hosko said...
i don't reckon its as hard to kite there as some people here are saying. i went for the first time a few weeks back and i thought it was gonna be really intense but was alot easier to launch/land and kite than i thought it would be based on stories like in this thread.
Hey Hosko,
You're right, in the right conditions, Gnaraloo can be reasonably easy to manage with a competent amount of skill and experience and so long as nothing goes wrong. However, when things do go wrong you have almost no options. There is no where to come in but the beach behind the bombie which is fine so long as the surf's flat and the tide high.
If the tide is low there are exposed coral heads, super sharp reef full of sea urchins and the most jagged rocky shoreline on the planet. You WILL trash your gear badly and most likely yourself too. The currents are strong and if you think it ain't sharky, you've obviously never dived or fished there.
This is a scenario without a swell running. Add a 4-6 foot swell and it's a whole new ball game again. The wind is cross to cross off so self rescue is essential and being prepared to ditch your gear and swim in is also essential.
Gnaraloo is not a beginners location and should not be tauted as one, it is an experienced to expert location when it's working. Gnaraloo Bay can be OK in an Easterly in the morning but is very gusty and the wind is offshore.
Have a good think about it. It is much more windsurf friendly than kite.
Good winds,