Hi All
Sorry but another brit has invaded your fine shores.
I'm heading to Altona or one of the suburbs close by and was hoping for some info on where to sail.
also does anybody have any experience of living on Sanctuary Lakes only thats on the list of places to live.
To be honest any info is always welcome.
Many Thanks
Scott
Haven't sailed that side of the Bay at all but I am sure the locals could fill you in. Welcome to Oz and Vic.
Good morning, Scott,
Welcome to our small community.
I sail mainly on the Sandringham side of the bay, so can only offer some observations about your area.
For your side of the bay, you might care to do some exploring at home using a Melways road map (about $30 from newsagents) and working out what is possible from your home area.
Have heard that Altona will work in a south or south easterly wind (SE's are mainly summer winds. Note: our summer is Dec, Jan, Feb., not the UK version!)
The area both sides of the RAAF airbase look interesting (map 198).
It might be possible to get to the Middle Park (map 57) and Elwood area (map 67) for the expected summer SW breezes, particularly at the weekend.
The guys in Geelong might care to offer advice on Point Henry (map 453)
If you are a surf sailor, you are moderately close to Torquay (maps 505/506).
As you may have already found, there are only two windsurfing shops available: Repeat Performance Sailboards (Elwood) and Sailboard Headquarters (Sandringham).
Generally, our prevailing summer winds are SW'ly, with occasional N and SE'ly thrown in. In winter, we look forward to cold Northerlies.
A sail range of 4.0 to 7.5 will cover most wind strengths here and a 3-board range of approximately 80/100/125 litres will match the sails. In a pinch a 2-board range of say, 110 and 85 L will cover most conditions.
You might care to look at the Watkins site (earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/engage/dynamic-earth-updates/bay-winds) for some good info and particularly the water temps (www.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/~awatkins/temps.html) available from the drop down menu bar, so choosing wetsuit might be easier.
Watch out for our sun! If you are in the sun in summer from about 10am to 5pm, use an SPF 30 sun screen on all exposed skin (particularly nose, lips and top of ears) and re-apply every 2 hours or so. Out of the water, select a hat with a wide brim.
Don't be afraid to approach other windsurfers you see on the beach. We'll always help you, except if you ask about cricket!
Hope this helps.
I lived in Williamstown and found it a great place to live as well as sail. Close to city with a sandy beach with some good B & J sailing. The only problem with Willi beach is that with anything with S in it makes it onshore and if you look at the map - Willi beach has 2 rock walls at either end of beach so makes getting out a bit harder.. Altona is another option for sailing. There is also a mini speed strip in Willi that has seen 36+ speeds done. Also only 45-60 minutes from Geelong area which has all directions and conditioned covered (speed, waves, slalom and B & J ). Hope this helps..
PS Over the bridge to the other side of bay doesn't take too long either..
Welcome Scott.
I agree with the others with their suggestions.
It would be worth checking out the Watkins site (earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/engage/dynamic-earth-updates/bay-winds), to get a better idea of where you can sail.
Also check out the Windsurfing Victoria website to, especially the fortnightly news letter's (www.wv.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=23&Itemid=71).
Regards,
Stephen
Yeah what they said, and you may get the locals tell you about the Altona Great White, but don't worry our sharks don't bite... well... maybe they may... but they don't swallow.... they spit it out. 
Thanks for all you help guy's
Hopefully my kit will be with me just before xmas so fingers crossed i'd like to sail xmas day.
The rental market has slim pickings at the moment for a beach front pad and i'm starting look around Brighton, up to 650 for a 2-3 bed house does that sound fair?
Is there anywhere to be avoided? i'd like to be within 45 mins on the train to the CBD
Cheers
Our new Prime Minister "Julia" just vacated her home in Altona for the Lodge. Maybe you could rent her place? Altona has nice views across the Bay - of Brighton.
Geez you must be doing well if you're looking for beach front around Brighton.
There is a large windsurfing community around there that sail from Mentone to St. Kilda. No shortage of great sailing spots around there, which will be ideal in those summer seabreezes.
Dial 1800 BIG RED'S PLACE. My recollection of Altona beach is that it's a real stinker in summer when the seaweed rots on the beach - but I will stand corrected if anyone knows better - I have not been there for years.
gunvor, me from sunny sunny bournemouth.
you?
when the summer SE's cut in you will never want to leave.
havent been back for 5 years..
come november to feb you will love the place.
enjoy! and pm if your heading towards the surf coast.
Living in sunny southend at the moment down on the sea front so i can just jump over the wall and sail off.
My car will be imported over in December so i can stick my gear on the roof and head off and try different places.
I just want to get a balance between an easy commute should i become a pen pusher and a bit of open space and the beach.
A beach with sand will be a great joy as we only have the pebble kind in Essex and sailing bare foot will be nice as well, i sail bare foot now but the blood can sometimes get in the way of a great day.
You guys are painting a great picture i cant wait to get out on the water.
Scott,
I've solved all your problems (you can thank me later).
