I'm in. Going to head to Brighton and give an Ozone 7m ago.

Indeed, it may not have been Lizard island but it was good to clear the cobwebs out. Bit of trouble getting the harness around the old winter insulation though.

some on sensible kites for the conditions - 7s and 8s

some other was on a 10, and then another went out on a 12

Some dude took off on a 5m Ozone and a slingy surfboard, with no straps. Bet he wished he had straps by the time he reached Trigg, still only 2 yards from the sand.......

Are people just being silly going strapless in 30+ onshore ?

That was me on the Ozone.
Jason and his crew on the LF's

I Put a 9 up too much put a 7 up was alright for a bit then the squals came.

Bit of a waste for me.

I was having bulk fun with my 7m but then even that started to get difficult to control once the squalls came in. Up to 40knt gusts according to the charts. very wooly conditions. Still didn't stop damo throwing kiteloops with his 9m though...

Winter kiting rocks! There were actually only about 5 of us down there to start, everyone else only rocked up about 1:30 or so.... i suppose not many people own 7's. I saw one guy setting up a 12m... i don't think he went out though (well i didn't read about his death anyway).

Hey laurie, do you have any more photos from yesterday?

That incident with the kite across the road and ending up in a tree seems funny but it could have taken out a pedestrian or vehicle. There were about 7 guys out in South cottesloe Sunday around 1ish, and I appreciate that initially the wind had a bi of North in it but then swung dead onshore. You get a serious updraft over the top of the steep 10m high dunes when it is dead West like it was. The wind velocity is doubled on that at sea level, and has an upward component. i have spoken to the hangliders who have expressed there concern about the safety of kiters here in these conditions and i agree. Ther is reason the hangliders use this area in preference to any other in the Metro area.

I live by South cott beach and have plenty of experience but you won't catch me launching there in 30kts dead onshore.

The new SLE kites have given people a lot of confidence, but are no match for stupidity, the guys standing on the edge of the narrow beach with their kites direct overhead were holding it down fine with full depower, but a big gust could push them closer to the dune and the kite would then be in the Zone of maximium upward lift. Perth's only kite fatality occurred in such circumstances. The fact that only a kite was dragged across the road on this occasion was a mercy.

I went to Port Beach at 3 which I think was probably 'all time' and I kite there alot. It was 25kts side shore, with grinding right and left wedge barrels. Logo high for the windsurfers [who were ripping it has to be said]. Only Dan Roberts showed up and we had 'can't believe how good it was, where was everybody?' chat as we packed up in the gathering dark. Also a much safer proposition with 50m wide beach and low dunes. Pity it will be lost to kiting forever if the North Quay development gets the go ahead.

h20fly said...

me and my house mate were the first ones there

When i rocked up at about 11:30 there was only one other kite up in the middle of beach 2. I was suprised to find the place so empty! The wind started off decent, but there was a patch there around 12:30 where i was struggling to find power on my 7. I was about to head in and pack up and then she came in bloody strong and i was well lit. Even learned myself a few new tricks...

Was that you that set up on the point and started on beach 3? I went upwind for a look there, but beach 1 had the best flat water from the groyne, i went back there and thats when everyone else started turning up.

mattyjee said...
Hey laurie, do you have any more photos from yesterday?

Only a dingle dangle .. .. this photo he was on the way down, the boys were getting some good height.

Stop talking about how good Sunday was!


I missed it