QLD
2995 posts
I might have to move from Brissy to Woollongong as my GF is trying to get a job there. Is it good windsurfing down there? Do you get good winds?. Any flatwater blasting spots? Or is it open ocean/wave stuff? Hopefully it'd be better than Brisbane and surrounds - where they've turned the wind off for the summer.
Thanks
NSW
807 posts
Good move! You're in for a treat.
Best region on the east coast for wavesailing.
Here's a link from the NSWWA site which describes a lot of the spots. I helped write it so I'd be basically repeating myself here.
http://www.nswwavesailing.org/news_story.asp?newsID=36
Scroll down to "South Coast sailing". All the spots mentioned (apart from Gerroa and Shoalhaven Heads) are in Wollongong. Plus a few spots we haven't mentioned.
Basically we have cross/cross-off sailing spots everywhere for every wind direction.
NE winds are more reliable down here than anywhere else (in NSW at least). Typical season you'd be sailing on average 4 days a week in good winds (although this past week hasn't been great). Could be NE'rs or a mixture.
For flat water you have Lake Illawarra. Massive lake. There's usually a handful of sailors out when its windy. Or you have Jervis Bay about an hour further south which is brilliant for all-round sailing.
All that said, surprisingly there are not a lot of sailors down here. So it would be good to beef up the numbers.
hope that helps
NSW
9029 posts
Hi,
I used to live in the Illawarra, from 1993 to about 1996. Its a great windsurfing place. I lived at Warilla for a while and used to sail around Windang island. I was there last year and it looks like the council or whoever have completely buggered it up and the lake entrance is silted and full of sand.
When I was there last year we had a drive around and did not see anyone windsurfing, despite it being windy. That was a bit sad as I made friends with a bunch of people I was sailing with.
NSW
762 posts
I sailed warilla yesterday and will be there again today. Its about 20knots already and its not even 12 oclock yet.
NSW
762 posts
by the way its actually wollongong not woooolllooongong
NSW
807 posts
bet you had to check the phone book for the correct spelling Whyner
NSW
1731 posts
Better than Gerroa :o
You won't regret the move :D There's only 3 of us that venture into the waves, but we're all about the hardcore ^_^ For wave sailing pretty much every wind direction is covered, we've been trying out a few secret spots lately...much promise shown. And of course Gerroa is just down the road!
Down on the lake there is a pretty big bunch of guys/gals that slalom race/formula etc.
QLD
2995 posts
Wow! This sounds great.
Waves would be something a long way off for me though. Where I sail now it's all big sails (7-9m) and fast boards. We call it choppy if the waves get above 30cm in height!
It sounds like the lake is a pretty good spot though and it sounds like you get a lot of wind.
I hope she gets the job there. She's going for one in Sydney as well. I think the sailing's OK there too?
NSW
105 posts
theres a long history of racing on the lake based out of the IYC which has been a bit of a hub for free ride/social sailing as well - and there is some great flat water runs around if thats what your after (regular 30kn+ run potential) - theres more info at; www.iycwindsurfing.net.au
but as the others say - W'gong rocks. i've sailed a lot of places, but nothing beats Sandon Point (@ Bulli) on a good NE day - great wavesailing or just free ride blasting, plus ocean cruising past W'gong CBD, or more wavesailing at East Corrimal, Towradgi, Windang (and they are just the 'known ones') etc
biased view off course - but theres way more option, and better options here than in Sydney, and generally a bit windier
