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Kiteboarding on Phillip Island, Victoria

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Created by Stats > 9 months ago, 31 Jan 2010
Stats
VIC, 11 posts
31 Jan 2010 11:34PM
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Hi,

Just starting out kiteboarding and loving it but have not really ventured outside the areas that i was schooled in yet...

I go to Phillip Island quite often and although have heard of a few people Kiteboarding down there, i've never actually seen anyone out...

Does anyone know some great spots at Phillip Island that are ideal for Kiteboarding? I prefer flat water at this stage so if you know anywhere that suits that description i would be most appreciative.

Thanks!

Aorta
VIC, 244 posts
1 Feb 2010 9:37AM
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I've never kited there, but my Dad used to live at San Remo (moved away before i started kiting) But perhaps try the channel between San Remo and Woolami, on the low tide there is usually plenty of beach to launch and its a good size of mostly flat water, strong current in the channel though.

Aorta
VIC, 244 posts
1 Feb 2010 9:38AM
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or if you want a bit of excitement, try around seal rocks, just don't fall off

Mr float
NSW, 3452 posts
1 Feb 2010 10:29AM
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I went to the Damian Mc Kay memorial kitesurf event a few years back . Great place great people .It important to remember that Damian was a well experienced local there and was tragically killed kiting .The spot where we kited was very close to a steep area .I had a bit of a stuff up with my kite but managed to get it sorted .that area would have some serious uplift plus a big obstacle to hit . keep this thread alive and hopefully some locals can give more info .Also put a post on extreme kites .there are alot of vics on that forum

vipar
VIC, 16 posts
1 Feb 2010 12:53PM
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I have kited a few times at Phillip Island.

Have been looking at the channel but the conditions have not lined up yet. A S / SE on an outgoing tide would be sweet (just keep a long way downwind from the bridge!)

Silverleaves beach on a E / NE or W/NW is great with some flat water (the water between PI and french Island can get VERY choppy).

I saw a guy ripping it up on the point break at Cat Bay in a SW but this would be for advanced kiters only. Ventnor in a SW might be ok.

Have kited Woolamai and Forest Caves beaches on the south side. Stay away from Forest Caves, too many rocks. Woolamai is ok but when it is windy it tends to be choppy with waves coming from all directions. And as Mr. Float said, if things do go wrong the consequences/cliffs are high.

Or you could always drive the 40min to Inverloch for great flatwater and waves.

Cal
QLD, 1003 posts
1 Feb 2010 6:10PM
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Just go find the locals when you are there, I have always found them friendly, willing to help out and suggest locations etc. Ah, I miss the island...

PaulVee
VIC, 125 posts
1 Feb 2010 10:07PM
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If you drive another 20-30 you'll be in Inverloch. Great flat water, near fishing club. Waves further up the inlet. Good for SE-SW. Regular seabreeze.

RAL INN
VIC, 2880 posts
2 Feb 2010 8:41AM
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Sw'ers through to NE'ers go to Cowes and set up between the Yacht club and the Caravan park.

Then head to seal rocks to practice body dragging

harry potter
VIC, 2777 posts
2 Feb 2010 11:22AM
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Cat Bay, Right Point and Flyns Reef..... that whole section is a nice playground when the wind is on..... decent flat water between the waves up into Cat Bay although it can get gusty in and around the headland (wind shadow ) in a southerly. So better to set up towards flyyns reef on these days.




I am not quite sure who in their right mind would kite in the channel there are some massive lurkers around there

vipar
VIC, 16 posts
2 Feb 2010 11:54AM
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Not sure where this fear of sharkies are coming from. 500 people swim across the channel in the Channel Challenge every year and as far as I know they have not lost anyone....yet.

There are sharks everywhere. Just kite and take your chances with the Noah's (which are really good no matter where you are...even in South Africa).

Peace

Aorta
VIC, 244 posts
2 Feb 2010 12:21PM
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yeah i used to skin dive/spear fish there a bit, never saw a shark once, seen a few crusing along behind the breakers at Woolami before though, one was absolutely massive, about 5 metres or so

Stats
VIC, 11 posts
4 Feb 2010 11:48AM
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Thanks everyone! Sounds like the Island is not a bad place to go because whichever way the wind is going, you should be able to find a decent spot to go i guess...

The back section between Woolamai and San Remo and Silverleaves looks the best for me (newbie)... but i'm glad there are so many other options if the wind changes direction or i want to try some waves!

Thanks again.

sandgroper3
18 posts
4 Feb 2010 11:58AM
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Stats said...

Thanks everyone! Sounds like the Island is not a bad place to go because whichever way the wind is going, you should be able to find a decent spot to go i guess...

The back section between Woolamai and San Remo and Silverleaves looks the best for me (newbie)... but i'm glad there are so many other options if the wind changes direction or i want to try some waves!

Thanks again.


I looked up the notes on Damien McKay who was killed in that section of beach in Nov 2005. This is from Leah his wife in Dec that year posted in full without aleration...(see www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12043)


hi just wanted to say thankyou for your thoughts iam damos wife i just wanted to set the record straight so that i can paint a picture in your minds.cape woolamai phillip island one of many kiteboarding locations damo thought our area was world class he needed not to go anywhere else. he'd been kiteboarding for over 3& half years self taught many hours of video many many more hours of beach time which i spent with him damien was a builder by trade the most safety conscious person i have ever met all his equipment was new and in good order dame was on the beach after one of his best kites ever we think he was taking his legrope of when a freak gust has picked him up and threw dame into a small pile of rocks twisting him head first at speeds over 48kph there were no drag marks on the beach the rocks that my dame had hit were man made and had been left there to help stormwater and sewerage run off from an exposed pipe that the council had never put underground we had been sitting at the beach the week before talking about how f----d ! the phillip island council is.
damiens mate worked on him for 25min before the ambos arrived then he was stabalized before being air lifted to icu melbourne where he spent 5 days ,before life support was switched off damiens injurys were horrific i still can't believe it we have a son 3yrs and a little girl 14mths i have no single word to describe my pain for losing my soulmate we were inseperable.his schoolmate played guitar and harp and sung bob dylan forever young i decided to have his kite placed over the coffin and we played another bob dylan song on the way out blowin in the wind please take the time to here damos song .
sometimes nature is unpredictable to even the most experienced and knowledgeable people
TO LIVE WITH LIFE AND HEART IS MORE THAN TIME ENOUGH TO FIND A WORLD


Please take note of the warnings from others as well. Its a lovely stretch of beach but the current is also a big factor you'll need to take into account if you get into trouble.



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"Kiteboarding on Phillip Island, Victoria" started by Stats