Anyone keen to head out in our around mentone/mordialloc? Newbie here still learning the ropes and wouldn't mind someone to get going with. Still lacking a bit of confidence so wouldn't mind the pointers and the watchful eye.
I'm in for Chelsea for a change! I have only tried Rosebud and St Kilda :)
Where at Chelsea do you normally meet?
Sandros right
Good bunch of blokes at Chelsea, have hit mordy east of pier as well!
Will start Inverloch and rosebud trips, maybe some downwinders when Sandros ready
Ey guys,
planning to go out tomorrow? I will be finishing work around 4pm so I wouldn't mind joining you!
I was not thinking necessarily Monton, wherever it's kind of beginner friendly for a westerly. Maybe Chelsea or Sandringham?
Chelsea is behinner friendly man il be there today. That's our usual spot there or Watkins street Mordy just depending on wind direction
I've started testing the beaches on the east coast from Mentone to Chelsea as my work offices have recently moved to this side of town.
Normally i'll drive the extra distance and leave early to ride Altona, but seeing as though East coast beaches are closer, i'm curious get all of your inputs to the conditions at each of the beaches, Watkins St, Gnotuk Ave, Chelsea Yacht Club.
Does Watkin's St get much protection by the peer in North Westerly winds?
just a word of note, yesterday there was plenty of wind but not suitable for beginners
it was frontal winds, not a seabreeze
frontal winds can be gusty and have huge wind strength changes - not ideal conditions, especially if direct on shore
www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/vic_yesterday.asp
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Kitesurfing/General/Major-Incident-Gnotuk/?page=1
I was thinking the same thing as Ice. Yesterday afternoon was not beginner kiting conditions.
Even the forecast would have told you that.
Any beginner would have had thier arse handed to them when the front came through - see below.
It jumped from 13 knots to 40knot (45 knot gust) in a matter of seconds.
So no Sandrino, you didn't "miss the window again" - you just got lucky... you're still alive for Christmas!!!
consistency and distance between gusts, eg : 20 gusting 40 is an indication not to go out where as 18 gusting 20 is perfect.
Vicmoo,
As a general rule in Vic, be wary of Westerlies,
They are the worst of the frontal winds, they're never sea breezes and happen to be onshore at the beaches discussed above.
Risky Shiite and definitely not for beginners
A seabreeze is a thermal wind that develops by the land heating up faster than the sea which creates local low pressure on land. The air then moves in from the sea to equalize that low. A seabreeze is characterized by slowly building southerly winds (typically from 2-4pm on a sunny day) which vary very little in strength.
A frontal wind is a cold front moving in, displacing the warmer air. It is characterized by sudden changes in wind speed, often with massive shifts of wind direction. You can see the squalls on radar if you do you homework before going to the beach (see Meteye or baywinds.com.au). If you're already on the beach you'll see dark, low hanging clouds approaching and most of the time they look nasty and give you enough time to come in unless you hang around for "one last tack".
Don't mess with frontal onshore winds. I once got kicked in the nuts by 45kts winds in St. Kilda. Had fun in 25 kts and suddenly I was hanging on for dear life with my 8m kite on the water at the edge of the window quickly approaching the beach because I insisted on that "one last tack".
Always worth keeping an eye out on avalon/point wilson wind meters as any W-SW front will hit there first.
Usually strong squalls/changes have low dark cloud so can be easily seen, but this is not a hard and fast rule. Yesterday's had quite a bit of rain so would have been visible.
Also you can see the approaching front with the whitecaps, strange as it may seem the front often moves slower than the speed of the wind behind it.
Having said that I froth for these kind of days especially in winter where you have to kite between the squalls, or in the squalls.
Best to not go where it is directly onshore, greater chance of being lofted. Which pretty much rules out most of the East section of the bay.
Also keep an eye out on your local when conditions change, what the beacon says may be far different to what happens at your beach.
Nuff safety advice.