Kitesurfing at Beaumaris - SO GOOD to be on the water again #509

Session 509. Back on the water kitesurfing at Beaumaris!  This is session I will remember after months (133 days) of COVID-19 lockdown. The travel restriction from home was lifted to 25km so I am now at last able to get to some bayside beaches.

A good 18 knot southerly was on at 2 pm,.  This was also my first session on the new board I bought yesterday - a North Cross - which was fantastic.  So light, turns fast, goes upwind well and is good to gybe.

I headed up to Ricketts Point to have a look around and was the only one there. My hip has been sore recently and my leg muscles a bit out of whack so the cross winder to Aspendale was not an option.

I surfed the swell and small reef breaks back to the yacht club and had a short break on the beach. Heading out again the wind picked up - I could see another storm front coming so I headed in.  The wind increased by 10 knots and the kiters out on the water had some dramas, I was happy to be on the beach.

So good to catch with the crew too, there was a great turnout and lots of big smiles.

Kitesurfing Beaumaris on the Wainman Passport in light wind

Session 459. It seemed like a good sea breeze at Ricketts Point but it conked out, I made it back to shore on the Wainman Passport and walked back to the yacht club beach.   I borrowed Stu's Lithium 12 which had more power for a short second outing.

I have to re-splice the damaged lines on my Ocean Rodeo 14.5 Flite, until then its out of action.

My car was recently ransacked outside my home in Surrey Hills and some lowlife stole my kite gear bag and yellow kite camera case. I am replacing the equipment lost. Be careful about leaving gear in your car between sessions . . .

Beaumaris kitesurfing downwinder but not enough wind.

Session 401. It has been a strange summer so far - sea breezes have been weak or absent, then raging northerlies spring up.  The wind forecast looked good for a downwinder so James, Stuart and I headed off from Beaumaris. Initially the was enough wind to keep me going with the big kite, but it dropped off.

Stuart dropped his kite and couldn't relaunch it.  Heading out I was concerned that I might drop mine a long way out so I headed back to shore and landed it before I got to the significant obstacle of Black Rock and Half Moon Bay.

I walked up and swam out to help Stuart get his kite in.  Swimming in over the reef (no booties again) I brushed the side of my foot near the base of the big toe on something sharp but I thought  I had avoided it. 

After we packed up the kites I carried the gear up to the road near the Black Rock clock tower while James and Stuart went to get the car.  

Later that night my left foot was getting very sore.  I went into Epworth Emergency the following day and the doctor fished out 2mm of sea urchin spine that was in my foot and causing the swelling.  I got a tetanus shot and a course of antibiotics.

I will wear booties on downwinders from now on . . .

GPS log

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

Kitesurfing downwinder Beaumaris to Hampton

Session 312.  Another downwinder was on, yeah!  Stuart, Amelia and I showed up at Hampton to do the car shuffle back to Beaumaris. Grant was contemplating coming along on his windsurfer but had left some kit behind.

I decided to take my 9 as the wind seemed strong enough and I was using my Nugget board strapless - first time for a downwinder.

We launched and headed of quickly making good progress.  I did a couple of tacks on my Nugget to get it dialed in and all was good.

Its nice having the freedom to move your feet anywhere on the board but more caution is required to stay on it when racing downwind.

I stayed out past the Cerberus wary of the wind shadow behind it, then we regrouped and did some tacks into Red Bluff cliffs which is a lovely location.

I then headed along the beach, dodging the no boating zone, then did a long tack past the Sandringham Yacht Club and headed out towards Fawkner Beacon.  I was a long way ahead so I figured I might as well cruise upwind for a while. I travelled about a third of the distance to the Beacon then came back in.

Amelia and Stuart were coming past the breakwater so we all made it!

We did some runs to finish at Hampton with the wind picking up a few knots.  Amelia dropped her kite near the beach so I landed mine and swam out to grab hers.  Stuart retrieved her board, then had a few runs on the Nugget and was also impressed by its upwind capability.

There is nothing quite like a good downwinder!

GPS log

Overpowered at Beaumaris in 30+ knots

Session 296. The southerly buster came through late in the afternoon and it was honking.  I headed out from Beaumaris on my Lithium 9 and was lit up!  Could only just hold an edge with the kite high to depower and the getting pulled off my line. A couple of runs in 30+ knots was enough and I couldn't be bothered pumping up my Crossbow 7 so I watched the poleys (windsurfers) having fun.

Tarren was going well on his Ozone 8m kite and getting some good boosts.  The wind backed off to around 20 knots after about 20 minutes.  Frontal winds can make things difficult.

GPS log

Kitesurfing downwinder Beaumaris to Port Melbourne

Session 289.  Sensational kitesurfing downwinder from Beaumaris to Port Melbourne.  I took my Lithium 9 as the wind was good.  After a couple of runs waiting for the others to get on the water I started surfing the rollers and came in close to the reefy shore.  I almost got stuck behind a rocky reef but just made it over it.

It was really nice to be on a tour again.  Coming up to the Cerberus was interesting as waves were breaking on the reef off the point. I scooted next to then behind the Cerberus and continued on.  The others were some distance behind.  Coming past the breakwater at Hampton was quite exciting. I did a couple of runs into Hampton beach but still they were a long way behind.

There was some good surf at Green Point but I stacked once and the board hit my right calf and corked it a bit.

It was chilly in my shorty wetsuit (should have worn my steamer) so I decided to keep going.  I did some slalom turns through the madding hordes kitesurfing at Brighton and continued on, getting some good speed up.  The surfboard is easier to turn and handle in the larger bay rollers than the Sector 60.

I arrived at Port Melbourne very happy to have completed the downwinder.  After about 15 minutes the others showed up. We jumped in the cars left and Port Melbourne and headed back to Beaumaris.

Epic trip, once again.

GPS Log