Winter winds will be unpredictible westerlies. At Jimmy's the wind should be stronger and more consitant due the wind blowing all the way down Port Stephens before hitting the beach there. I sailed there a number of years ago in a westerly all the way over to Nelson Bay and back a few times. A good run but you don't want to get into trouble in the middle as you would end out out at sea.

Not sure about Pacific Palms. The mountains on the western side may be too close for consistant westerlies to develop. It would be a safer place to sail as there is no chance of getting blown away.

With you husband kiting perhaps Jimmys is better as there is more chance of him getting good runs there. Not sure about getting good coffee in either place but Hawkes Nest/Tea Gardens is a bigger and more developed town than Pacific Palms. Though both are probably not up to Melbourne standards.

If you really want a good winter windsurf/kitersurf break you should consider going to Lord Howe Island. A trip is being put together and it sounds like a corker. The wind stats and the description of last year's trip sound fantastic.

Mobydisc said...

Winter winds will be unpredictible westerlies.

YEP

A good run but you don't want to get into trouble in the middle as you would end out out at sea.

YEP, Unfortunately...been there.

I grew up living on Jimmys Beach as a kid and did an obscene amount of sailing there in the 80s. Summers great with the arvo NEers. Also some good southerlies come through and you can get long surf runs down the bay past Shoal Bay. Winters hit and miss. A trip up the Myall lakes would be a good no-wind alternative.

So the westerlies are reasonably consistent at Pacific Palms? Whats the water state like in strong westerlies?

PP's sounds a good spot for sailers like me, getting older and not so radical!!!
Will check it out next time I pass through that way.
Thanks for the good info.
Cheers!!

not to mention that also near PP there are great surfing beaches like Boomerang, Blueys, Sandbar and somewhere else a little further south

Mobydisc said...

So the westerlies are reasonably consistent at Pacific Palms? Whats the water state like in strong westerlies?

Hi Moby

The westerlies are consistent as our westerlies can be, because the lake is so wide the western mountains dont create a shadow unless you are quite a long way across the lake. Because it is onshore, you need to tack out to get to deeper water (or walk out - it is pretty shallow for a long way out), but the water seems to remain flat and clear........gets some chop further out near the rock warning signs as the water goes from deeper to shallow quite quickly, but you dont need to go out that far to get some good smooth runs. When from the S-SW the runs are much longer as you sail diagonally across the lake, dont need to tack as hard to get out to the deeer water, which means you can get some burning long runs sooner then in a W. I much prefer a strong S-SW then a W for these reasons.

Another note, my experience, Like KA43s, has been that in a strong pure W wind, the lake weed tends to get blown in, so pack a weed fin....in fact pack a weed fin anyway, i also seem to change to them when sailing in PP Winter, but the weed is definately worse in a W.....I dont sail at PP in spring/summer as the conditions for sailing at home are much better (lighthouse Beach, Middle Rock), so i can't comment on any summer weed.

Chris: yep pack the surf boards.........there are some great surfing spots all the way up from Treachery (near seal rocks) to QueensHead (just north of Port Mac)......winter is so nice for surfing on the Mid North Coast, usually nice little waves and offshore and sun.....an not too cold (but still bring a steamer)

There are two clubs on the water.....the old sailing club (there is a sign saying sailing club on the road), at which you will be starved of a coffee because it s just a shed to house boats in, this is where I normally sail at PP as the water frontage is so wide and rigging is easy on the grass.......a little further down the road is an activity centre where you can hire catermarans and get sailboard lessons..you can get a coffee and bickies there.........not sure what their hours are in winter though?, maybe just open on weekends, not sure, as in a howling SW wind, not may people bother to go to the water unless they are diehard sailors

Chris, when you are up, if it is a nasty cold howling SW on a weekend, give me a call (Mo: 0419146697), I am always happy to go sailing with others, rather then by myself (which can sometimes happen down there.......lots of guys blow a heart valve in winter and dont go out)........Regards, Adam