Sandy Point kitesurfing in good wind and small surf #543

Session 543. Nice session at Sandy Point, I was the only kite out.  The wind was solid and the small waves were nice.

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.

Fliteboard at Aspendale - session 1

First session on my new Fliteboard Pro. 8 knots wind, there was a bit too much chop, its better to have flat water to make starting easier when learning.

I have the smaller Pro model board (67 litres) which is harder to learn on than the regular board (100 litres).  Once you are up and going the smaller board is better though.

I got going in prone position, then up on the foil which was very fast!

Kneeling was less scary and I had good control.

I lost Bluetooth control when the board nose dipped under the water, everything stops.

I had to get weight well forward on the board when prone to get planing.

The board stopped when I bailing off it.

First impressions - a bit tricky to get on the plane on the smaller board, then a lot of speed when on the foil.

Kitesurfing Flinders West Head reef #541

Session 541. Kited the reef brake at Flinders West Head, enjoying some good waves. Stu S's kite detached when he dropped it and his safety broke (check your lines!). He wound in his bar and tried to sail it in, but lost it. I got the kite and dragged it in while Stu W took my board in.

It was hard work as the kite was partly powered. When winding in for a self rescue make sure you wrap the front lines for 3 meters first before you included the rear lines in the wrap.

I crashed my kite while dragging the other one and lost my GoPro, so there is no video footage.

I returned later and snorkelled around but couldn't find it.  There is a lot of weed on the bottom.  

Its a great location to kite but not too good if have to self rescue.

Kitesurfing Hampton out to the channel #540

Nice steady wind so I did a downwind tour at to the shipping channel, enjoying solitude out on the bay. 

Returned to the Sandringham breakwater and the surfed the rolling swell back to the beach.

Kitesurfing downwinder armada Ricketts to Hampton #539

Fantastic downwinder in a solid sea breeze today with a veritable armada of buddies.  We left my car at Hampton then I got a lift to Ricketts Point. 

I did a few tacks waiting for everyone to get on the water then headed off riding the swell and some reef breaks close to the shore.

Going past the HMS Cerberus wreck is always interesting but its sad to see it collapsing into the water.

I almost contacted some reefy rocks lurking in the shore break on a beach.  Past the Hampton Marina and then some nice speed runs behind the breakwater.  Lots of Wing Foils out there now. 

I got to the beach very happy with the tour. My wrist and right arm is getting stronger and were fine for the journey. 

This is probably the best short downwinder in Port Phillip Bay with great scenery, some nice reefs and excellent beaches.

Kitesurfing Flinders to Point Leo and return #538

 Another excellent session and tour from Flinders.  We headed out to the reef break first and rode some waves in variable swell then headed on a long tour coming in at Zappas then the Pines to surf the reef brakes there. 

We continued on to the Point Leo main beach and scored some flat water behind the main reef

I made it back on a single tack - the wind direction and strength was perfect.

I came in ahead of the others to avoid stressing my right arm too much. I am getting some numbness in the fingers and hand at times, including while typing!  

So good to do a tour again.

We are eyeing off a kitesurfing trip across the channel to Phillip Island but its a serious undertaking - boat support would be a good idea.

Kitesurfing Hampton in a seabreeze, back on the water at last #535

Session 535. A long time since my last session, recovering from broken metacarpal in my right wrist (from a bike crash in a local park). Nice sea breeze at Hampton but not very strong. Warm weather. Great to be back on the water again.

Kitesurfing Aspendale near Mordialloc #534

Session 534. Kitesurfing some nice bay waves in Aspendale just to the south of Mordialloc Creek.  

Kitesurfing downwinder Aspendale to Frankston #533

Session 533. After the session at Aspendale I headed off on one my favourite downwinders, enjoying bay surf all the way from Aspendale to Frankston. 

The train at Frankston wasn't running though due to work on new railway stations. I was lucky to get on the replacement bus for the return trip (they normally don't allow surfboards).

Aspendale kitesurfing #532

Session 532. Nice session well powered on my Ultra 12 kite.

Kitesurfing Aspendale after another COVID layoff #531

Great to be kitesurfing again after another COVID-19 lockdown was lifted.  It as just nice to be out there. The wind was light so I took out the Airush Ultra 12. The kite has a lot of power for its size so I kept the depower on. It also turns a lot more slowly than the Union 10. 

Great to catch up with the kiting buddies too.

Kitesurfing Aspendale in big bay surf #530

Session 530. Strong winds whipped up some big surf in Port Phillip Bay.  The 6m kite is great in these conditions - its fun surfing the waves without getting dragged off them.  I don't get to use it often but I enjoy it when I do.

Kitesurfing Hampton in solid 30 knots #529

Session 529. A solid 30 knots whipped up some good waves at Hampton. Anthony and I decided to give it a go. Getting out through the shore break was challenging. I was considering stepping off the groyne but the rocks in the water were slippery. I was able to get out from the main Hampton beach. 

The bay swells were breaking over the reef between the two groynes and further out. The Union 6m kites was very stable. I even depowered it for a while. 

Kitesurfer Brian Kiss von Soly completes epic kitesurfing journey down the Australian coast to Aspendale

Brian Kiss von Soly completed the final leg of his epic kitesurfing journey down the east coast of Australia today. 

Photo: Brian Kiss von Soly

Brian started his trip from near Brunswick Heads in Northern New South Wales on 28 December.  Brian completed his journey (and a world record attempt) on Sunday 4 April 2021 at Aspendale in Port Phillip Bay.

Brian on the beach at Aspendale. Photo: Brian Kiss von Soly 

The long kitesurfing journey is over, Aspendale. Photo: Brian Kiss von Soly

Here is Brian's track log

The voyage took 86 days (26 days kiting) and Brian covered more that 1,700 kilometres to reach Melbourne.

Brian has a camp marked on the 90 Mile Beach but it looks like he did in one go.

Check out his route around Wilsons Promontory - that was a big day.

Brian Kiss von Soly kitesurfer, credit: Jonathon Carroll

Brian carried lightweight camping gear in a waterproof backpack and a Personal Locater Beacon for emergency communications.

External links

• Brian aims for kite surfing record – The Echo, 7 Jan 2021
• How a North Coast kite-surfer landed on Newcastle shores during world record attempt - Drive - ABC Radio, 1 Feb 2021 
• Coast pit-stop as Brian kitesurfs to Melbourne - Central Coast Community News, 8 Feb 2021
• Kitesurfer leaves Sydney to set world distance record, Sydney Morning Herald, 11 Feb 2021
• Brian Kiss von Soly - World Record Kite Surfing Journey Attempt 
• Local kite surfer smashes long distance world record – The Echo, 5 May 2021

Kitesurfing off RAAFS beach at Ocean Grove #528

Session 528. On our way home we drove past 13th beach, there was some wind there but not quite enough to kite. When we got to RAAFS beach at Ocean Grove the wind was stronger so we scored a great session kiting across the Barwon River mouth to some good waves off Barwon Bluff.

The best wave I caught was close to the bluff but I forgot about my kite and crashed it. I wasn't looking forward to swimming in onto the rocky shoreline but thankfully I was able to relaunch it.

This was a great session and a perfect way to cap off another cracking kitesurfing long weekend.

Kitesurfing Torquay Point Danger to Point Impossible #527

Session 527. Another epic session kitesurfing in some more nice waves and good wind off Point Danger again.

Then we headed north east for a tour to Point Impossible. We got there after several tacks to find huge surf across to Breamlea. The run back was sensational with some really nice waves followed by a tack back to Torquay.