Forums > Kitesurfing General

Documenting the kite life

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Created by Connah > 9 months ago, 23 Sep 2015
Connah
4 posts
23 Sep 2015 5:17PM
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Hey, this is my first post on here. I'm looking for some opinions on my idea.

Me and my sister are coming over to Australia for around 6 months to travel+work around the best kitesurfing spots. Looking at most of the kite magazines, they mainly capture the lives of the professionals and others whose careers are involved in the sport. We thought it would be cool to make a short movie/articles/vlog showing how anyone can spend their time traveling some of the worlds best spots.
I (19yrs) am currently on a gap year, going to uni next September to study mechanical engineering and my sister (20yrs) has recently become an IKO instructor. We saved some money for flights working the european summer in Tarifa and we'll be heading over there before it gets too cold (17th October).
We will be doing things on the cheap, working various different jobs, moving from spot to spot, discovering new ones (a little worried about the strange animals you've got over there) and kiting as much as possible. We would like to focus on the lifestyle that any young people can have and show that you don't have to be doing double handle passes to have a bit of fun.
We're not sure of the best way to do this, just think it would be a good perspective of the sport to get out there.
Open to any ideas/opinions/thoughts/contacts.
Look forward to some responses, thanks.

-Connah

mazdon
1196 posts
23 Sep 2015 9:40PM
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hey connah
maybe throw down a rough itinerary you have in mind so that people around the various places you might visit could get motivated to chip in advice for their areas. i sure hope you are starting in WA this October don't let the banana benders trick you into thinking it is better on that side from oct - march. plenty to see and do in WA if your life revolves around wind.

nice plan for the vid though mate, travel safe, show and gain respect, and enjoy our country - its awesome!

Rails
QLD, 1370 posts
24 Sep 2015 6:49AM
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mazdon said..
hey connah
maybe throw down a rough itinerary you have in mind so that people around the various places you might visit could get motivated to chip in advice for their areas. i sure hope you are starting in WA this October don't let the banana benders trick you into thinking it is better on that side from oct - march. plenty to see and do in WA if your life revolves around wind.

nice plan for the vid though mate, travel safe, show and gain respect, and enjoy our country - its awesome!


Banana benders = Queenslamders

Wish I was 19 again Have fun

djt91184
QLD, 1211 posts
24 Sep 2015 10:30AM
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Def go WA they love euros with cameras in abundances

Connah
4 posts
24 Sep 2015 6:13PM
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mazdon said..
hey connah
maybe throw down a rough itinerary you have in mind so that people around the various places you might visit could get motivated to chip in advice for their areas. i sure hope you are starting in WA this October don't let the banana benders trick you into thinking it is better on that side from oct - march. plenty to see and do in WA if your life revolves around wind.

nice plan for the vid though mate, travel safe, show and gain respect, and enjoy our country - its awesome!


Hey, we will be starting off in Sydney and working our way around the coast from there. Seems like there are so many great spots to surf, its hard to work out a solid itinerary. Is the windy season the same all around Australia? We are trying to decide if it is best to slowly make our way around via the north coast (Ive head of some good places in NW + NE, but is there much kiting on the rest of the north coast?) or if its best to get over to the west a bit quicker.

Dave Whettingsteel
WA, 1396 posts
24 Sep 2015 7:29PM
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Hey Connah it's great you and your sister are doing a big trip to oz while you are kids, but it's a big place and has huge climate, cultural and geographic diversity. Tropics to roaring 40s and Indian , southern and pacific oceans.
So suggest you do lots of research and stay and learn with friends. You'll have a ball but I don't think seabreeze will give you a plan. Enjoy the experience !!!!!

Kozzie
QLD, 1451 posts
24 Sep 2015 10:31PM
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the north coast..... is he suggesting northern territory?

psychojoe
WA, 1804 posts
26 Sep 2015 9:12PM
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A couple of my mates from Germany did something like this,
when they posted the video on here they got a lot of negative response,
later the video was taken down and they wish they hadn't bothered.

You are entering a nanny state, a lot of things that are legal all across Europe are illegal here and some people will attack you just for being yourself.

That said, do it all anyway, you'll have a great time

I suggest you go to Perth in October, buy a 4wd and drive about 1000kms north stopping at all the good spots along the way,
then drive south west just to see Margaret River, it's beautiful, then sell your 4wd and fly to the east coast. I'm not sure of the QLD season, but Victoria has some good random winds all year, you just need to be lucky.

People tend to stay away from the top of Australia, crocodiles!

loftsofwind
QLD, 226 posts
27 Sep 2015 8:58PM
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Sorry to disappoint the soft western australians.

According to the El Nino weather patterns, Qld will have stronger wind then WA this summer!

