Kitesurfing Sandy Point Shallow Inlet

Session 263. Despite the poor wind forecast, Tarren and I got some great wind and sun for a great kitesurfing session in Shallow Inlet. Further up the inlet I was on full power with the Lithium 12 but closer to the mouth I depowered the kite.

The water wasn't really flat but I got some nice fast runs down wind.  It was an easterly so the wind was onshore.  Going up into the inlet the water gets shallow so some caution is required - turning in very shallow water on the surfboard doesn't work!

I have finally got to kite at Shallow Inlet after several previous attempts were unsuccessful.  Its a great spot, nice and quiet and Wilsons Promontory and the offshore islands in the distance provide a wonderful backdrop.

The boat fishermen we passed driving off the sand had some very big catches.

We had a look at the Sandy Point surf beach on our way out but there was less wind there.

Back at Inverloch there was around 16 knots easterly wind and one guy kitesurfing, but it was low tide so the runs were very short.

Not enough wind at the surf beach and it was offshore.

Brown water everywhere due to the floods and many roads closed

GPS log

Nice southerly and some bay surf at Hampton

Session 262. James, Tarren and I headed for Hampton late in the afternoon.  Nice wind 20 to 25 knots.  Great session on the Lithium 9 and surfboard.  I spent some time in the surf between the two groynes.  I ended up on the beach once and had some difficulty getting out through the shorebreak!

I tried a Duck Tack off shore.  I rotated my body but managed to do a kite looped so I was yanked downwind off my board.  I think I need to keep the kite much higher.  Its not intuitive - rotation right around feels like the wrong thing to do!

Tarren had a go on my Lithium 9 and said he thought the power was good.  He did some nice boosts.  Its almost feeling like summer now.

Kitesurfing downwinder from Inverloch surf beach to the inlet

Session 261.  There was some wind in the morning so we headed out for another bonus session.  It was about 15 knots so I took my Lithium 12.  There was not quite enough to stay upwind with the strong swell pushing the board in, effectively reducing the wind speed further.

I headed across the inlet and was rewarded with more wind so that I was able to traverse the extensive bar system a few times and stay upwind.  It is definitely not the place to drop your kite though as you can be a long way from shore.  The swell closer in is not too big.  I didn't make it out the back, again.

Stuart had headed into the inlet so I followed him onto the flat water and back down to the Angling Club cranking some nice slalom turns and going for maximum speed.  There were are some other kiters and windsurfers about there.

This was a nice cruisy session compared to yesterday's ballistic winds.

GPS log

Upwind kitesurfing tour in raging wind at Inverloch

Session 260.  A big storm came in Saturday night and very strong winds blew during the morning.  Stuart and I had a look at the surf beach - the wind was howling in.  We headed down to the inlet a bit later but the wind was still ferocious.  There were several small 6 to 8 meter kites on the beach and the grass with their owners electing not to go out.  I rigged up my Crossbow 7 but a rainstorm and wind squall came in so I packed up and jumped back in the car.  On hardy soul stayed out kitesurfing, but he look overpowered.

We decided that discretion was the better part of valour so we headed back to the house for lunch.

We returned during the afternoon to find conditions a bit more favourable.  The wind was strong but less gusty.  Stuart took out his Crossbow 7, I took my Lithium 9.  We immediately headed upwind to get away from the crowds. We are able to get up to the surf at the inlet without much trouble.

I didn't make it right out the back however as it was difficult to get out over the large waves, so I settled for some nice kitesurfing in the waves close to the inlet mouth.

Another squall was looming out to see so we decided to head back to the Fishing Club launch location.  On the way in a solid gust hit.  I was screaming downwind fully powered and launching off the small chop. It felt like the fastest I had ever gone and I was getting lofted off the water by the kite too.

The wind backed off a bit as we made our way down the inlet on the flatter water.  We got some nice runs on very flat water next to a sandbar.   I was having a nice time cranking some nice fast giant slalom turns downlooping the kite.

All in a all, a really good session.  One of the best.

Photo: Stuart Webb

Photo: Stuart Webb

Photo: Stuart Webb

Photo: Stuart Webb

Photo: Stuart Webb

GPS log

The Lithium Zero on Anderson Inlet at Inverloch

Session 259. We arrived at Inverloch on Saturday 2 November for a long weekend with the families, and hopefully some kitesurfing.   There wasn't much wind about but Stuart and I headed down to the inlet to see if there was enough to fly my Lithium Zero kite.

There was about 6-10 knots so we decided to give it a go.  The kite launched easily and had plenty of power as I zipped across the flat water of Andersons Inlet near the Fishing Club.  I was trying hard to stay upwind and could just manage it.   I was not overpowered, but getting the massive (18m) kite to fly upwind with its fat leading edge is a challenge.  This is not a kite for beginners.

Stuart had a couple of runs and was impressed by the speed and by the fact that he was kitesurfing fast in less than 10 knots of wind!

We were the only ones on the water.  We swapped the kite a few times, then packed up just before sunset, both happy that we has scored a short session.