dear windsurfers
I'll b visiting sydney in Dec and am looking to do some windsurfing there.
I've been windsurfing for about 4 years, can do waterstarts and use the harness / footstraps and still working on my carve jibe. Wave experience is limited, though i've sailed Taiwan and Vietnam.
Could some1 recom a good windsurf spot with a gear rental shop? I read that Botany Bay is one of the best windsurf spots on the east coast. any good accommodation to recom? Do i need a wetsuit? I know it's summer but this will be my first time to australia and i'm not familiar with the avg temp of the water.
Any info would be very much appreciated.
Thank you very much.
Sincerely
Wen
December should be warm enough, so no wetsuit needed, just a rashie to protect yourself from ther Sun.
Botany bay is the most consistent flat water Wind spot and the prevailing NE winds should be in full swing by then.
The only rental shop I know of is Winsdsurf n Snow on the northern beaches so you will need to rent a car (you can rent a car buy the hour, when you go for a sail, through car share schemes)
I probaly wouldn't want to stay around Botany Bay, maybe get an apartment in the city which is only 10-15mins drive from Botany Bay. The city will offer all sorts of other entertainment and things to do and see.
As earlier reply says.
However do enquire about costs - accomo, car rental and all - before you land. (Unless you got lots of cash and then there is some business I'd like to talk to you about)
Balmoral is not as good a sailing spot as B-Bay, much less possibilities. But quite OK on NEs, great amenities, nearer to the rental shop aforementioned. I thought there was still some rental right at that beach, not sure anymore.
Other than that, plan well. I often give advice to travelers, with mixed results - often they get sucked in touristy stuff once there. Sydney is a great place, but easy to screw up as a traveler. Decide if you stick to Sydney or want to wander around, will make a diff.
Cars: if you rent, book early from home. Car rentals are all booked up at that time of the year...
'good luck.
Thank you for the information. I really appreciate it.
I intend to stay near the central railway station in Sydney; maybe on Chalmers street or Rawson Place. It appears renting a car is not vey feasible for me. Is Botany bay easily accessible by public transport from downtown Sydney?
sincerely.
The best plan would be to get in touch with Justin Lord from Sydney Windsurfing Tours on 0409422400.
He does 1 day guided windsurfing tours from $95. Through us he can arrange gear for you to suit both the conditions on the day and your ability.
This also applies to wave guys on tour here as well.
Cheers,
Sam.
Hi Wen,
We have this service for guys like yourself. The wind in Sydney blows from all directions and there any many beaches to try. You need a car.
It might suit you that I pick up the gear and then pick up you on the way to Botany Bay. Or you can hand pick the gear yourself at the shop. I will sail with you.
The last girl was using current NP and JP from the photo shoot in Hawaii that Sam brought home with him. Pretty cool !
regards Justin
Hi guys
Am here in central Sydney now.
Got in touch with Justin and apparently, he's at a competition in Perth.
Could someone put me in touch with somebody else who is able to conduct a windsurfing tour to Botany Bay?
I am planning to stay in central sydney for a few more days before moving to Bondi Beach.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
wen,
since you now appear to be time limited, maybe post on the kite forum. there are
a few travellers who may have transport and kiting at botany bay is popular.
you will still need gear of course.
FYI the wind looks like being southerly in the 15-20 knot range for the next couple of days.
Hi Wen
When I used to visit Sydney I hired gear from Balmoral Sailing Club (as alluded to earlier). There is not a huge selection of gear, and it's pretty 'well-used', but it might still be your best bet. Give them a call first to check they're still doing it though.
www.sailingschool.com.au/
The bay is sheltered by big hills to the south, so don't bother unless there's a N - NE wind forecast. You can get a bus from the city to Mosman and walk down to the beach from there.
Hope you manage to get a sail in
hi every1
thanks for the information. i'll see what i can do a balmoral.
thanks.
wen
