Offshore is a complete no-no because its really gusty (wind travelling over land which has obstacles like buildings that increase turbulence) and if you get in trouble, you go out to sea (or to the middle of the bay in the case of Vic).

The reference to onshore in that link you provided is talking about attempting to kite in a direct onshore which is really difficult for beginners, particularly if there are waves. I.e. you are trying to go upwind and get over waves at the same time is difficult unless you know how to kite properly.

The ideal conditions for learning are always cross shore or cross on.

Some more info on wind direction here: kitesurfing-handbook.peterskiteboarding.com/wind/wind-directions

There is a very good reason why the beaches are (generally!) empty of kites in an off-shore wind..

When the poop really hits the fan: kite in a tangle or some other calamity, and no way of getting it back up in the air, you go into self-rescue mode. This is when you thank the gods that the wind is on-shore or cross-on-shore as you can use the kite as a sail to hurry the trip back to safety. Even when you can't use the kite in this way, you and your kite will eventually end up on the beach.

If wind offshore then there is no way you are going to swim yourself and gear against wind and waves. No choice but to dump the gear and try to save yourself (Unless, of course, you are very close or in shallow water and can walk back).

I've been in this very situation and the wind was only maybe 10-20 degrees off-shore but I was a reasonable distance out - maybe 0.7km. I was lucky, a jetski just happened to come by and was good enough to save me and my gear. I can tell you, it gets very lonely and scary out there. Since then, if the wind has any hint of off-shore in it, I assess the situation pretty carefully before going out.

I also learnt very quickly to adjust the distance I venture out depending on the conditions.

Worst case: It's the colder months, you're being blown further out into oblivion, nobody notices your predicament, nobody raises the alarm (calling water police) and the sun is setting.

Scares the bejesus out of me

You'll find that people who do that sort of thing will likely organise a power boat to accompany them in case things go south. Otherwise they ARE foooken mad!

There was a case not long ago, kiteboarders and a jetski out to mud island. There was a thread about it here. Things went pair shaped including jetski breaking down just as it was needed to rescue someone. They were all picked up by water police some time later if memory serves. I think they had a mobile phone....else the seagulls would have picked their bones clean by now.

Yep, agreed Peter, except for the bit about going out when its offshore - I simply wouldn't do it.

This has been said already a couple of times on this forum but is worth repeating: Brighton in a Northery is extremely deceiving. At Brighton itself, a Northerly seems purely cross-shore but the shoreline veers East further South of Brighton and before you know it, you are in open water.

This is exactly where the incident took place that I described above.

Brighton in a Northerly is certainly no place for begginers. Further, I would caution anyone, regardless of skill level. And if there is a bit of East in the Northerly, FORGET IT!!

The beach at Brighton runs from NNE to SSW, maybe a few degrees closer to N/S.

Due North at Brighton is cross-offshore. You need a little bit of West for Brighton to be benign.

It looks like the houses overlooking the beach form a bowl. The wind hits the bowl and is deflected dead offshore. So if you dick around on the beach or stay too close inshore you are going to have difficulties.

Years ago a kiter was fiddling with a kite on the beach, fully dressed, no leash. A gust lifted him up and deposited him 50m out in the water. A kite was once blown off the beach. The pursuing kiter just missed it at Dendy St, again at Green Pt. By Sandringham it was a km out to sea and accelerating.

More importantly, if you have a mishap and get blown directly downwind the next land from Brighton is at Dromana, 45km away.

Gorgo said...

The beach at Brighton runs from NNE to SSW, maybe a few degrees closer to N/S.

....

Ooops! NNW to SSE

Just look at the picture.

I agree with the all of the guys but there are plenty of places to kite in a northerly in the bay.
Altona: NE behind the boat ramp leading to Williamstown beach not a lot of people kite there but when the tides in its bloody good...
Werribee South: NW from the river mouth accross to Avalon absolutely flat its pretty good but can be gusty...
Geelong: Point Henry Northerly and fun fun...

But if its northerly do what everyone else does and go to Rosebud and Rye it becomes onshore there in a northerly. But be early and don't piss off the local riders sorry the regular riders I mean all the guys that come from melbourne... (I used to live in Rosebud thats why I got into kiting)..

Thats pretty funny markey because I used to windsurf there for years and I have noticed a lot of people kiting down there especially in the little river mouth... Is it true that they are also doing kite lessons down there as well? Its a dog walking beach that whole area with the petrochemical and industrial estate behind. Is that area stated on the ports map as a non kiteable zone christ I would love to see the rangers and the police patrolling that area its pretty hard to get to...