Epic downwinder Werribee South to Altona and gruelling upwind return with Dolphins!

Session 314 was more like 5 sessions rolled into 1, 106km in total!

We headed to Werribee South beach to take advantage of the forecast easterly and to scope out this location for kitesurfing.

We were pleasantly surprised.  The wind was blowing around 15 to 20 knots so we decided to try the downwinder to Altona.

The beach was wide enough for easy kite launching and fairly clean.  We did a run first to the south west and peeked around the corner towards Point Wilson.  Coming back along the small surf was nice as we waited for Eric to get on the water.

I was well powered on my Lithium 12 so I was taking it easy.  A few upwind tacks got us past the new Wyndham Vale marina then we had some nice kiting down past the beach shacks of Campbells Cove and past the RAAF Point Cook Base.

Getting around Point Cook was interesting - I came in close the reef and hit it!  Hard to spot the rocks under the whitewash.

Past the reef it was all downwind with flatter water, some nice small waves in sections.  Downloop turns kept the momentum up.  One guy was kiting right into Skeleton Waterholes Creek on his twintip board. I wasn't going to try it on my surfboard.

We headed right up to the pier then came in to land.  We were all very happy with the downwinder, and chatted to Mike about getting a lift back to Werribee South.

Stuart suggested we kite back.  I was a bit tired but keen to give it a go, as was Eric, so we all headed off.

It was hard work kiting upwind with lots of tacks.  At one stage near the Cheetham Wetlands I heard someone yell.  An idiot had kited up behind me and nearly crashed his kite into mine! I yelled at him to stay away and not tangle the kites.  This was bizarre as there was nobody else around.  Why on earth come right up behind someone like that?

Eric was powering ahead upwind but I was getting tired.  Then we rewarded by spotting a trio of Dolphins cruising along heading slowly out - these are the first I have seen kitesurfing.  We passed them several times on the seemingly endless tacks in lightish wind.

Up at Point Cook we walked across the point to avoid the reef and had a nice short blast at good speed then the wind dropped out just before the pier at the RAAF Point Cook Base.  We were stuck!  Stuart eventually got around the pier.  It took me several goes before I did too.

Then we had some more wind and made better progress, but still needed to tack. Up at the new Marina I ventured inside it, but the wind dropped and I only just made it back out of the flat water.

Then I was schlogging back and forth to get around the rock wall and couldn't do it.  So frustrating to get so close to Werribee and not make it!  I would have made it on the Nugget. Stuart and Eric had got around though just before me.

I landed my kite on the small beach next to the marina and Stuart showed up with the car almost immediately.

This was an epic session.  We stocked up on caffiene, lollies and potatoe chips to replace our depleted energy on the drive home.

Everything is sore - arms, legs, torso, hands and neck.   Cramps are looming too so I have taken a magnesium tablet.

My GPS battery was flat again so I have mapped out our progress on the Google map.  I estimate we did 30km on the downwinder and at least 48km on the upwinder making a total of 78km!

Overall, I am very happy with this outing.  A big day out!

Update:  Stuart logged 43.03 km to Altona and 63.67 km coming back - a total of 106.7 km for the day. His GPS track logs are at the bottom of this post.

Hordes of Blue Blubber Jellyfish!

Point Cook reef - it bites!

Upwind route

Downwind route

Google Map (interactive)

Track log 1 from Stuart - Altona to Werribee South


Track log 2 from Stuart - Werribee South to Altona

Across the Bay catch up in lieu of Fawkner Beacon tour

We had a tour scheduled to Fawkner Beacon and back (3 times) that was going to be supported by the Sandringham Yacht Club volunteers.  

However, there was no wind.  The forecast was for around 10 knots and then only at 2pm.  There was less wind than that, so we met for a coffee and chat about skills and equipment for the upcoming Across The Bay to Conquer Cancer kitesurfing downwinder at the Sandy Beach Kiosk.

Chatting about gear and skills over coffee

We chatted over coffee about skills for going downwind, including downloops, slalom turns and the need to vary your stance to reduce fatigue and (hopefully) avoid cramping.

We also discussed equipment and food to take on the downwinder including:

• PFDs (Type 1 inflatable and Type 2 with some storage pockets and drink bladder holder)
• EPIRBs (PLBs) and Spot tracking devices
• A whistle
• Water - in a drink bladder
• Power gels in a small squeeze bottle for energy boosts - available from cycling shops

For more information on gear see  Downwinders, Kitesurfing Handbook

No wind!

We will reschedule this training event when we get a favourable wind forecast.  Its a great tour that takes you right out into the Bay.

Kevin Langeree: a great kitesurfing video

Here is an inspiring video by Kevin Langeree - one of the world's best kitesurfers.


Kevin Langeree Best of 2014 from Kevin Langeree on Vimeo.

Mentone was the wrong beach today

Predictwind forecast a SSE 15 knot wind at Mentone peaking around 6pm.  I got down there at 5pm and estimated there was about 15 knots - some whitecaps were visible in the Bay.  I rigged up my Lithium 12 and headed out.  Did one run, turned, then there the wind dropped right out!

I could fly the kite but not generate enough power to get going.

I landed the kite and swapped it for my Ocean Rodeo Flite 14.5, stopping for a gelati at the Life Saving Club on my way back.

The wind dropped some more. I could fly the Flite but not get enough power to get going!  Stuart had a go to without any success.

We could even loop the kite without generating too much power.

I might have got going on the Sector 60 but I might have got stuck out in the Bay too!

We packed up and left at about 7pm. I heard later from another kiter that a 20 knot sea breeze came into St Kilda at about 6pm.

Its bizzare that sea breezes can be so local!

Backrolls! Another afternoon seabreeze, another great kitesurfing session at Hampton

Session 313.  Another afternoon seabreeze, another great kitesurfing session. I got down to Hampton after 5 and headed out on my Lithium 9 and S-quad, planning to do some more backrolls.  I did some runs between the groynes to the beach then headed out and down to Green Point and caught some nice waves on the reef.

Heading back out to tack back I found myself reluctant to do a backroll. Eventually I popped off the top of a wave and rotated nicely, landed on my board and kept going! It felt really good.  Keeping some tension in the kite lines allows the rotation to complete, and hands together on the bar prevents redirection of the kite.

I did some long tacks to get back and more back rolls when heading back out.  Its nice to do a short tour, particularly when there is some swell and waves about.

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