Yup, that sounds like Leighton - particularly in the evenings after work when the wind seems to have even more South in it and comes straight off Freo Port. It's totally overrated I reckon - plenty of beach for beginners but that's about it.

It is gusty all round but there seems to be a point halfway down the "bay" at Leighton (about 1/3 between the club and the footbridge north) where the gusts become full-on.
When doing the walk of shame there a few times I have noticed this point is like walking through a doorway i.e. a few steps south from the point of no return the gusts become unbelievable.
North of this point doesn't usually seem out of control but its still an always ready situation.

I don't know why everyone reckons the wind had any southerly in it yesterday, it was a cold front, bringing an almost due west wind. And fronts are nearly always gusty. No matter where you went yesterday it was gusty. (Check the graphs if you don't believe me)

But it is true, that a south to south-southwest wind is gusty at Leighton, as the port mucks it up. But SW - W is clean air.

Now that it is warming up, just remember people, NO surfcraft south of the footbridge outside of winter months. I believe the signage clearly states this... don't want another botanybay.

Hi Kitehard,

Just a little correction on your statement regarding the seabreeze direction. It is infact the coriolis effect that actually turns the seabreeze from a westerly around through to a South or south westerly direction. The stronger the breeze, the greater the coriolis effect has on it.

Regards
James

Hi Nebbian,

You are right about Coriolis effect. However, I should have explained further. There is also the effect of the Pressure Gradient Force (PGF) which comes about due to the local heat low over the land. Warm air rising drawing cool air in from over the ocean. This heat low over the land (rising air) is 'cyclonic' therefore affects the direction of the sea breeze (clockwise rotation as air rises). This rotation affects the direction of the seabreeze turning it somtimes parallel with the coast (try drawing it and you'll see what I mean). The moment we get a north south component into a wind direction, it will be affected by coriols effect. Wind heading South to North will have an apparent turn to the left. In other words, around Perth, 'backing' from a Westerly to a Southerly direction. Also, as wind strength increases, so too does the effect of coriolis. Thats a fairly brief summary on how a seabreeze works. Sorry, but Kitehards explanation is not correct and has no scientific explanation to support it.

Regards
James

Hey kitehard,

Probably better explained as, the stronger and/or longer (timewise) the seabreeze, the more Southerly it will turn (West Coast). I'm going to be watching those graphs even closer now just to check the theory is correct! LOL
Another way of demonstrating this is by pointing out that on the East coast the wind starts out as an Easterly and turns to a North Easterly throughout the afternoon. This is a good way of demonstaring the theory. Draw a clockwise pointing circle on the land side of a coast diagram, and then arrows pointing from over the ocean towards the land (90 degrees to the coastline). This makes it easy to demonstarte how the change in direction is initiated. And over time the combination of the two forcs (CF & PGF) changes the seabreeze direction.
Hope this helps
I totally agree with you about the dockyards area generating orographic turbulence at Leightons, on a southerly seabreeze

Regards
James

Damn, and I thought I was a nerd... someone needs to deal out some serious wedgies here.

Thanks for making me feel dumb guys!!!!