Connah
4 posts
27 Sep 2015 11:17PM
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djt91184 said..
Def go WA they love euros with cameras in abundances


Sarcasm

Connah
4 posts
27 Sep 2015 11:28PM
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psychojoe said..
A couple of my mates from Germany did something like this,
when they posted the video on here they got a lot of negative response,
later the video was taken down and they wish they hadn't bothered.

You are entering a nanny state, a lot of things that are legal all across Europe are illegal here and some people will attack you just for being yourself.

That said, do it all anyway, you'll have a great time

I suggest you go to Perth in October, buy a 4wd and drive about 1000kms north stopping at all the good spots along the way,
then drive south west just to see Margaret River, it's beautiful, then sell your 4wd and fly to the east coast. I'm not sure of the QLD season, but Victoria has some good random winds all year, you just need to be lucky.

People tend to stay away from the top of Australia, crocodiles!


Is there not a copy of it left? Would quite like to see it. Were they doing anything too out of the ordinary? Might need to get myself a lawyer in advance
Definitely don't want to be offending anyone.
Thanks for your advise, I think we will do that but the other way around as our flights to Sydney are already booked (plus we have some friends currently in Sydney who have already travelled around)

psychojoe
WA, 1804 posts
28 Sep 2015 3:52AM
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Connah said..

psychojoe said..
A couple of my mates from Germany did something like this,
when they posted the video on here they got a lot of negative response,
later the video was taken down and they wish they hadn't bothered.

You are entering a nanny state, a lot of things that are legal all across Europe are illegal here and some people will attack you just for being yourself.

That said, do it all anyway, you'll have a great time

I suggest you go to Perth in October, buy a 4wd and drive about 1000kms north stopping at all the good spots along the way,
then drive south west just to see Margaret River, it's beautiful, then sell your 4wd and fly to the east coast. I'm not sure of the QLD season, but Victoria has some good random winds all year, you just need to be lucky.

People tend to stay away from the top of Australia, crocodiles!



Is there not a copy of it left? Would quite like to see it. Were they doing anything too out of the ordinary? Might need to get myself a lawyer in advance
Definitely don't want to be offending anyone.
Thanks for your advise, I think we will do that but the other way around as our flights to Sydney are already booked (plus we have some friends currently in Sydney who have already travelled around)



pm'ed you the video

make sure you don't miss WA's windy season, November to April, it's better than Tarifa

FreeRyder
VIC, 148 posts
28 Sep 2015 9:11AM
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Mate, start in Sydney head south down the coast...following the water as it warms. Great surfing and kiteboarding along the coast and awsome camping in good camping grounds, Australian bush-beach and National Parks. From Ulladulla to Narooma to Pambula (Saphire Coast - absolutely beautiful beaches, forest's and native animals (safe not too many nasty things - just keep an eye out and be sensible - snakes and shark's) awsome snorkelling and fishing on lay days). The Merimbula annual kiteboarding and windsurf comp is on in November and you can camp almost on the beach, def worthwhile as good surf, wind and cool place. Then follow the coastline from Mallacoota to Lake's Entrance (heaps of good place's - let me know as far to many to mention today, same as south of Sydney to Victorian boarder). You will be impressed with the road trip. Lakes Entrance to Willisons Promontory (Sandy Point, Inverloch and more) then hit Melbourne for Peak of Summer NYE party and get some work to get more cash. The Surf Coast and Mornington Peninsula are great for all water sports (Port Phillip Bay has kiteboarding location's all around it and works on every wind direction). Then head to Adelaide following the coastline again...so many places between worth a stop before the SA boarder, then SA, spend a day or two Robe also has a comp.. Then the Coorong (simply amazing) Adelaide has a good kite community and some good kiteboarding. The explore along the remote SA coastline to Streaky - Cactus... Some awsome surf knarly coast-desert scenery and big farkin shark's (but once again just be smart and you be ok...the locals are more scary).Then to WA across the Nullarbor to Kalgoorlie (4WD recommend and good camping equipment and bush survival skills - which you have learnt by now via your travels) Kalgoorlie south to Esperance on WAs coast. Esperance to Perth to Broome along the coastline again so many good spots, surfing, kiteboarding and diving/snorkelling and fishing...all in camping areas (except for Perth and just around) but the WA crew will have you sorted.... Then go to the top end NT and down the east coast line Townsville, Cains, surf starts again from about 1770, then to Noosa (Sunshine Coast) Brizvagas then the GoldCoast to Bryron along the coast stopping again at so many places to mention (surf, kite, camp etc). Then down the coastline to Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Angoorie, Hat Head to name a few... to Sydney and that will do you this time....try and do it all before Autumn as the wind drops out but hey the surfing, snorkelling, swimming beach lifestyle goes to end of Autumn. You can always go back up north for winter (but cyclone season is over so the surf is small) or fly back to WA and explore more or even better fly to Christchurch New Zealand and hit the South Island for the snow season. Get work in Queenstown and stay there for winter then tour NZ in the warming up months and Summer hit the north island and live the dream two years of your life.Each section of the areas i mentioned has it's own feel, beaches, reefs, forests-bush, animals (landvand ocean) people and places it is worth it i assure you...ive done countless road trips and hours, weeks, months, year's worth really and still haven't even started to make a dint. You could spend rwo day's at each location with half to a day's drive max between each and still not have enough time at each....

