Reading this sign may save you a $500 fine.
Has anyone been fined?



A north Easter does funnel into the bay so it is a handy after work sail for me.

Note that where you are told to sail is in some wind shadow to start with.

You can also launch from south end but a bit of a hassle through the boats. You are more likely to see the Rangers on the w'end although
you will struggle to find a park anywhere around Balmoral if the weather is good. NE has always been good there once over about 15 K,
it's better than off Fairlight in North Harbour where I see some sailing in NE.

Balmoral also good in E/ESE (not often this direction). SE some still sail off Clontarf, not the longest run but some funnelling.

Unsure if anyone has been fined, the Rangers used to hassle us a bit when we sailed regularly at Balmoral.

Don't do it.
I know windsurfers that were fined there, but that was at least 10 years ago.

I have sailed it quite a bit lately. Rangers have never said anything to me, even had a bit of friendly chat with one of them only a couple of weeks ago. I only go midweek though and once I go out, I pretty much stay out. Coming back to beach I do it very slowly. Very nasty chop in the bigger NE'ly but good up to about 20 knots. A few of us go off their for formula occasionally, sail up to Manly and back down again.

Watch this space as discussions and proposals currently in train, but we may(with a bit of luck) soon have options for windsurf club racing, launching out of Balmoral Sailing Club.

last time l sailed there was about 2 years ago .l sailed out from the southern end .l had to navigate my board through all those moored boats hit one accidentally. finally got out into the windband nearly got cleaned up by a manly ferrie.wind started too die off so had too wind pump my way back to shore derigged got to my car & noticed l had a parking fine.never been back since.

Next to the boatshed overly priced restaurant. As in right on the main swimming beach, where people do laps and such.
Confused yet?



www.google.com.au/maps/@-33.827515,151.252053,3a,15y,21.68h,88.02t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s1HZgWhPZnWL80Aw_nNUkDA!2e0?hl=en

Looks like a pretty place to sail.

In the absence of waves at Wanda, Balmoral is my flatwater destination, so plenty of time there this summer.

Started there in the eighties, back then everyone sailed at the slab next to the wharf, southside. You couldn't walk on the beach without treading on windsurf gear. I do recall a mate having his board impounded for a month for sailing inside the buoys, though I think he drifted in with gear breakage. Remember how stoked we all were that he made it into the Mosman Daily, pics and all. That was about 1985. I suspect an extra zero has been added to the fine since then.

These days the rangers have a far more lucrative and easier kill with parking fines, than to be chasing windsurfers. The only warning I received was on one day in 1991, there were at least a dozen, maybe 20 sailing from the north end (Edwards Beach) prohibited area. Quite a sight watching the rangers running up and down the beach, trying to stop launchers, as another few would come in. Made quite a game of it that day. I think that's why they don't bother anymore.

I usually launch from right in front at Edwards. If there is a crowd, I make a point of swimming safely right out into the clear, then get out and stay out, never gybe inside the buoys. Come in very slowly and well away from swimmers. If too many to come in safely, then use the rockpool area and walk it back.

Parking at Edwards is 2 hours free, and by mid afternoon, even on the weekend, most are heading home as the Nor'easter becomes unpleasant on the beach. Fortunate perhaps, but have not had a parking problem at all this summer weekday or weekend.

This is me, about to rig and launch right in the illegal spot, all whilst parked in a no stopping zone, madness. Also note the green car taking 2 spaces... but you get a bit of that in Mosman.

www.google.com.au/maps?hl=en-AU&gbv=2&ie=UTF-8&fb=1&gl=au&ftid=0x6b12ac097cf701b5:0x8f24c7452d348adf&q=Edwards+Beach&ei=LD3gVISGAYSC8gWT9oF4&ved=0CBYQ8gEoADAA&output=classic&dg=brw

Balmoral was at its best yesterday. Seabreeze blowing onto the beach. Informal races from the permanent mark at the island to the mark past grotto. 5 guys racing

Some more tracks from last Wednesday.

Windsurfing restrictions for Sydney harbour.




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The channel 9 news showed video of a windsurfer at Balmoral struggling in the southerly winds.