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Australia early Dec?

 
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rasdpm



Joined: 17 Apr 2000
Posts: 149

PostPosted: Mon Jul 17, 2000 2:53 pm    Post subject: Australia early Dec? Reply with quote

Can someone share info re wavesailing in Australia? West vs east coast? Good places to camp, rent a van and equipment for about 10days?
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spyder



Joined: 24 Sep 1996
Posts: 2790
Location: oahu

PostPosted: Tue Jul 18, 2000 2:51 pm    Post subject: RE: Australia early Dec? Reply with quote

I will ask my buddy in Melborne.
He sails a lot down south.
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jonnoshaw7



Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Mon Jul 24, 2000 3:55 pm    Post subject: RE: Australia early Dec? West Coast Rules! Reply with quote

West Coast definitely. I spent about 3 months down there drove from melbourne to Perth up the west coast and then back to Sydney. I wasnt windsuring the whole time so just picked up my gear at Perth Airport (had a friend ship it). All west coast wavesailing is port tack which can be a little wierd for those used to sailing in Hawaii and califonia.
Pick up a car in Perth, rentals are pretty expensive. most people going for a few weeks buy a beater you can find in the hostels.
Perth has an afternoon thermal wind called the freemantle doctor which during the summer blows almost every day in the 15-20 knot range. Its mostly side-on and the waves are generally mushy and shore break but can be good fun.
(theres also some flat water sailaing in the estuary) Further south is an area called margaret river. Reef break which can hold huge waves (up to 5 meters). Water is refreshing but not cold. Its wine and forest country kind of like Nothern California.
abaout a dayd drive from Perth across the bottom of australia (south coast) is a spot called esperance which is probably the most amazing coastline I have ever seen. Pure white sand crystal clear water You can see the bottom 30 feet down while you are sailing! Huge granite headlands and very powerful clean waves. Wind is frontal and can get cloudy and cool (and still for a few days). Esperance gets alot of its power from wind farms which is always a good sign. Youd be most comfortable in a wetty youd wear in the gorge in the early summer. Its not quite shorty temparatures.
back to Perth and heading NOrth a few hundred Km there is a place called geraldton. WHich has a large variety of wavesailing locations. Waves are not as clean as Margaret river (side on mostly) and the water can be pretty opaque and green . just north of town about 15 k is a spot called Coronado. You can camp on the beach (no facilites) it can get stinking hot. flat inside before hitting the waves which makes it slightly less intimidating than some spots. huge port jumps.
There are more spots up north from geraldton which are really remote but have really nice Reef breaks: Narloo etc. The surfers rave about the waves there but I didnt hear any windsufing reports and wasnt interested in a no-aircoditioned days drive in 103 degrees. The further north you go the hotter and drier it gets. temperatures over 105 are not uncommon. north of geralton.
Hope this gets you started.
Cheers
Jonno
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jonnoshaw7



Joined: 14 Jul 2004
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Mon Jul 24, 2000 4:01 pm    Post subject: RE: Australia early Dec? Gear Reply with quote

Oh yeah, Gear - Air New Zealand took my gear for free. Id recommend taking your own, but there are a variety of shops in Perth that I am sure you could rent gear from.
If you take your own make sure you dont tell customs youre going to sell it before returning home. but if you do you can get a good price for used gear (beter that here)
Later
J.
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rasdpm



Joined: 17 Apr 2000
Posts: 149

PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2000 10:00 am    Post subject: RE: Australia early Dec? Gear Reply with quote

Great info, thanks!!!!
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shredjules



Joined: 15 Aug 2000
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Tue Aug 15, 2000 11:45 pm    Post subject: RE: Australia early Dec? Reply with quote

Ras - if you are going for 10 days from the US, East may be your best bet! Jason Polakow is from Torquay, in Southern victoria - also near where Bells beach is. May I recommend the personal service at Sailboard HQ in Sandringham (Melbourne) Victoria. You can rent a camper (not worth the purchase haggle for 10 days) or take the train to Torquay and rock up to a shop. Windsurfing is a brotherhood in Aus. And for a coupla cold tinnies and your best wipeout story, youll have mates for life (not to mention a ride to the best waves the next day!) But beware! The wind, waves and ocean are temperamental that time of year and a bluey (cold, blue north wind) could still blow in an knock you to Tasmania!!!! The water is cold in the east, and I (ok, Im a girl) wear a 3 mil, booties, gloves and sometimes a hood.

West is best when you have the time (5 hours by plane from Sydney or Melbourne) - a full day, but Ive waited for 5 days for wind at Lancelin and there is nothing else to do there but sail. But most of my mates DO go out west for the month of December if they can handle it.

I would hire a car with rack and either camp or stay in hostels/pubs. Look into hostelling international (www.iyhf.org) where accomodation is A$7-20 per night in dorm-styles - you get to meet a lot of people. Have a blast and say hi to Luke at SHQ for me.
Jules
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AndyLamont



Joined: 03 Sep 2000
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sun Sep 03, 2000 4:25 am    Post subject: RE: Australia early Dec? Reply with quote

I live on the east coast in south east queensland and although early december is a good time for us , i would recomend south western Australia fly into Perth buy an older car or rent and head south the best winds are north but it is a little late for the best waves if you choose the east a coast a lttle town just south of Sydney,called Gerrora won t dissapoint
There are some rentals available in West Oz
have a great holiday
andy
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