Hi guys and girls

So I'm on the move again!! This time it's a permanent move. I'm checking out Cairns.

What are the pros? the cons?

Does a good stinger suit protect you from box jellyfish? (what do I need to know about the local wildlife?!)

What is the kiting like? Stats online look good and the wind graph on seabreeze atm looks great!!

Is Yorkey's good to kite/live??!!

What are the locals like? =)

Any first hand info would be great.

Thanks

Miss Jessie

xox


This is Yorkeys Knob.

Yorkeys is big time crap.

Why? Can't just say it is crap and not back it up with why (evidence)!!

P.s. I know i'm listed as WA, but have lived in Newcastle and Canberra the last year, I actually found Newcastle wind a lot easier to learn tricks on, however it does blow in summer a loooot regularly in WA... (Newie crew: Not looking strong for a job back in Newie)

P.s.s. I remember people ripping into Stockton 10mths ago when I moved there. And it turned out awesome (sorry locals who dont want the secret to get out... i just let slip)

P.s.s.s. For my Woodies crew: No job available back in Perth atm =(

I'm not a big fan of Cairns for kiting, the water is muddy and murky (as you know, we are spoilt in the West), it's choppy and there is no swell.
The town itself didn't seem to bad (preferred Pt Douglas though).
I have only been there in winter to escape the cold, wet Perth weather around June/July and the weather was great, nice and warm, blue skies but wind was a bit lighter than I expected, just going on a 12 if I was lucky most of the time.
I reckon it would be a bit hot and muggy for my liking for a lot of the year.
Nice place to visit but.............

i lived in cairns for 3 years and didnt even know what kiting was.
its a wonderful place for other stuff tho.
cant beat west wind. yeeeeeeeeeeeeow.

Miss Jessie said...

Why? Can't just say it is crap and not back it up with why (evidence)!!



P.s.s. I remember people ripping into Stockton 10mths ago when I moved there. And it turned out awesome (sorry locals who dont want the secret to get out... i just let slip)

the sharks don't forget to tell them about the sharks oohhh and the 6 fingered locals and George

It's a long time since Yorkies looked as good as it does in the photo.

Go North, thats where the wind is. Turtle Cove, Cooktown, PNG, you'll be blowed away!

Wildlife....Sure is. The Bingo and macrame nites get pretty exciting.

Townsville is heaps better than cairns.
From a kiting perspective it is consistently more windy inshore, with the afternoon seabreeze combining with the trade and funneling inbetween the cape and the island for more consistent INSHORE breezes.
Also the water is shallower and flatter - yorkeys is kiting in the open ocean and sux balls.

Townsville has a more stable economy. (probably the most stable in the country)
More stable population, more locals, less tourism, better facilities.
Still in a beautifull part of NQ

It also rains a lot less. Cairns rains all the time, especially when the forecast is due to be over 15knots, which kills the rain.

Also has lots of islands

Mackay is full of FREAKS

Buddha see you wandering the Land

searching for a lost place within

Hi Miss Jessie,

Northern Queensland is a nice place, just wouldn't want to live there. The summer months will drive you mental. Oppressive heat and insane humidity.

Not a big fan of Yorkeys, as others have commented, muddy water, no swell, choppy. The mozzies at dusk can literally pick you up and carry you away

As a town, it's full of tourists and backpackers. This means cheap eats and a younger crowd. On the plus side it has a cable park! There is really only one beach to kite at and not much variety in conditions. Locals were friendly last time I was there (long time ago).

Port Douglas is a different crowd, less backpackers, more rich tourists. The local council doesn't like you if you don't have money to spend. PD is expensive and not a lot to do other than kite and maybe mountain bike. Wind can be hit and miss in an off season, and can be great in a good season. You'll need bigger kites than WA. Water is same muddy stuff as Cairns along the coast but cleans up beautifully off the coast.

Not lots of options for variety in PD either with regard to kiting unless you jump in with Bretto and do outer reefs etc. smooth water though and pretty fun. Relaxed crew with loads of blow ins.

Cooktown is epic windy, being north of the GDR it gets true strong trades funnelled along the landscape which provides strong wind, rolling sea chop which breaks and acts like surf (onshore). Crocks are a bit of a worry at Cooktown. Sleepy little place with little to do but people are the friendliest in Oz. I rate it!

Townsville has a great variety of riding locations both around town and also within an hours drive north or south. Epic flat water, steady breeze, great town, plenty to do.

Stinger suits are a good idea for the stinger months but luckily the stingers only really come to the surface when the water is calm ie no wind, and dive deeper when it is choppy so you are less likely to encounter one when kiting. It's still strongly adviseable to get a stinger suit in case you run into an irikanji or Boxy.

My pick would be Townsville, but I have a few good mates in town which makes it all the more attractive for me. For a girl, Townsville has to be a good place to look for a bloke as every night club is a sausage party with the Army and AF in town.

Have fun and good luck, you really can't go wrong, they are all 100 times better than Canberra!

DM

Red thumbs r getting u Darren. I thought u hit the nail on the head

Hehe I love how everyone keeps changing the city and recommending others... I can only get one job and live near one spot.

Altho I there are feelers for Brissy, townsville and Newie in the works.

I can always stay in Canberra, get a backbone (and an arctic-hazmat suite) and kite Lake Burley Griffin and the crazy wind it has....

The heat does not bother me!! Its scratching my car free of ice every morning, having frost bitten toes and blue lips that gets to me.... =)

Surely the water is only brown due to the recent flooding?. Does it really matter what colour the water is if its windy?

Choppy... that is how i describe the "flat" spots in perth?! (i.e. woodies south) How is cairns differenet?

Doesn't everywhere have an off season?? Wind graphs for cairns look healthy atm to me!

Thanks everyone for the healthy feedback =) =) =)

I grew up at Yorkeys and worked and lived in Port Drugless for a long long, too long time. Used to windsurf all over FNQ then kited all the same spots and more.
Honestly thrashed the coast on a pointless search for years from Thursday Island to Ayr.

But I like uncrowded places with good wind and waves, So I moved to Geraldton
Also, it's not far from Indo or Gnaraloo in this part of the world.

Miss Jessie I like Cairns. I have had great times at yorkeys. I think its just as good as anywhere else for kiting. If you lived in Cairns you are not limited to kite just Yorkeys. Good day trips north and south. The Natural beauty of the region is amazing. When the wind is no good you have plenty of other options with the reef, rainforest, and tablelands. Its got a lot to offer.

Miss Jessie said...

Altho I there are feelers for Brissy, townsville and Newie in the works.

Townsville

Your probly right, but I don't think she has the luxury of choosing one of the other 105 spots on you list given the selection is based around work between Cairns, Bris, Newie, canberra and townsville