Hi guys,
I will be visiting Sydney and Byron bay this Christmas and I was hoping you could give me some advises... I am an advanced kitesurfer looking mostly for wave riding but I also enjoy flat water.
While in Sydney we will stay around Bondi beach then Manly...
I guess the easiest option around Bondi is to go for flat water in Botany bay / Ramsgate beach? It seems like Marouba is the only option for waves in the area but forbidden for kite before 6pm?
Then once we move to Manly I do not see any option for flat water but long reef & Narrabeen seem to be a great spot for waves?
I could not find much info on Byron bay but it seems that like Sydney a lot of the beaches have restricted access to kitesurf? What are my best options there knowing that we will stay in the center of Byron?
Finally, from what I understood wind will be mostly NE a that time of the year which is good for all the spots I mentioned above, am I right? What wind range should I expect? I was thinking of packing light and only bringing 9 & 12 leaving the 7 home, would that work?
Thanks a lot for all your help.
Charles
Select to expand quotecharlienyc said..
Hi guys,
I will be visiting Sydney and Byron bay this Christmas and I was hoping you could give me some advises... I am an advanced kitesurfer looking mostly for wave riding but I also enjoy flat water.
While in Sydney we will stay around Bondi beach then Manly...
I guess the easiest option around Bondi is to go for flat water in Botany bay / Ramsgate beach? It seems like Marouba is the only option for waves in the area but forbidden for kite before 6pm?
Then once we move to Manly I do not see any option for flat water but long reef & Narrabeen seem to be a great spot for waves?
I could not find much info on Byron bay but it seems that like Sydney a lot of the beaches have restricted access to kitesurf? What are my best options there knowing that we will stay in the center of Byron?
Finally, from what I understood wind will be mostly NE a that time of the year which is good for all the spots I mentioned above, am I right? What wind range should I expect? I was thinking of packing light and only bringing 9 & 12 leaving the 7 home, would that work?
Thanks a lot for all your help.
Charles
You're pretty much spot on in terms of locations in Sydney with the exception that you havent mentioned Cronulla. Good waves, just go up the beach and stay away from the red and yellow flags.
In the byron area there are many open beaches that have few people on them. You can kite at the pass (launch and land at a small specific spot) and there is a map that shows this (consult the map), the rest of the main beaches north of the cape and south of the wreck are off limits from memory and will be busy this time of the year so if you're doing something wrong you will be promptly asked to move on. Suffolk park beach to the south will be good as will the beaches north of Byron. You can easily do some pretty long downwinders.
You're correct in saying that the prevailing wind will be the N/NNE/NE. A 12m and a 9m should do you fine.
Hey Charles 12 and 9 should be fine but you may miss your 7 if you get a strong Southerly buster and you're on a surfboard. Its not overly common this time of year but it does happen. Its Murphy's Law... take it you won't need it, don't and you will. I go back to Sydney from New York every year for Christmas and I always take my 7 having learnt the hard way. Its only 4 more pounds of weight.
Select to expand quotergeo said..
Hey Charles 12 and 9 should be fine but you may miss your 7 if you get a strong Southerly buster and you're on a surfboard. Its not overly common this time of year but it does happen. Its Murphy's Law... take it you won't need it, don't and you will. I go back to Sydney from New York every year for Christmas and I always take my 7 having learnt the hard way. Its only 4 more pounds of weight.
Like this guy said there are occasionally the big S winds that come through where you will need a 7m. Last year at christmas I was up in the byron area and we had three solid days of 20-30knot S wind. I only had a 10m, fully depowered, wish I had my small kite. Also on the north coast around byron you can get some pretty solid N/NE and could require the 7m. If you have room definitely bring the 7m to avoid disapointment.
Best to have transport staying in Byron (so you can escape) Byron at Christmas gets very hectic.
Lots of wide open beaches north and south of Byron (driving 20 minutes or more).
Yep kite sizing on the mark (pack the 7m).
Give me a shout if you're keen for a lift around the bays in Byron. Just moved to town, back in action after a couple of fractured elbows (alcohol not kite related)
