I am coming to visit next week and see that wed, thus, fri is HECTIC!! (So think I’ll bring my lil kite along!) Where is good to kite? I’ve herd reference to “crazy” wind in Melb! What’s the deal with this??
this time of year we are starting to get a few northerlies ( usual winter fare ) these usually range up to about 30knots Although just last week we had gusts over 58knots.
If we do get southerlies ( South West Usually ) they will be frontal systems ...again with plenty of punch and again can be gusty.
To make the most of melb kiting at this time of year you really need to have access to a car so you can drive around the bay ( Rye Rosebud on the peninsula ) ( Pt Henry on the West Coast ) etc.....to get the northerlies both spots are about 50min out of melb city ( in opposite directions ).
If you are into big airs & kite loops etc...... you will have a ball..... if you are not quite up to that, the winter conditions can be a bit frustrating.
You can actually kite at Brighton ( About 15min from CBD ) in a northerly and plenty of people do...... I have no idea why as it is usually ver very gusty and the water there is a soup of wind slop and chop . Brighton does improve as the wind swings more west ie NW WNW etc....
Check the KBV website for more info on the beaches wind directions etc....
Depends on the wind. If you have a car, N to NW can be kited at Rosebud which is awesome. Closer spots like Brighton will be kiteable in a northerly but Rosebud would have the cleanest wind and flatter water.
Like these guys said - straight northerly - go to the South of Port Philip bay. I'm assuming you won't have a car, but I know that Kite Republic runs a fun bus down to Rosebud when its a northerly for a small charge - good way to meet the locals!
Good thing about the bay is that the water stays reasonably warm - 19.5 degrees. Once it gets some snow fed river water it changes though....
Where are you getting your forecasts from to tell you next weekend is going to be windy?
-Cheers for info guys -Will prob have access to a car, otherwise bus sounds aws as I’m staying smack bang central and fist time visit. (hopefully I like it and decide to move over in July for work) -I love winter storms… The higher I jump the better -I simply looked at Seabreeze for Melb wind next week? That a bad spot to look??
It is probably worth bringing an 8 or 9 as well, as we get quite a few 20 - 25 knot days. You will have a ball on the 5m if the forecast is accurate. . And if you like big jumps you will enjoy the northerlies as they are notorious for the second and sometimes third lift!!!
Was at Brighton today - was not as good as I have seen it (two weeks ago we had nice 1.5m waves coming through and clean as clean in the troughs) but any day I'm out on a 9m is good in my books... Except when the stinging rain came through... ouch!
such a good day at point henry. Its pretty much our version of woodman pt in vicco. straight offshore, shallow and solid 30 knots...so pumped for another session there after today and we had it to ourselfs!
bring a 5 and an 8 or something if you are a light person
we sometimes do downwinders in the southerlies from rickett's to st kilda or so, feel free to pm me if you're up for something like that
I don't get why a downwinder in the bay would be good, I just don't get it. A downwinder on the coast makes sense as you get to surf all the different breaks along the way. What advantage is a downwinder in the bay, you get to mow lawn over different pieces of chop?
^^^^so you don't have to waste time getting back upwind
personally I think if the wind was that light that you couldn't hold ground, why would you bother even pumping up, but that's just me, I'm not saying that you shouldn't kite in light wind, it's obviously a personal / desperation thing, thanks I get it now. Cheers
There are some excellent, surfable breaks on the bay. The combination of reefs and sand bars and land sheltering the wave means you get clean, hollow 2-3' waves.
My preference is to ride upwind then bash the waves all the way back.
The ridable sections are quite short. I can hit a break until I get tired of it then drop into the next section. Some sections join up to each other so with linked consecutive waves I can get quite decent long rides.
Some others launch upwind and ride down through this area. To me it seems a little over complicated with the car shuffle and stuff but they seem to like it.
Didn't bring the kite gear in the end :-( board wouldn't fit in the taxi, lucky as the hire car would have struggled too.. spewing as it looks awesome!!! I'll come have a look anyway, kiting potential is a big factor for contemplating living here in the near future!!
I have started this wiki article on kitesurfing locations around Melbourne and within day trip range. The idea is to consolidate information that is found across various sources. A few photos and videos are included.
Anyone who creates an account on the wiki can edit the article and improve it too.
I have also included a link the Parks Victoria boating zones recommendations report which provides detailed location maps (satellite view) with kiting zones indicated.
Here is a kitecam video of yesterday's session at Hampton
There are some excellent, surfable breaks on the bay. The combination of reefs and sand bars and land sheltering the wave means you get clean, hollow 2-3' waves.
Your right, I've heard that next easter if there's no swell at Bells they are going to move the surfing contest to St Kilda instead of Johanna, can anyone confirm this?
It's going to be hard for kiters to hook into bay waves soon because I've also heard that a surf company is setting up a 2 week boat trip which travels around the bay chasing the 2-3 foot hollow waves!
the only clean hollow bay wave is at quarantines. there are some small rideable (with a kite) breaks at spots like ricketts, seaford pier, mt martha, port melbourne, sandy etc but you could never call them clean or hollow.
the only clean hollow bay wave is at quarantines. there are some small rideable (with a kite) breaks at spots like ricketts, seaford pier, mt martha, port melbourne, sandy etc but you could never call them clean or hollow.
For some of us bay riders, Port Melbourne is a big break
the only clean hollow bay wave is at quarantines. there are some small rideable (with a kite) breaks at spots like ricketts, seaford pier, mt martha, port melbourne, sandy etc but you could never call them clean or hollow.
Even that only works once in a blue moon !!!!!!!!!!
Last time I was out there we caught waves in the thundercat even smashed the lip in it. On a flat day....at a lake..........about 250km from Quarantine so not really relevant except thats the Thundercat
Jeezzz Waxy, your starting to read like your little mate surfer 62 Keep it up.
Don't lay that on me HAAK, I'm only keeping it in general for a bit fun stirring, I think I'll change me tac!
By the way guys, if the Quarentines you are talking about is 'Course Air', I'll give that one to you, it would have to be one of the best bay waves world wide.
Jeezzz Waxy, your starting to read like your little mate surfer 62 Keep it up.
By the way guys, if the Quarentines you are talking about is 'Course Air', I'll give that one to you, it would have to be one of the best bay waves world wide.
Jeezzz Waxy, your starting to read like your little mate surfer 62 Keep it up.
By the way guys, if the Quarentines you are talking about is 'Course Air', I'll give that one to you, it would have to be one of the best bay waves world wide.
