Saturday was 17-22 knots all day, clear blues skies and I only saw one other person, sailing at the harbour. I had an awesome session out at east point. Where does everyone go when there's no water at Illawong? I couldn't believe I was sailing by myself in such perfect conditions. For the first time in years I came in because I was tired, not 'cause the wind dropped out at 1pm.
HI Squiddy,
I was out at East Point Saturday Arvo from 3 till 5 and did a downwind run from the point to the surf club but was grovelling after about 4:30, good sail early on though. High tide I'll come in to Illawong mostly as it seems to be the main spot. Low tide I sail behind the reef at Campwin bch which is out my backdoor, a good flat water run in SSEly. A few guys go out at East Point but not as regularly I believe.
Catch ya around one day, Phil
Hey Phil
I must have only missed you by half an our or so, I was out from about 11 till 2 - 2:30
I'll have to come out to Campwin Beach one day. I've been thinking about checking out that area for a while 'cause the Hay Point weather station seems to always read a bit higher wind speed than Mackay. How far off shore is the reef? Is it deep enough to sail over at low tide?
Cheers
Jarrod
Hi,
Saturday - Illawong 1:30 to 3:30
Great day with the 6.3 Ezzy on the BIC Techno and G-Sport Carve 45
Total (from my memory) 6 sailors on the water.
Sunday - Illawong 2:45 - 5:00
Bit lighter with the NP 7.9 Sprit on the AHD Formula and G-Sport DC Driver 33
Total (from my memory) 7 sailors on the water.
Rip.
Hey Rip
Ahh, so everyone just waited for the tide to come in. I was impatient and didn't want to risk missing out. Surprised I didn't see anyone at Illawong from where I was. I had a few rests on the spit out from the point and looked for sails. Was a good day, glad it didn't go as unsailed as I thought!
Hi,
I'm visiting relatives up at Mackay for the next week or so. I just went and had a look at Illawong yesterday and I couldn't believe how far out the tides go in this place! That's one big beach you've got! It looks like it would be brilliant if there was about a 2 feet of water covering that sand.
Where is the best place to go if the tides are out? I also had a look at Blacks beach and was told that there's an area where the kiters go. Do people windsurf there as well or is it too shallow?
I was really looking forward to some wind up here, but the forecast seems to have changed 
It's only south of the river really where you get the big sand flats. I've found it hard to find people to sail with at low tide, hence this thread. Blacks beach is good to sail but the tide can go out a fair way there too if it's a really low tide. Also if the wind is more south than southeast most of the northern beaches would be patchy in close due to the headlands. East point is my pick for low tide (head to the harbour and turn right to go to the surf club then keep going past the car parks and out the dirt road. There is some development going on out that way so the road is pretty good, just mind the sand when you get to the end if you're in a 2WD). On the harbour side of the point you get flat water in close and waves breaking on bars out further. It's probably the most popular spot for the kiters but they all head off over the river and play in the really flat shallow water on the other side.
Forecast is 15-20 for the weekend so you could get lucky and high tide is at 10:30am on Saturday which is about the time the wind normally kicks in so if there's any wind there should be people out at Illawong. Fingers crossed...
Hey dudes,
thinking about a drive for saturday so its tossin between north or south,
forcast could be a bit hit and miss in mackay but I might take the chance as tides are crap for arvos in townsville and thats the only time of day it blows up there.
Might get to mackay by 9.00am. Looks like far beach will be the go, what about in the arvo if an easterely comes in, What time will the tide be crap by.
Cheers Jeff
Hey Wormy,
I'd only bank on a couple of hours past high tide (or a really short fin). I'm not holding my breath for some wind tomorrow, but who knows?
I'd agree with Squiddy and go to East Point if there's not enough wind by high tide time for Illawong.
Hey Phil yeah its lookin a bit sus, I think we will stay here and probably get a short run in the morning as it has still been getting to 15-16kts for about an hour around 9am.
See what happens when it picks up again,
I've been keen to give Illawong a go for a while now its just having to pick wind and tide and then try and drag myself away from here as its also the requirements for a prefect sail here.
Then again east point is OK all tide???? Might give that shot, at a later date, you get a few waves bending around the point there??
Hey Guys completely of subject, but how do you guys know that the wind is good. I go off this website. www.wunderground.com/?cm_ven=cgi But is said blowin around 13 -15 knots and it would of only been around 9 knots????? Which sucked cause I spent all that effort pumping it up just to see it drag along the sand.
o yeah and i usually go out at far beach cause im only learing.
I use the Bureau of Meteorology http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/qld/mackay/
Gives you a few local stations to check on the observations page.
Which station does that use for Mackay Laurie? It doesn't seem to match either of the BOM ones (mackay or mackay airport). The one at the harbour named Mackay on the BOM site seems to always read a bit low, which is strange as it's on top of a hill.
