What are the spots for (North) Westerlies at Lake Mac? Been to Edwards Park and Marmong Marina which was not good. Eastern side of the lake might be better and am looking for suggestions. Thanks!

There's normally a fair few out at Teralba / Edwards park. Sometimes Valentine works but better in a south westerly.

Pretty much everywhere is gusty as in a westerly though.

I have sailed Squids a few times over the years, its good on a freestyle board with a small fin. If you sail on the edge of the flat water up where the kites set up its pretty good and deeper.

A good spot to sail if its dead westerly is the slips at green point, the little green patch you can see on the right side in this photo above next to the waterfront house's.

Off the end of Marmong point is better than Teralba, the wind has a little bit more time to clean up, still a gusty westerly though.

If your super keen for some really good flat water drive up to Corlette in port stephens, gets super windy and heaps more fun to jump.

jamesf said..
I know its full of kiters, but has anybody sailed Squids Ink (Belmont caravan park) ? I've heard its shallow but now that we have small weed fins/deltas etc, is it now an option? Is the bottom relatively

I love to sail at Budgewoi but sometimes time pressures mean that I can't get down there. Would be good to have a local flatwater spot in a westerly, that wasn't as gusty as Teralba/Marmong.

Picture below from "Kite and Sup" facebook page. They use the area for kiting lessons.

I have James, it's a great spot.

I've lived at Booragul for over 25 years and I can see cockle bay from my window and in my experience if you want to sail Teralba Sailing Club in a westerly get there early. Usually but of course not always between 10 am and 1 pm is the best breeze. After 1pm it starts getting even more gusty(if that's even possible) and by 2pm it's usually on the way out. Bring slalom gear as it's usually pretty flat and maybe a slightly bigger fin as it oscilates heavily at times and you can lose downwind ground quickly. These oscilations are usually followed by a big lull so you are stuck 200 metres downwind in no breeze. Welcome to cockle bay lol. If you sail over nice and close to the Speers Point shore there is a very persistent northerly wind shift that gives you a huge lift on starboard tack for a few hundred metres. Taking advantage of this can make your cockle bay experience easier and help get up into position for a speed blast on starboard tack down along the park at Booragul.

If you're going to sail cockle bay in a westerly bring your fun face and a glass that is half full or you are going to get frustrated. I like it as it gives some flat water with some brutal gusts that give some heart fluttering speed blasts and it's also about the only time of the year I use slalom gear lol.

sboardcrazy said..

Cluffy said..

I've lived at Booragul for over 25 years and I can see cockle bay from my window and in my experience if you want to sail Teralba Sailing Club in a westerly get there early. Usually but of course not always between 10 am and 1 pm is the best breeze. After 1pm it starts getting even more gusty(if that's even possible) and by 2pm it's usually on the way out. Bring slalom gear as it's usually pretty flat and maybe a slightly bigger fin as it oscilates heavily at times and you can lose downwind ground quickly. These oscilations are usually followed by a big lull so you are stuck 200 metres downwind in no breeze. Welcome to cockle bay lol. If you sail over nice and close to the Speers Point shore there is a very persistent northerly wind shift that gives you a huge lift on starboard tack for a few hundred metres. Taking advantage of this can make your cockle bay experience easier and help get up into position for a speed blast on starboard tack down along the park at Booragul.

If you're going to sail cockle bay in a westerly bring your fun face and a glass that is half full or you are going to get frustrated. I like it as it gives some flat water with some brutal gusts that give some heart fluttering speed blasts and it's also about the only time of the year I use slalom gear lol.

I put in over the otherside one time near the sailing club at Speer Pt ..I suppose it puts you further down in the chop but you could work upwind..How come more people don't go out from there?

It's not a bad spot and the toilets are very close but there is a concrete wall to negotiate although I think a lot of sand has built up there lately. I hesitate to put in on the speers point side as some parts of it are rocky and it's difficult to tell where due to the muddy water. I use Teralba sailing club as it's 500 metres from home and everywhere is gusty in a westerly so why drive. If I wanted to drive somewhere in a westerly probably corlete in port stephens. It blows like snot there in a westerly.