Good move! There are heaps of great spots and lots of wind. PM BrowneToby who lives down that way and knows all the spots. He is probably still at Mardis Gras but should reply fairly soon

Ford Oval, Merimbula is a gem of a place to sail! Google "Merimbula Sailboard Club" for more information on the Classic, run every late-November. And you will find previous responses to your question here on Seabreeze.

Merimbula Lake used to be magic for flat-water blasting, but it has been infested with oyster leases and now there's limited space on the lake to sail.

You will need a wetsuit in winter and spring - ocean temperature gets down to 12 or so.

BTW: "Ford Oval" is a real place - just realised it sounds like a car badge.

NBR - far south coast is a good place to be in summer. Nor easters are as strong as anywhere on the NSW coast.
Merimbula is the "spot" and is a good place to sail. usually a few out when it's good. Set up is similar to gerroa in some respects. Takes a fair bit of swell for good waves and winds can be a bit gusty as it comes over a narrow bit of land. Taking all this into account I think merimbula is a friendly, beautiful and fun spot to sail but perhaps a bit tame.
I live between tathra and bermagui and tend to sail Gillards (cross onshore) tathra (mogareeka - off Bega river mouth) or drive 45 mins south to Merimbula.
Haven't sailed at Bermagui but potentially it's good for bump and jump across the bay north of the harbour - though some locals talking af a white pointer hanging around there this summer has put me off giving it a go.

Winter, and southerly winds generally are not so good down here. Apart from being cold, southerlies tend to have a bit of a westerly fetch and are strong but very gusty. If its south east there are options but all very onshore. Can be good for slalom/bump and jump on merimbula bay if the swell is not too big and you can get out. otherwise there are lakes. But the snow is close and probably a better option.

The Shoalhaven area offers some pretty good opportunities

Gerroa (20 minutes north of Nowra) - The cross/off shore wave spot that sydney siders are willing to drive 2hrs to sail

Lake Wollumboola (20minutes east of Nowra) - Good flat water for the winter westerlies but you'll need a weed or freestyle fin

Jervis Bay (20minutes SE of Nowra) - Open water sailing in the summer NE seabreeze (can get VERY swelly but no rideable waves), beware sharks and kiters.

Sanctuary Point - Bump and Jump Heaven in the summer NE seabreeze, shark free with friendly local crew.

Only downside is living in nowra....or forking out $450k+ for a modest house near JB (which will put you an hour from gerroa and lake wollumboola)

nbr said...
Hi guys I just did a quick trip down to the south coast and was very impressed with the area. For me Sanctuary Point [Gerroa if money was no object] was the spot but was wondering if many sailors live there and why is it that the property prices are much lower than anywhere down there? Is there a problem with the area or meth labs in every street or the crime rate more than normal? I like the fact that from there it is not far to many other spots.

House prices are probably a bit lower around Sanctuary Point is because its a bit too far away from Sydney for the daily commute, compared to further south. So it gets a bit harder have work around there. My guess is there are not meth labs around the place but there are many low income households. There isn't much industry around the area and not that many well paid, steady jobs.

nbr said...
Hi guys I just did a quick trip down to the south coast and was very impressed with the area. For me Sanctuary Point [Gerroa if money was no object] was the spot but was wondering if many sailors live there and why is it that the property prices are much lower than anywhere down there? Is there a problem with the area or meth labs in every street or the crime rate more than normal? I like the fact that from there it is not far to many other spots.

I worked with a guy that owned a place down there as a holiday place, and he said there were a few hassles with younger people in the area.

Visiting there over the years, it looked like the prices went up with the housing boom, and then a few years ago its as if everyone decided they can't afford what is an expensive holiday home, and the for sale signs went up. In my opinion, when things got a bit tight, people could no longer afford to have an expensive place that doesn't get much rent.