When you get here, you trade in your car and buy a motor home. (http://www.robertswinnebago.com.au/). Naturally, it is big enough to store your gear inside and has an on-board generator and air conditioner (temps in Melbourne can get to 42 deg. C in summer in daytime ('
') and 30 deg. C at night).
You then drive to the City Of Bayside offices, buy a yearly parking ticket (about $160) and park the motor home at Green Point (cold running water and toilets available). ((On Google maps au, search for "Brighton Beach Gardens, Vic". Grab the map and move it to show the locations that follow in the text below)).
To go to work, cross the road to Brighton station and catch the train to the city.
Before leaving work, check the winds on Watkins or Seabreeze.
Finish work, board the train, get off at Brighton, walk across the road, get into the motor home, hang up business suit and decide what to do:
If the wind is northerly, sail at Green Point (lots of sand on the beach).
If the wind is south-westerly, drive north to Dendy Street and sail (2 minutes from GP. (lots of sand on the beach).
If the wind is south-easterly, drive south and sail at Rickett's Point South (Beaumaris Life Saving Club, 8 minutes from GP), Mentone (Naples Road, 5 minutes from Rickett's) or Parkdale Yacht Club (3 minutes from Mentone). Lots of sand on all these beaches.
If you need more guidance, I've got plenty to give (some would say I'm full of it ('
')) so you can PM me.
Knowing that you'll take this advice without question, when I see the motor home in the carpark I'll come over and introduce myself.
Finally, don't worry about the sharks that Croweman has given you info about (you'll learn who to trust when you are here). Hardly any windsurfers have been taken here and most of the fins that you see when you are sailing are dolphins.
Hey, I loved Southend-on-sea, the estuary is beautiful in summer and you get the airshow there too!
I almost bought a place there overlooking the estuary. It was only about an hour train to London and work.
But the pebble beaches are a drawback.
Depending on your budget you can probably be as far as Mentone and still be within an hour commute to the city. That side of the bay gives you close access to a whole range of beaches from stkilda to mentone, and when its more northerly, another 10 minutes down the road and you have Bonbeach and Keast Park.
Did you say your budget is 600pw for a 2 bed house? If you settle for a Townhouse which is just as good you could probably be practically on the beach, but you will need to move down the bay a bit. Say Sandrimgham and lower. There are some nice places there, probably a lot bigger than some of the UK standards.
Check www.realestate.com.au
when you say "hardly any windsurfers etc"', could you advise on just how many? Is it more than 1? I like the Winnebago idea. Scott could enjoy a sunset ice cream every evening at GP. Perfect
Croweman,
In the bay, I've seen more whales than sharks.
Perhaps we should also advise Scott to be careful of the stringrays that love the soft sand at Mentone (but you can see them as they swim away, Scott)
Perhaps we should "cool it"....don't want to frighten the poor blighter!
You guy's have made my morning i'm sitting laughing and the misses is looking at life insurance for me!!!!!
The van is a great idea however the misses loves her car and is having kittens over putting a roof rack on it.
Just seen a nice town house in Williams Town 5 HERIOT PLACE, Williamstown, Vic 3016
$620
this is the other one: 10A Parkside Crescent, Altona, Vic 3018
$630 per week
both on realestate.com, i called an estate agent who's every answer was "No worries it will be fine" it was a friday so that may have had an effect on him.
We did see a nice place for about the same money on the front: 1/77 Beach Road, Mentone, Vic 3194
$635 per week, but i heard that the pub just along the road is a nightmare with chavs wreaking havoc.
Anyway it's about 13 degrees here and it's blowing 5 gusting 6 with a few boy's out in winter wet suits.
My gear is in a big container so i may as well put the kettle in.
Scott,
Willi is much better than Altona (IMHO) more cafes, restaurants and a bike ride into the city. Good public transport system too..
I miss my JP freestyle wave and i'm starting to miss my starboard as well (it takes a lot for me to miss it)
It's so windy here and even though it looks like mushroom soup out there it still a great place to blast around.
The last time i went out i had a hour long walk back in the mud and was well over powered on a 5m force, the wildlife went as far as seals.
We have almost binned Altona and have gone for Sanctuary lakes (we drove around there last year the misses loved it) it does say on there web site that sailing is allowed on the lake. Question is, is that Lasers and Toppers full of cub scouts or can i blast around.
We looked at the other side of the bay but we want to stay near the new marina when it start for work options.
Roll on the 22nd
so who sailed at the weekend and how was it?
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Go with Mentone...
Chavs are called bogans here. They tend to be more unsightly than violent.
You can't windsurf through winter in Williamstown because the winds are mostly northerly. Go with any where between Mentone and St Kilda
And if you sail at Green Point in summer, here's some folklore:
Don't sail too far out on a Northerly after 3pm.
If you like Sanctuary Lakes, you could check out Paterson Lakes on our eastern side of The Bay, it's got the same sort of set up but a little older. I suspect there are more choices for any given wind direction on this side. Proximity to good sailing is unquestionably more important than finding a job.
does this answer your question better
thewindmap.com/#-38.08917493772978,144.74212646484375,9 ?
