Kitesurfing good Northerly at Brighton

Session 585. Strong winds forecast for Port Phillip Bay arrived mid-afternoon. On the water at 3:30 pm and shared the session with three other kiters.

Northerlies at Brighton can be dicey if you have equipment failure or get your kite tangled - its a long hard swim back to shore against cross-offshore wind. I kite conservatively in offshore winds.

The wind was good further out but not as strong as the 30 knot forecast. The Union 9m kite was nicely powered.

I tacked up to near the Brighton Marina breakwater then surfed the back on the bay swell.  The wind was gusty closer to shore.

A kiter jumped and crashed his kite. He was having a lot of trouble relaunching it and looking like he might need to swim a longish way back in.

I kited past slowly and grabbed and dragged one tip of his kite that was jellyfishing (full of water).  That was enough for him to relaunch it. It was nice to help out.

I got back to beach easily, very happy with the outing. Nice light, good wind, not crowded and not too cold.  Smiles all round.

Kitesurfing Rosebud chilly but fun

Session 584. Kitesurfing again at last! There has been a remarkable lack of wind this year. The Westerlies and North Westerlies we usually get during Winter have been largely absent.  There was a good Northerly forecast today so Rosebud was on.

On the water and 09:10 with 15-20 knots wind from the North, not as strong as forecast. I used my Union 9 kite in case it came in stronger.

One other kiter was out in the distance and two others launched just before me. 

I got going a bit underpowered so I kept going out hoping to pick up more wind. Returning in the wind got stronger close to shore so I was able to keep tacking, then it got stronger enabling me to go up wind and do some nice bay surf runs on the outer sandbank.

Really got to be kiting again, a most enjoyable session.

Motorbike tour - North East Victoria and South Gippsland

Motorcycle tour through North East Victoria and South Gippsland with great roads, lots of twisties and not much traffic. 

Day 1.  Broadford to Myrtleford - 305 km, 4 hr [GPX file]

Mostly on quiet roads. Coffee and pitstop in Mansfield.

Day 2. Myrtleford to Bairnsdale - 342 km 5hr 24 min [GPX file]

Endless curves, watch out for bark on road and damp corners in forest areas.

Mitta Mitta for coffee and Omeo for lunch.

Day 3. Bairnsdale to Walkerville - 4 hr 26 min [GPX file]

Back roads in rural areas and forests of Strezlecki. 

10km of dirt road (good condition) from Carrajung to Tarra Bulga NP on Grand Ridge Road.

Lunch at Inline Cafe, Balook.

Tarra Valley Road to Yarram is sealed by very narrow with tight curves.

Day 4. Walkerville to Burwood - 3 hr 26 minutes [GPX file]

Very scenic back road route, good for motorbikes, no freeway.

Map