, and Leadvale.

The other areas where kite flying is prohibited are Gemswick, Mangrove, Heddings, Foul Bay, Ocean City, Diamond Valley, and Rock Hall in St. Philip.  

(Source: Barbados GIS)

Don’t fly your kite during bad weather and don’t include metal or wires in your set-up. Also, please follow the law and ensure that your beautiful ‘singing angels’ and bull kites are not flown between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.