Andrash said...

After reading all as it unfolds, and not familiar with the spot itself, it sounds to me as follows:
4 kiddies let go of daddy's hand, and went for an adventure without much consideration... and cried for daddy, when it all gone a bit shaky...
Long gone the time when men took the consequences of their actions, and later sat around a (symbolical) fire and laughed and laughed remembering how they got out of the sh!t they created for themselves on the way of growing up....

Ur a wanker

Well said. I love it how everyone thinks they know whats best. Waiting for a boat was the only reasonable coarse of action. Avoided tragedy and got home safe.

we all do silly things.

hopefully we learn then next time we have planned better when we embark on the silly...

lets face it with out doing sillyness the world would be pretty boring.

Tho i do plan to get a spot meter for when the silly turns into deep shiit.

eppo said...


You did the right thing mate. Maybe a backup plan for the vehicle next time...a time you should call someone with a boat - if don't call, out they come - something gay and boring like that, but from what I've read, sounds like a place that more precautions should be taken..

but where's the adventure right!! Yeh put myself in many dangerous spots, always came through, but I know my luck like yours will run out one day

oh well better to bust than rust - yeeeeeeehhhaaaaa. yippy keye a, mother farqer


ps serious about first sentence or two.


thanks, everyone was safe so all good.

At 7pm we did have a guy on a boat who went out to pick up the last 3 of us- but when he got out there- he **** himself saying" its to shallow for my boat" (water was still 1m deep) and came back to shore. The current is too strong to walk 500m to boat from island. By time we got back to the launch site and had to relaunch the jet ski and it was now 8pm..nearly dark

In hind sight - that's when we should've called the rescue guys. I had the confidence my ski would be ok -it cost me $22,000 is only 3 years old and had just had a full service at Kawasaki, i picked it up that very morning - I didn't expect it to break down.

Moral of the story- expect the unexpected

windsufering said...

what was unexpected

I'd had the jetski serviced the day before- I didn't expect the service guy not to tighten the nut on the steering column

I had a good laugh reading all the comments from mostly interstate guys who wouldn't have a clue about where mud island is or any of the local conditions and boasting about their ability to kite upwind 7kms. Classic.

Everyone's a kiteboarding hero... from behind their keyboard ;)

Mud island isn't a cake walk, especially when the weather is nasty/squally. Best to leave it to the birds.

Seriously though, I'm glad that everyone survived and will live to ride another day.

i'm excited about reading this whole thread... (no sarcasm)

adventure... great flat spot... no crowds...

cmon, tell us more... what's it like there... which bits of the island are kiteable?

if on southerlies you get 2m waves comming onto the island, which bits remain flat?

FYI

Mud Islands have been recognised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as a Ramsar “wetland of international importance” and have also been included on the Register of the National Estate.

The islands, lagoon and the 2500 metres squared surrounding the islands are protected as part of the new Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park managed by Parks Victoria.

They provide important habitat and feeding areas for migratory birds from as far away as Japan and Siberia, as well as local seashore and wader species.

The islands form an essential breeding area for colonies of Pelicans, Ibis, Terns, Cormorants, Royal Spoonbills, Storm-Petrels and Silver Gulls.

.......and dont forget the Midges !!!!!!! Mud Is is full of them.

Holy ******* hell I have never itched so badly in my life it was 3 weeks of the most irritating bites on my legs.

Like a bad mosquito x 11 then times that by each bite.

Mud island is really not worth the hassle.... apart from being a bird sanctuary you have to factor in the following :

1 hour 30 min from Melb to Sorrento ( about the same to Queenscliff )
another 40min to pack boat and run it down the ramp get hassled by Water Police show all required equipment then get to Mud island
(Boat/ Ski ride takes about 20min)

The only time you would consider the journey you will want a guaranteed 20+ knots, this means there is about a 1- 2 metre chop ( not to be confused with an ocean swell, a 1-2m bay chop is about 10x worse than ocean swell in a boat ...making for a very unpleasant boat ride.

anchor at least 200m from the shore of the island and walk in with gear ( its waist deep and sludgy and smelly under foot hence the name MUD IS watch where you put your feet)

very narrow area to set up, between the tonnes of bird $hit, nests and broken shells.

quite a few sharks around as they like the shallower waters about 10x as many stingrays be very careful there are heaps of rays some quite big.

very strong tide...... when she is on the way out you dont want to be on/in the water near here.

if you kite the offshore side and have an incident .......... its a long long sharky drift.

when you are all done, pack up, another 20-30min boat ride in a 1-2m chop ( if you are wondering what that is like just ask someone to kick you hard in the ass every 5 seconds for 20min and you will have some idea.)

pack up the boat unload gear into the car etc...... drive back to Melb past ROSEBUD where everyone else has had an extra 3 hours on the water in better conditions.

I believe there are also fines for landing on Mud Island without a permit.

Its really not the place for kiting nor are the conditions any good when compared to the butter flat of Rosebud.

Good on you guys for giving it a go and getting out there. It sounds like you did all the right things -

You had a boat to come pick you up and to be honest I'd be well annoyed at the guy who left you in the lurch out there for being too scared to drive his boat in 1m of water.

You had a mobile phone to call in help.

You had a recently serviced Jet Ski - although being adrift on it would have been a worry - no space to carry a small anchor?

It doesn't sound like you were in massive danger - you were safe on Mud Island and as long as you were sitting out of the wind you would have been fine - it wouldn't have been the most comfortable night but you would have been OK!

In years to come you guys will sit around the table having a beer and reminiscing about the time you got stuck out in the middle of the Bay on a island surrounded by sharks. and every time you tell the story the sharks will get bigger and more numerous...

I reckon for the time and effort you spent to get there I would have rather gone to Sandy Point... has to be my favourite spot in Victoria.

um people from other states have no idea
what he did not expect the tide the chop and being shallow
yes he will become a hero

windsufering said...

Kiters a real smart will become a hero for being soooooooooooooooo stupid


um people from other states have no idea
what he did not expect the tide the chop and being shallow
yes he will become a hero

Could you please run those through the KOTP grammar translator and see what english pops out the other end?

Saffer said...

FYI

The islands form an essential breeding area for colonies of Pelicans, Ibis, Terns, Cormorants, Royal Spoonbills, Storm-Petrels and Silver Gulls.

Fark IBIS!!!!!! No ****, id call the National Guard to get me out!

For starters, Kiters have been visiting Mud Island for years.

The sharks are all around southern Port Phillip Bay but like to stay in water they can fit in and their favourite food swims in. The flat water around Mud Island is vast in area and very shallow.

Next, Mud Island is a Marine park reserve but is mainly these days over run by common Seagulls. You can visit the place, you can't destroy nests etc. and you can't camp on the Island. Remember that Point danger is also a Marine park.

That being said, this thread has shown the areas of concern to be mostly Planning and support for when things can go wrong.

We have been there and know that with the right backup, it is a magic place.



The KRAKEN can take 8 kiters to Mud Island. 25 min from Saint Leonards.
Stay there as support then bring them back. www.krakentours.com

another Pic from North side of Mud Islands, 600mm deep at boat at low tide.
If you are prepared with charts and a capable vessel Mud Island is no problem.

15kts SE wind and worked well with my 12m and 130x39cm board.