Fliteboard Walkerville out to Bird Rock #47

Fliteboard at Walkerville South in calm conditions

 

Walkerville Fliteboard tour to near Cooks Creek #33

Fliteboard session #33.  A longer run to prepare for the upcoming Fliteboard tour of the East Coast of Tasmania. I headed north following the reef past the camping ground and came in through surf at a beach just before Cooks Creek.

There was some wind from the South. Heading downwind riding the swells was not difficult.

I got into the beach without much trouble and had a short rest.

Getting back out through the surf was more challenging with the board getting tossed around by the waves. I got out between sets.  

The next challenge was standing up!  Pushing out over the week and some surface chop made it difficult to stand up and get on the foil.

I rode the board on my knees for a while until I could stand up in calmer water. 

I saw a seal lolling in the water when I passed back by the campground.

I did a couple of loops up to bird rock and rode the swell back.

It was a nice change to do a tour.

40% of the Explore battery remaining after 1h 10m and 14 km

Walkerville South Fliteboard slalom turns #32

Fliteboard session #32.  Another nice session in Walkerville South cranking turns with the nice light Nano battery.  Its  like swapping a Commodore (Explore battery) for a sports car (Nano).

50% remaining after 18 minutes and 6.2km

Walkerville Fliteboard with Nano battery #31

Fliteboard session #31.  A sweet session in the sheltered waters for Walkerville South enjoying the Nano battery.  

Much lighter, easier to get the board off the water and much easier to turn the board.

28% left in the battery after 31 minutes.

Walkerville Fliteboard #29

Fliteboard session #29.  Nice session with a bit of wind but not much chop.  Only used 50% of the Explore battery for 13.7 km.

Walkerville Fliteboard with Greg #28

Fliteboard session #28.  Lots of carved turns on smooth water up to Walkerville South staying out of the wind.  I passed Greg on his wing foil.

VIDEO https://youtu.be/zaVO2SIkgGw

Great Fliteboard session at Walkerville with a seal #27

Beautiful morning and smooth water off Walkerville made for a superb Fliteboard session. The small swell coming around Bird Rock was fun to ride.

I dodged some floating seaweed recent North Easterlies had blown. It was hard to spot when heading North with sun reflecting off the water.

I thought I saw a surfer in the water down near the camping reserve. It disappeared when I approached, then a fin popped up. I briefly wondered if it was a shark but then another fin appeared.

It was a large seal lolling on its side in a large clump of seaweed.  I passed about 50m away with the seal unconcerned.

I stayed 400m out to avoid most of the floating weed.

I stayed on the foil most of this session, including on some heelside and toeside 360 degree turns.

Fliteboard session 27

Fliteboard Walkerville catching some swells #22

Ripping session on the Fliteboard riding some swell that was wrapping around Bird Rock down past Walkerville North.  Not riding unpowered (yet) but definitely feeling the power of the waves.

 

Two Fliteboard sessions at Walkerville with the Trueglide prop #FB19 #FB20

First sessions with Trueglide prop. 

It feels the same as the standard prop under power. The difference will be more obvious when foiling a wave with the motor off - there will be reduced drag.

3 January 2024.  (FB session 19)

4 January 2024 (FB session 20)

Fliteboard at Walkerville up and going - best session so far

Session 6. Best Fliteboard session so far!  

Flat water and very little wind made it very cruisy. I launched at Walkerville North and cruised up into Walkerville South and out to Bird Rock. 

I was cruising most of the time on power setting 6 and was able to stay on the foil. Lots of carved turns and no crashes.

This was definitely a magic carpet ride.

Getting back to shore at Walkerville North is tricky - there is a very narrow corridor of sand near the ramp to beach.  I bumped into some reef with the foil - next time  I will invert it when coming in.

Kitesurfing Walkerville South in gusty strong easterly #542

Session 542. A good south easterly was coming into Walkerville South. A kitesurfing was out, and another (Owen) was launching too.  I launched off the beach with my 8m kite but the wind wasn't strong enough close to the shore.  I ended up across the beach and decided to put up my 10m kite.

I got out on the 10m kite OK, but was a bit overpowered further out where the wind was much stronger.

Scored a few small waves along the reef.  Kiting further out was difficult due to the stronger wind two way swell - ocean swell wrapping around from the south and south east wind swell. 

The beach is good for launching when the wind gets in as long as its not too crowded.

Kitesurfing Walkerville past Digger Island #516

Session 516. Second session at Walkerville and last kitesurfing for 2020. The wind was light at the beach, it took me a few tacks to get out past the reef into a nice 20 knot easterly.

I cruised past Bird Island an on past Digger Island, noticing another limestone kiln ruin.  I rounded the corner to look along the coast towards Bear Gully.  The wind was a bit lighter there so I turned and headed back.  A very rocky shoreline along this section of coast with nowhere to land.

The swell was building and he wind got stronger as I approached Bird Island. I saw another kiter there which was a surprise.  I surfed some rollers then did a long tack past the campground to the sandy beach towards Waratah Bay.

The swell coming back was nice and the wind direction was perfect for the return tack along the shore. The distant squall offshore toward the Prom I was keeping on didn't arrive. The other kiter was kiting just along from Bird Island.

I landed at the beach access ramp without drama and the kite dropped in a lull.  This was a memorable session - good waves and wind and great tour.

I chatted to Mick, another kiter staying in Walkerville who was keen to get out for a kite, he had a look at Sandy Point today and said there were 10 kiters in Shallow Inlet and it was very gusty.

Kitesurfing Walkerville down along reef to the beach and back past Bird Island #515

Session 515. Scored my first session at Walkerville in a good easterly.  There was sand to launch from with the tide receding from high. Once on the water I tacked north coming in close to the reef.  After a few tacks I got down as far as the sandy beach north of the camping ground, dodging a few section of reef that occur further out. 

My right leg was holding up OK with the effort although it was still not 100% and pain in my hip and thighs caused by a disk bulge in my bag compressing a nerve causing radiating pain.

I was able to tack upwind past Walkerville South and Bird Island enjoying the scenery, then on towards Diggers Island. The coast is very rocky in this section so its definitely not a good place to drop your kite or swim in.  Walkerville South has a nice beach that would be suitable for launching and landing kites but its in a cove so the wind would not often get in there.

Coming back past Bird Island I surfed some swells then continued on in towards the beach and Walkerville North. In close to shore I carefully stepped my way through the reef (booties are essential) to get to the sand where the boat vehicle access track descends to the beach. then landed the kite on the sand.

This was a very scenic tour and good kiting once clear of the reefs, but its definitely not a place for beginners.  The reef is gnarly and there are very limited launching and landing options.

Here's the video