Good luck to you and ya sister, safe and awsome travelling and you will have such an epic time and so much footage that you will need a big hard drive to store it on and cloud back up. With time to edit it on those chilled nights.

Peace & Hang Loose

wishy
WA, 1501 posts
28 Sep 2015 7:59AM
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You should do the working part in Australia where wages are way higher. Then take all your cash to tarifa and just kite and watch live music and drink beer.

FreeRyder
VIC, 148 posts
28 Sep 2015 10:09AM
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Wishy ur a classic dude....there is plenty of time for that when you hit your mid to late 20's....

And then ya 30's u can go glamping with the misses

& ya late 30's u wish u didn't have the grommies to pay for...

waveslave
WA, 4263 posts
28 Sep 2015 8:41AM
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Connah said..


Me and my sister are coming over to Australia for around 6 months to travel+work around the best kitesurfing spots.
I (19yrs) am currently on a gap year, going to uni next September to study mechanical engineering and my sister (20yrs) has recently become an IKO instructor.


Post up pics of your sister.

surfingboye
NSW, 2707 posts
28 Sep 2015 1:50PM
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FreeRyder said...
Mate, start in Sydney head south down the coast...following the water as it warms. Great surfing and kiteboarding along the coast and awsome camping in good camping grounds, Australian bush-beach and National Parks. From Ulladulla to Narooma to Pambula (Saphire Coast - absolutely beautiful beaches, forest's and native animals (safe not too many nasty things - just keep an eye out and be sensible - snakes and shark's) awsome snorkelling and fishing on lay days). The Merimbula annual kiteboarding and windsurf comp is on in November and you can camp almost on the beach, def worthwhile as good surf, wind and cool place. Then follow the coastline from Mallacoota to Lake's Entrance (heaps of good place's - let me know as far to many to mention today, same as south of Sydney to Victorian boarder). You will be impressed with the road trip. Lakes Entrance to Willisons Promontory (Sandy Point, Inverloch and more) then hit Melbourne for Peak of Summer NYE party and get some work to get more cash. The Surf Coast and Mornington Peninsula are great for all water sports (Port Phillip Bay has kiteboarding location's all around it and works on every wind direction). Then head to Adelaide following the coastline again...so many places between worth a stop before the SA boarder, then SA, spend a day or two Robe also has a comp.. Then the Coorong (simply amazing) Adelaide has a good kite community and some good kiteboarding. The explore along the remote SA coastline to Streaky - Cactus... Some awsome surf knarly coast-desert scenery and big farkin shark's (but once again just be smart and you be ok...the locals are more scary).Then to WA across the Nullarbor to Kalgoorlie (4WD recommend and good camping equipment and bush survival skills - which you have learnt by now via your travels) Kalgoorlie south to Esperance on WAs coast. Esperance to Perth to Broome along the coastline again so many good spots, surfing, kiteboarding and diving/snorkelling and fishing...all in camping areas (except for Perth and just around) but the WA crew will have you sorted.... Then go to the top end NT and down the east coast line Townsville, Cains, surf starts again from about 1770, then to Noosa (Sunshine Coast) Brizvagas then the GoldCoast to Bryron along the coast stopping again at so many places to mention (surf, kite, camp etc). Then down the coastline to Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Angoorie, Hat Head to name a few... to Sydney and that will do you this time....try and do it all before Autumn as the wind drops out but hey the surfing, snorkelling, swimming beach lifestyle goes to end of Autumn. You can always go back up north for winter (but cyclone season is over so the surf is small) or fly back to WA and explore more or even better fly to Christchurch New Zealand and hit the South Island for the snow season. Get work in Queenstown and stay there for winter then tour NZ in the warming up months and Summer hit the north island and live the dream two years of your life.Each section of the areas i mentioned has it's own feel, beaches, reefs, forests-bush, animals (landvand ocean) people and places it is worth it i assure you...ive done countless road trips and hours, weeks, months, year's worth really and still haven't even started to make a dint. You could spend rwo day's at each location with half to a day's drive max between each and still not have enough time at each....

