I first started windsurfing at Shallow Inlet in 1992 on a trip with Melbourne University Windsurfing Club. At that time I recall that there were very few dunes at the inlet, including where we park our cars. The wind barrelled across from the surf beach uninterrupted and it was possible to sail on a WSW and even a Westerly. It was amazing.

Fast forward 20+ years and the dunes have grown exponentially and have essentially ruined our great sailing spot. There are huge dunes at the car parking area, and now there are dunes growing all along the spit which are growing bigger year by year. It has been impossible to sail on a WSW for some time, and now sailing on a SW is getting pretty crappy. In the next 1-2 years the dunes on the spit will likely close out the wind completely so that it will only be possible to sail Shallow Inlet on an Easterly. The great days of sailing the bend on a perfect SW at Shallow Inlet will be gone forever.

As I understand it this has all been an unnatural process as a result of an introduced South African grass. The native grasses that exist in the area are unable to take hold in the harsh weather conditions, but this exotic "weed" can put down deep roots and hold its place, leading to sand collecting on the lee side of the grass with resulting growth of bigger and bigger dunes and then more vegetation taking hold. I am not totally sure of this but I understand that this South African grass was introduced to stabilise the dunes further up the beach near Sandy Point township but of course it has made its way down to the spit.

So... have we lost the premier flat water windsurfing spot in Victoria (or even Australia) forever? Is there anything that can be done to recover our great spot? Is there any environmental authority that might be interested? Or is it all too late?

With sadness, disappointment and frustration,

Windobsessed.

I was really excited today when I found an old box of slides which I thought had been lost. They were taken on what I think was my third trip to Sandy Point in 1963. We had visited a couple of times before whist camping at Wilsons Prom with friends, the McCubbins, but this summer we camped there in our caravan for a few weeks, right on the foreshore opposite where the general store now is! I have been going back there ever since!
In 1963 I was 12 years old and was the very proud skipper of a little red Sabot dinghy called the 'Flying L'. (No idea why) This was the first time I sailed at Shallow Inlet, and on the 'Boat Hole'.

Here it is with my sister Talana as crew:



It was quite an adventure to get from the township of Sandy Point to the Inlet. There was just a two wheel track through the sand dunes and it was not uncommon to get bogged on one or more of them on the trip. Lots of fun for mum and the kids digging and pushing. I don't think this time we were bogged. Dad just stopped to take a photo.



Here is what the Inlet looked like in 1963. You can see clearly why we call this the 'Boat Hole. . I was really surprised that this picture clearly shows the remains of the old jetty piles! They were a legacy from when the boat hole was the main channel out into the ocean!



I still remember vividly the 'great adventure expedition of '63'. The family walked down the the entrance. It seemed like a huge trek at the time, but the entrance was only about 1km from the car park back then! I don't actually remember what the 'speed course' looked like in those days but it must have been much shorter. At least there was hardly any vegetation or sand dunes on the spit back then!

Dad took this photo of me setting out:



Here is the family having a rest on the way. Note there are no sand dunes whatsoever!



And here we are lined up for the brag photo when we made it!:



Here is the big sand dune next to the car parking area. Not a sign of Marram grass on it. Note the windsurfer on the car. Hoyle eat your heart out! I had one in '63 and didn't even realize it. Sadly, I hadn't figured out how to sail it yet. I just floated around on it with a double ended paddle, often standing up. Hey, I might have been the inventor of SUP!



It looks a bit different now doesn't it? Oh well, I guess I do too!