Hi all,
Anyone know how these lakes are at the moment?
Considering a country trip over AUS day weekend.
Cheers advanced.
K
I'll talk to you KDog...
I read a thread on here about Lake Wendoree having some water & it's definitely big enough - pack your weed fin though.
Lake Colac always looks good, very open, and I've been keen, but never sailed there.
Pt Fairy (3.5hrs West of Melb) is a great spot with the Loch on strong offshore winds (NE-NW), and you can pick an ocean sailing spot for most other winds around the area.
Inland - Lake Hamilton, Lake Linlithgow, or Lake Bolac (about halfway between Ballarat & Hamilton).
If you're doing a loop (Ballarat, Hamilton then to coast & back along Ocean Rd or back to Geelong/Melb), come via Portland...there'll be a small number of us hoping for a sail over the weekend (wind permitting). Always keen to meet other w/surfers.
I was up in Ballarat for work in July & Oct last year. I snuck my gear up in the hope for a quick session.
There was weed harvesting going on in Wendouree at the time in October so i reckon it should be sailable now. Not sure on the best direction though, possibly Northerly's or southerlys based on the orientation of the lake. Without having sailed it i reckon it would be quite gusty being in the middle of town. If it was honking i reckon it would be good.
I sussed out the other 2 as well. Burrumbeet is F'n huge!!! I'm not sure where the best place to launch would be though. On the Eastern side there is a camp ground with a little beach to access with a small boat ramp quite sheltered in close but once out maybe 200m any Southerly wind will fill in. Because its so big i reckon there'd be some really fun ramps. I drove around a bit looking for better access and got my little forrester into places it probably shouldnt go and i ended up in a farmers paddock and then what looked like a pine plantation or something. Probably wasnt meant to be there
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Learmonth looked the most sailable to me (even though i've never sailed any of them). Easy access on the Eastern side, there is a boat shed and ramp. The lake is quite open and there looked like some markers spaced out periodically. I reckon if you stayed on the middle of the lake of those you'd be fine. At least thats what i was going to do. Wind was only about 10kts when i was there so while tempted to get on the water i didnt do it.
Thanks heaps guys.
Will be sussing out Colac and Burrumbeet since its pretty close, but far enough away.
Windsurfing and fishing - good mix.
I sailed in Portland on xmas day just off nuns beach, the swell was enoumous even in a 14-18 knot sou-easter, well worth the visit if your used to flat water, you just go up and up and up, then up more, then you hover for a bit then fall off the top of a liquid mountain, it was awsome. I've heard of sharks down there though...
If/when you come back, send me a pm - happy to share local knowledge - the s-easter due for both days this w'end is going to produce some good ramps!
