Yep. Coming down.

I'll be living in east subs somewhere (ooh la la) so I guess Botany Bay is the most likely location? Where else? Lake Illawara is "only" 1.5 hours away.

...3mm or 5mm wetsuit?

Foreshore Road was pretty popular the other weekend Westerly. Maybe 10 out.

Google Maps for Directions.
www.google.com:443/maps?ll=-33.955001,151.194218&spn=0.004245,0.008256&t=h&z=18

Nearmap for a 2012 view.
www.nearmap.com/?q=Foreshore%[email protected],151.194132&ll=-33.954302,151.194277&z=18&t=h&nmd=20120509

La Perouse is more challenging.

evlPanda said...

Yep. Coming down.

I'll be living in east subs somewhere (ooh la la) so I guess Botany Bay is the most likely location? Where else? Lake Illawara is "only" 1.5 hours away.

...3mm or 5mm wetsuit?

if ya going south 5mm booties and a weed fin

A good 4mm by 3mm suit is warm enough for winter. As a rough guide it won't get much colder than 10 degrees when it's windy, though the wind chill will make it feel colder. The water in the ocean normally doesn't get below 15 degrees very often. Water temperatures in the lakes get much colder.

timford said...

But I dont want to wear booties but I do want to sail at Lake Illawara

I never wear booties when I sail the lake but keep in mind even from now on it gets COOOOOOOLD, way colder than the ocean.

Thanks all. Looks like I'll be in Sydney for 12 months. Look forward to sailing with you.

tomp said...

Panda,
check out www.nswwavesailing.org. It's a great run down for waves & there is a section for NSW.

Botany Bay is good for all directions. Stehsegler did a run down a few weeks ago. It's close from the wealthy Eastern suburbs.

Lake Macq. seems pretty popular these days and Lake Illawarra charges in a westerly (check previous posts for photos of Lake M and video of Lake I).

I can't see the need for more than 3mm wetsuit unless you are going far south coast.

Or you like to be nice & warm..keen to try my 3/4/5mm this weekend at canton..

Chilla said...

Call me daft but why is the water in the ocean warmer then the water in the lakes? I'm guessing it's something to do with turbulence maybe?

I think its to do with the laws of thermodynamics and heat exchange. I'm no physicist however it makes sense that a small body of water would be influenced more by its nearby environment than a large body of water. It takes much longer to boil two litres of water in a jug than 200 ml. It takes a lot longer to freeze a two litre bottle of water in a freezer than a icecube.

The ocean would have a huge amount of thermal mass as its so big so it would take a lot of climatic influence for it to change temperature. A much smaller and shallower lake would have a much smaller thermal mass and be influenced by its environment much more.

Plus all the currents flowing around the ocean so warm tropical water would be flowing around even in the middle of winter.

So there would be a bunch of reasons why the ocean is warmer in winter. Also the converse in summer is true with the lakes being warmer than the ocean in summer. This could probably be proved by a bunch of complex formula that no one besides a select few understand.

just got a new NPX assasin F3 wettie, hope to try it out soon!!!

shear tip said...

lelos12345 said...
if ya going south 5mm booties and a weed fin

Leo ya big softie! I was there in my 15 year old ripped up 2/3mm on Anzac day and warm as toast!

(although I did borrow keef's booties to fit into your super size straps on the SP50...)

P.P.S see you on the weekend

[edit] P.P.P.S - welcome to Sydney Panda!

At the moment Narrabeen Lagoon is quite warm. Ive been doing a lot of SUP race board paddling and its pretty nice. Plus the weather has been awesome.
But I can guarantee after this weekend with rain and a big cold front the water temp will drop dramatically and stay that way until spring. Bring your warmest wettie.
The bigger lakes like Illawarra and the central coast are getting chilly from what Ive heard.

my 5 cents... after windsurfing in Germany for 27 years before moving to Australia my experience is that the first 4 years I thought it was warm in Winter. I used to sail in a short sleeve suit except for a few "cold days". I thought it was a definite bonus not having to rig in snow.

Things went "down hill" from there... today I am sailing a 4/3 suit with a lined rashy on top. Even that sometimes keeps me warm for only so long.

Then again I believe Australia has the best windsurf conditions in the World. Cold water sailing, flat water sailing, big waves, small waves, light wind, way to much wind, close to a big city, in the middle of the desert. You can find it all as long as you know where and when to find it.

NSW has some pretty good spots that work pretty consist during summer (unless La Nina is hanging around).

Australia... I love it.

Windyphil said...

With the wetsuits you're wearing you could cope with an English winter - 10 degree water temperatures are positively warm. I've been in Oz for 4 years and only managed 2 sessions so far but am keen to try Lake Illawarra now I've seen somew of the content on here!

I think most people get acclimatised to wherever they live. That said on some windy winter days it is pretty cold here. Of course on the coast its never sub zero with snow and ice but with the wind chill and cold lake water, you'd be mad to sail in your boardies and a rashie.

Funny how autumn and winter is giving better windsurfing conditions than summer.