Sunday, December 27, 2015

Kitesurfing Beaumaris in a late afternoon sea breeze

Session 352.  A late afternoon sea breeze at Beaumaris that seemed stronger than it really was.  Not keen to try the foil board with all the reefs about so I used my Nugget.



On the first run out I was chasing Grant on his windsurfer who in turn was chasing Stu S who then turned so Grant and I took evasive action, but all ended well.

My Lithium 12 had good power but doesn't like to go upwind as well at my 9.   I did a back roll and a few jumps, but after a few runs out and back the wind dropped so I came in. Stu W had disappeared off downwind - I packed up, drove down Beach Road and picked him up walking back.

Nice sunny conditions but I might have been better of with the Flite 14.5 on this occasion.


Back roll










Saturday, December 26, 2015

Team Nugget Brighton Altona Port Melbourne kitesurfing downwinder

Session 351. Team Nugget - James, Stu Styles, Anthony, Kevin and myself completed an epic downwinder from Brighton to Altona then on to Port Melbourne.

Team Nugget
The wind was a solid 25 knots, I took my Lithium 9 tied on the bottom knots.  We did a couple of tacks while waiting for Cesar, Peter Sexton, Marco and some comrades to get on the water - they were training for this years Across the Bay event.

I headed towards Altona on a slow tack with the kite fully de-powered with the occasional tack back to see how the others were going.  It was wild and woolly out in the middle, but there was a brief lull just as some were crossing the channel! 

Then Williamstown was visible, but it was still quite a way to Altona.  We touched on the narrow beach then started heading back - this time to a new section of the Bay.   Cruising past Altona Pier we followed the foreshore towards Williamstown. I was wary of extensive reefs that I have seen from the shore, but all we saw were some very big swells.  

Stu stuck with me as we surfed the big rolling swells, some of them breaking.  Downwind technique is great fun - lots of turns and surfing the waves.  Once I saw The Rocks building at Williamstown I new we where on track. We surfed in and approached concrete jetty of Battery Road.  

Stuart was still with me but the others were out of sight.  Stu and I headed out to the channel, across it, then straight in towards Port Melbourne beach.  We landed on the beach, tired but very happy. 

I could see some kites a long way off towards Elwood and hoped they were the others.  James then appeared and landed, then eventually the distant two kites came in: Anthony and Kevin.   They were having some difficulty riding downwind on one side so they finished with big tacks.

Five happy lads at the finish. A 35km tour, and section of the bay, great wind and waves.  Happy Boxing Day! 

Tacking back before leaving Brighton
Heading for Altona
Windy!



Altona



Heading to Williamstown

Surfing the swells

Surfing the swells

Surfing the swells

Mr Styles in action


Off Williamstown


Crossing the channel


 Port Melbourne beach

Team Nugget - tired but happy



GPS log

Friday, December 25, 2015

Kitesurfing Frankston on Christmas Day

Session 350. Christmas Day and another hot northerly.  I got to Frankston late in the morning and headed out on 9.  There was one other kiter on the beach, a kiter out on a foil board closer to Frankston and a few beach goers about.


The northerly was quite consistent between 20 to 25 knots. I rigged my Lithium 9 on the lower knots and had the kite depowered most of the time.   I did some good jumps and caught a few good waves. 

I was lucky to get this session in before Christmas Day festivities commenced.  Frankston delivers again!

However, the same northerly whipped up the bushfire in the Otway National Park resulting in over 60 houses being burnt in the Wye River and Separation Creek regions.









 







GPS Log

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Sweet late kitesurfing session at Hampton with the Flite 14.5

Session 349.  Another sea breeze. I got to the beach at 6:00pm with all the kites coming in, so it was time for the Ocean Rodeo Flite 14.5.  Plenty of power in the light breeze of less than 15 knots, enough to do some back rolls.  I got one on camera and can see why the kite back loops - I am pulling on my rear hand!

The big kite flies and turns well and goes upwind too, really nice to use.

The water was so clear I was checking out a reef on the way in and crashed the kite. After relaunching it I had to loop a few times to get back to shore.




Back loop  1

Back loop  2







GPS Log