Hi,
I wonder if anyone is planning to go to Exmouth / Ningaloo this September?
Cheers
Andrash

Hi Kitehard,
Are you going to a specific spot, or plan to cruise along the coast. The only spot I heard of was Graveyard, but not sure where it is. I would like to find reef breaks with ridable waves.
I wonder whether we can kite in the national park?
...and, yes, I'll take gears for 10-30kn (and my snorkel gear).
Andrash

Yes, I remember those giant turtles, I will take my snorkel gear...
Thanks

there is no limit. you can ride it at any low tide.

Hi

Just got back from Ningaloo, awesome place. The National Park is not a Kiting location though and if kiting isn't banned from the reef then it should be (and that from an avid kiter).

Take some advice and if you are going to kite up there keep it to Light House Bay. Please don't go further south to the reef as its a fragile environment. The surf beaches at Light House Bay get some excellent swell and more than enough wave action plus the breakers come in on a limestone slab which is a lot more forgiving than reef. Also head for the Mildura Wreck beach as there is some pretty useful chop around the point but be careful of the rocks on low tide .

If you are snorkeling as well check out Turquoise Bay, drive up to the Drift Loop and allow the current to drift you across the reef. You will see why kiting is a really bad idea and although it looks like a great location the reefs are getting damaged and are disappearing fast enough.

Have fun and show it some respect as it really is an unspoiled wonder of the world.

Cheers

J

Stamp

Fair enough mate..ah just noticed the prevailing wind direction in September....Oops

The main point of the post though is to steer kiters away from the reef at its most exposed location's. I dread to imagine someone rigging up near Stacks and riding over the reef on a low tide. Not that I really care what happens to the kiter, I care about what happens to the reef.

To my mind Ningaloo should not be advertised or promoted as a kiting location. In the end though the National Park will just ban kiting if it causes a problem, which would be a shame for those locals that actually do give a damn.

Ya get me?

Cwamit

I'm feeling you dude

At least you did not have to come back to Victorian sea temperatures

Cheers

J

There are alot of local Kiteboarders in Exmouth who love and "respect" the pristine area having lived here for a long time...

We are forever trying to educate others on doing the right thing while visiting the area from conservation to safety when kiting!
Educating is better than telling someone they can not experience kiting along the Western Side of Exmouth.
- Mildura Wreck and Lighthouse Bay are also still part of the Ningaloo Reef and Marine Park!!

Also just think of the abundance of snorkelers (tourists) who visit the Ningaloo Marine Park "all year round".
Most have no idea that they are not allowed to stand on the coral because they either can not read the interpts provided or are ignorant..
They don't care that they are snorkelling on a low tide, thinking it is great because you are closer to the coral!
The amount of fin damage to coral in the Ningaloo Marine Park is beginning to be astronomical.
- Tourists come "all year round". A good part of the kite season is only for "2-3 months".

Tides, cyclones, rain, strong winds, people, boats, oil rigs, gas rigs - these elements all impact the area, most beyond our control...please Junglist, don't get us started!!

Andrash, look up kiteboarding in the directory when you get to Exmouth and give the locals a call for some safety tips and spots to hang in the area.
We wish to keep and preserve this area for as long as we will live because we love it too!
Hope to see you soon...

junglist said...

The National Park is not a Kiting location though and if kiting isn't banned from the reef then it should be (and that from an avid kiter).

Take some advice and if you are going to kite up there keep it to Light House Bay. Please don't go further south to the reef as its a fragile environment.

J

junglist if you read your post what you are saying is not to go south of the lighthouse at all.
you can't come here on holiday, during the off season, and then tell people where they can and can't kite. there is hundreds of kms of coast to pick and chose where you want to kite, and much of it has no exposed coral.
just use some common sense.

turtle hunter is spot on; snorkellers and fishermen cause far more damage to the coral than kiters ever could, and nobody here kites over the coral anyway.

the outer reef gets surfed and kited, but that is constantly pounded by waves and current, so it is hardly going to be harmed by a board hitting it.

slow day in the shop em? i've torn a muscle in my shoulder so i'm stuck at home again trying not to look at the swell charts....

much better. but please don't say the 'w' word to me

Hello to all the kiting crew in Exmouth, sorry i wont be there for September, still reckon Exmouth is one of the top (if not the best) location in Aust, clean warm water, variety of spots, consistent strong wind. I will be back once the prawn farm gets its act together.

In the meantime have found a new haven, Alva Beach NQ, another great spot, nowhere near the consistency of the WA seabreeze, but it will have to do until i get back over to kiting paradise!!!

last september was **** for wind, we only got a couple of good days toward the end of the month.

yep, but less swell

Im heading up in October yet to set exact dates, Poor Reli is also making the trip!!

poor relative said...

Exy is gonna be busy.

Holy sh1t!

I've locked in the 28/9 - 3/10 at the lighthouse then going bush for 10 days. Who else is going?