Good luck to you and ya sister, safe and awsome travelling and you will have such an epic time and so much footage that you will need a big hard drive to store it on and cloud back up. With time to edit it on those chilled nights.

Peace & Hang Loose


Great reply!
I wish I didn't have a job sometimes, would love half a year off to do a trip like this.

edugp
VIC, 33 posts
28 Sep 2015 2:03PM
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Bienvenido a Australia mate! Just say hi when you pass by St Kilda (Melbourne). Plenty of Eurotrash around here, me included ;)


CJ2478
NSW, 482 posts
28 Sep 2015 3:07PM
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waveslave said..

Connah said..


Me and my sister are coming over to Australia for around 6 months to travel+work around the best kitesurfing spots.
I (19yrs) am currently on a gap year, going to uni next September to study mechanical engineering and my sister (20yrs) has recently become an IKO instructor.



Post up pics of your sister.


NEver seen so many green thumbs

dbabicwa
WA, 805 posts
28 Sep 2015 4:13PM
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said..
hey connah
maybe throw down a rough itinerary you have in mind so that people around the various places you might visit could get motivated to chip in advice for their areas. i sure hope you are starting in WA this October don't let the banana benders trick you into thinking it is better on that side from oct - march. plenty to see and do in WA if your life revolves around wind.

nice plan for the vid though mate, travel safe, show and gain respect, and enjoy our country - its awesome!



Hey, we will be starting off in Sydney and working our way around the coast from there. Seems like there are so many great spots to surf, its hard to work out a solid itinerary. Is the windy season the same all around Australia? We are trying to decide if it is best to slowly make our way around via the north coast (Ive head of some good places in NW + NE, but is there much kiting on the rest of the north coast?) or if its best to get over to the west a bit quicker.



There is a lot of competition for jobs atm, you might find better going to some small towns than capital cities. In Carnarvon, WA, you might earn some money working on a fruit pickup or similar. You might kite there as well.

Petrol is cheaper here, but man, distances are much, much bigger (*), as well as car engines comparing with EU. Food is also expansive. Bananas for example double or triple or even more...

One thing, the Ambulance (Emergency) here is easily $1000 when called, so get a good policy cover. Beware of car renting insurance tho, they do not cover anything above the "ground" when taking a vehicle around the country.
A Car service and fixing might "take you for a ride" if not careful, get a car with someone you trust or from some trusted seller. See (*).

Other than that if this is your first visit, you'll feel like on another Planet. Unreal experience, with BIG open spaces.

psychojoe
WA, 1804 posts
28 Sep 2015 6:08PM
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just incase you're still thinking about seeing all of Australia in just 6 months
www.australian-native.com.au/blogs/our-aussie-blog

FreeRyder
VIC, 148 posts
28 Sep 2015 10:38PM
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Damn straight Surfingboy....

Memories are gold but new adventures make the world turn for us grass root's adventurer's.

I'm sure you've had some magic roadies in the past and dream for the one's to still come mate.

Oz and the world is so amazing lets make the most of it before the corporate knobs fark it up for the next gen.

Peace, surfs up the winds either offshore or a sea breeze is blowing, life a beach, live ya dreams and bugger the reality TV bull $h1t3 and saving for a rainy day as climate change is real...

mazdon
1196 posts
29 Sep 2015 7:46AM
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psychojoe said..
A couple of my mates from Germany did something like this,
when they posted the video on here they got a lot of negative response,
later the video was taken down and they wish they hadn't bothered.

You are entering a nanny state, a lot of things that are legal all across Europe are illegal here and some people will attack you just for being yourself.


am curious if that was the "riding on top of the car" video?
not sure that is legal anywhere, though i have held onto the side of a few cars in my time with surfboards and kitegear instead of hiking back to camps elsewhere.
doing it at 110km/hr on a northwest aus highway is not my idea of pracitcality, or a good time. i think the backlash was warranted on that occasion, and if that makes us a nanny state, then so be it.

anyhow, not meaning to derail for the original poster, and i stick by my original post with regards to "showing and gaining respect" which i'm sure they will - and will have a grand ol'time.


FreeRyder - that post was epic, frothing and already planning for a similar trip around in 2017!!!

djt91184
QLD, 1211 posts
29 Sep 2015 1:11PM
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Yes that was sarcasm, but seriously if you want to make a impression make sure you eat sleep and **** in the dunes at all the good spots.

djt91184
QLD, 1211 posts
29 Sep 2015 5:43PM
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Dont mind me Connah I'm just talking rubbish, just be respectful like anywhere else and you'll have a bunch of good times



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"Documenting the kite life" started by Connah