Months and months of terrible kiting conditions, now the westerlies start.

Ive always said if it was windy in hell i would go to hell

Personally i didnt really enjoy kiteing in newcastle that much hustled around everywhere trying to find flatwater spots that weird lake spot i couldnt ever get it to work too well

Have had plenty of good sessions in sydney tho

As for worst.... hmmm...

Even in land lakes that are definitely the worst somehow arent to bad cause you have to be so wind starved to want to do it so even tho its ridicuoously gusty i still seem to at least get tp throw a few unhooked loops in there and thats all i really wanna do

Kited in plenty of backyard pools and dams even those arent to bad cause novelty

Worst.... the worst.... i really cant think of one.... but im rolling with a 7 9 10 11 12 13 pure Cs and a 13 foil
Need a new 9....

Worst place....

I even liked kiteing next to the croc tour boats in the daintree .... that wasnt really worst place more worst idea...

The worst...

I was kiteing at marion bay after the new years festival that was a little sketchy

Oh **** i know!! I had a school in bloody dublin bay lake hawea my students even tho they were all pro canopy sport people would basically become non responsive after 45 minutes due to the cold holly **** was it cold maaybe thats the worst?

It was definitely one the hardest to get excited about getting your hair wet if the wind was little more consistent then itd be awesome but the near ice and the patchy wind made it tricky

Anyways i wouldnt put sydney in my top 10 but its not even close to being in the bottom 50

Whats your quiver looking like?
and can you unhook?

Maybe if you beef up the quiver a bit youll be able to utilise the conditions better

Boards pretty important to a decent high end board with plenty of rocker will make everything nicer when conditions arent as favourable i would break my legs if i rode on half the boards i see people rideing. Gotto get some bottom Shape going

**** i just realised ive even kited in hell fun fun now that was surprisingly cold still amazed at the cost of caravan sites there i dont think i was sober even in my sleep as they say you cant get a hangover in hell

Every place has its ups and downs. I lived and kited in Sydney and environs for 20+ years; then relocated to Geraldton (WA) 11 years ago. Gero is known for its 'perfect' conditions, but locals here say this past year was 'the worst year for wind in 30 years'. I probably kited less than a dozen times between September and April.

In a good year in Sydney we'd sometimes kite three times a week for months on end -- with the caveat that a lot of those sessions were 8-12 knots and we'd be flying 17m kites. But, on the other hand, Sydney has a 12-month wind season--potentially, at least. I couldn't count the number of times we got the crew together in a carpark and drove up to the Central Coast at 5:30am to kite the lakes on July morning in howling westerlies and 8C water, sometimes kiting for five hours continuously.

Conversely, everyone who kites in Geraldton packs their kites away in the shed after Easter Weekend and doesn't even think about them until at least the third week of September when the seabreezes return. Then, usually, post mid October, the wind blows 20+ knots from about 10:30 am until dark (usually 25+) until March. (except this past season...) Kiting is awesome during that time, but my favourite kiting spots are still Butterbox, in front of where I lived in Dee Why and Wanda, in the Shire. South Narrabeen is awesome on its day; Many downwinders from Palm Beach to Dee Why were very memorable; And the weekends to Hawks Nest were only a two and a half hour drive back then, Long Reef Bombie is unparalleled for those with a death wish. We get good waves here, but those Sydney waves are still better, and there is a lot more variety in Sydney as well, even if the wind isn't as consistent.

So, long answer, and short answer -- no, Sydney is not the worst place to kite. You just need to be patient and keep kiting -- good winds will come back... :-)

Robbo2099 said..
Every place has its ups and downs. I lived and kited in Sydney and environs for 20+ years; then relocated to Geraldton (WA) 11 years ago. Gero is known for its 'perfect' conditions, but locals here say this past year was 'the worst year for wind in 30 years'. I probably kited less than a dozen times between September and April.

In a good year in Sydney we'd sometimes kite three times a week for months on end -- with the caveat that a lot of those sessions were 8-12 knots and we'd be flying 17m kites. But, on the other hand, Sydney has a 12-month wind season--potentially, at least. I couldn't count the number of times we got the crew together in a carpark and drove up to the Central Coast at 5:30am to kite the lakes on July morning in howling westerlies and 8C water, sometimes kiting for five hours continuously.

Conversely, everyone who kites in Geraldton packs their kites away in the shed after Easter Weekend and doesn't even think about them until at least the third week of September when the seabreezes return. Then, usually, post mid October, the wind blows 20+ knots from about 10:30 am until dark (usually 25+) until March. (except this past season...) Kiting is awesome during that time, but my favourite kiting spots are still Butterbox, in front of where I lived in Dee Why and Wanda, in the Shire. South Narrabeen is awesome on its day; Many downwinders from Palm Beach to Dee Why were very memorable; And the weekends to Hawks Nest were only a two and a half hour drive back then, Long Reef Bombie is unparalleled for those with a death wish. We get good waves here, but those Sydney waves are still better, and there is a lot more variety in Sydney as well, even if the wind isn't as consistent.

So, long answer, and short answer -- no, Sydney is not the worst place to kite. You just need to be patient and keep kiting -- good winds will come back... :-)

To be fair though Rob, you would probably only get 12 times in a perfect season!! :) :) :)
It was a pretty crap season I do agree, but I think I was out most weekends.
Cheers

Froth Goth said..
Ive always said if it was windy in hell i would go to hell

Personally i didnt really enjoy kiteing in newcastle that much hustled around everywhere trying to find flatwater spots that weird lake spot i couldnt ever get it to work too well

Have had plenty of good sessions in sydney tho

As for worst.... hmmm...

Even in land lakes that are definitely the worst somehow arent to bad cause you have to be so wind starved to want to do it so even tho its ridicuoously gusty i still seem to at least get tp throw a few unhooked loops in there and thats all i really wanna do

Kited in plenty of backyard pools and dams even those arent to bad cause novelty

Worst.... the worst.... i really cant think of one.... but im rolling with a 7 9 10 11 12 13 pure Cs and a 13 foil
Need a new 9....

Worst place....

I even liked kiteing next to the croc tour boats in the daintree .... that wasnt really worst place more worst idea...

The worst...

I was kiteing at marion bay after the new years festival that was a little sketchy

Oh **** i know!! I had a school in bloody dublin bay lake hawea my students even tho they were all pro canopy sport people would basically become non responsive after 45 minutes due to the cold holly **** was it cold maaybe thats the worst?

It was definitely one the hardest to get excited about getting your hair wet if the wind was little more consistent then itd be awesome but the near ice and the patchy wind made it tricky

Anyways i wouldnt put sydney in my top 10 but its not even close to being in the bottom 50

Whats your quiver looking like?
and can you unhook?

Maybe if you beef up the quiver a bit youll be able to utilise the conditions better

Boards pretty important to a decent high end board with plenty of rocker will make everything nicer when conditions arent as favourable i would break my legs if i rode on half the boards i see people rideing. Gotto get some bottom Shape going

**** i just realised ive even kited in hell fun fun now that was surprisingly cold still amazed at the cost of caravan sites there i dont think i was sober even in my sleep as they say you cant get a hangover in hell

Newcastle and surrounds is about 10x better than anything Sydney has to offer. Just the sheer amount of lakes allowing you an insane amount of options. Also the wind is much more consistent and strong perhaps with the exception of Kurnell.

I know a mate (also on this forum) who gets like 200 sessions per year if you include his wingfoil.