Chilly and challenging kitesurfing at Mentone

Session 332.  Heavy rainfall and strong gusts swept through overnight and Sunday morning.  I headed down to Mentone arriving at about 3pm.   The wind had just backed off from around 30 knots to about 10!  Several small kites (6 to 8m) were on the beach and kiters were packing up and leaving.

Mr Styles showed up after a while and we pondered on whether more wind would come.  I went back to the car to rest and wait.  Mr Webb then showed up at about the time another squall was heading up the bay.  We decided to go out with smaller kites as the wind at South Channel was around 28 knots and likely to come through.

We started well powered and had some runs enjoying the bay surf.  The wind dropped out then came back with a vengeance at over 25 knots with some east in it.  I did a couple of massive jumps where my initial boost was doubled by a strong gust.  Quite exhilarating and soft landings!

The air temperature was around 10C and the water was cool so I appreciated my Ripcurl 4/3 wetsuit. Next time I will wear my booties too.

We kited for about an hour until the wind backed off again.   A really good but challenging session.

Winter is here.

GPS Log 

Kitesurfing downwinder Aspendale to Port Melbourne, Across the Bay training

Session 320. Our final training session for Across the Bay. We jumped in at the deep end - a long downwinder from Gnotuk Ave Aspendale around Ricketts Point then on to Port Melbourne.

We made it!

We got on the water after a quick briefing at 1pm.  I headed straight out and set a track upwind of Ricketts, keeping my speed low.  The wind was a bit light at Aspendale so I took my 12m Lithium and was well powered.

Looking back, lots of kites were following in the distance.  Around Ricketts I took a line fairly close to shore.  Others went a lot further out.

I did some short toeside riding back towards shore to rest my legs and tracked down past HMS Cerberus wreck - always an impressive sight.

Past Sandringham I spoke to the SYC tower to say hello and kept going. The bay rollers were big. I had a big stack on one and "rag dolled". My radio yanked of from my backpack but luckily I had it on a leash.  I reset my gear and kept going.

I tried using my impact vest and a small hydration backpack and found this combination much better than the canoeing PFD as it doesn't ride up.

I scooted past close to Green Point and Brighton then set a course direct to Port Melbourne where a large cruise ship was visible docked.  I cranked up my speed for the finish and landed with a couple of others.

We then waited for others to come in and landed their kites.  Lots of smiles all around.

Five of us then caught a maxi cab back to Gnotuk Ave to get our cars.

28 started, one self rescued (but lost their board) and one was rescued by the Coast Guard.  One kiter on a foil board stopped at Brighton.

Great preparation for the main event - now we watch the wind forecast for next Saturday.

 

GPS Log

Great bay kitesurfing at Mentone

Session 319.  Great session, good solid wind, nice bay waves.  Well powered with my Lithium 9 on the S-quad.  Good surf, some nice waves out the back.  Caught the rail several times going out and had some nice stacks.

There were some really nice waves on the left tack.

I tried some backloops and didn't quite make it around.  Then I did a big one, back looped the kite and landed!  Sweet!

I was testing out the canoeing vest with a cord to hold the front down under the harness hook.  This did not work, when the harness rode up the vest did too.  This is not suitable for Across the Bay - I think I will use my impact vest and wear a small backpack with a drink bladder and the radio tucked onto to the shoulder strap.

Stu Styles was flying on his Nugget and did some really good toeside turns - I think he is enjoying the prospect of these kite surf sessions right on his doorstep.

Wind!!!

Stu Styles stylin! - red & white kite 

Stu Styles stylin! - red & white kite 

Birds eye view

Racing the poley.

Ejected and pulling the ripcord!

Watch that reef . . .

GPS Log

Across the Bay kitesurfing training run off Brighton

Session 318.  After a relaxing week at Cape Paterson it was time for another training run for Across the Bay which is coming up soon.   The wind forecast for the afternoon was good so we headed down to meet and Sandy Beach cafe for a quick briefing.

Glenn and Craig from SYC graciously volunteered to provide us with boat support to do a run out to Fawkner Beacon and back. However, the wind direction had too much west in it so we changed our run to a fixed buoy off Brighton.    After a few tacks everyone was on the water and the wind was a bit over 20 knots so we headed off.  I stayed with the boat briefly then got ahead and downwind a bit to get some better photos from my kitecam.

I was scanning around looking for the buoy and eventually spotted it some distance upwind, about which time the wind dropped 5 knots.  I was a bit concerned about the wind dropping right out so I started heading back after a few tacks.  Initially it looked like I would come in at Brighton but the wind picked up again so I did a long run back towards Green Point then another tack back and out a bit.

Others who had stayed upwind made it around the buoy after a few tacks and then headed back.  It was good experience for the main event - overpowered one minute then under-powered the next!

We met up on the the beach afterwards for a quick debrief - everyone had gone very well.

Some lessons learned:

• If in doubt, stay upwind while you can, especially when approaching major obstacles.
• The canoing Type 3 PFDs can ride up a lot.  A short strap around the bottom of the front of the PFD under the harness hook can reduce this.  NP PFDs have this strap as standard but these vests are not easy to find and they don't have a drink bladder.
• Its better to be a bit overpowered rather than underpowered - when selecting a kite.  You can back power off but you can't add it if its not there!
• The VHF radio in my vest pocket is hard to use - will mount it on the shoulder strap or maybe my helmet.

Overall, it was a great training session

GPS Log