Hey wdric,

You really wouldn't like it over here and neither would your family. Wind blows all the damn time blowing sand into partners eyes and exfoliating their skin whilst sitting trying to admire your efforts in our clean water (full of sharks).

They certainly wouldn't like it in Nov, Dec and Jan where the wind blows strong enough to grit blast car panels and you'll be forced to ride on those twitchy, horrible, tiny little 9,7 or 5m kites that boost you to the moon.

Feb and March are nicer, hot and less windy. A motorhome is an option albeit a costly one, You can hire a car and a camper trailer for stuff all and that'll get you to most places.

We are offering some sick downwinders this year with full support from our new chase boat. Details to come soon.

Have fun,

I'd ditch the idea of swimming with whale sharks and kitesurfing in the same holiday, different times of the year! Manta rays and kiting would be a better bet, or reef sharks even! You other conundrum is that the best place for family snorkeling is Coral bay with no kiting really allowed. Then there is exmouth which has great kiting, and there is snorkeling but like kitehard said, your car will have the metalic sheen to it after awhile, and your familys legs may start to bleed after too long on the windswept beach.

With the family in mind you might want to consider gero ar kalbarri up north cos there is some scenery and protected bays to swim in. plus it's not too far from perth.

Or Margaret river/ yalingup down south due to the winerys, etc for the family. Note, it's all about gnarly waves there, you may need a 4wd to get to nicer breaks.

Anothe option later on in the season is the south coast of WA, Denmark, Albany and Bremer bay. The coast is alot more varied so more protected bays and a wide range of kiting conditions. though the wind is not as consistant, (SE wanted there) you wil have some guilt free days to spend with the family looking at touristy things and going to winerys or whatever and when its on it's just a s good as the rest of the coast (slightly colder)

If you can get over here and explore you will not be dissapointed, your family will have to be looked after well though.

Pretty sure it's april onward (just as the last of the wind has left!), they have a big celebration there to usher in the whale shark season, shouldn't be too hard to find out about.

whalesharks season is late march until about mid july.
there is still the odd sou-wester in april, but no swell.

hmm, maybe I didn't explain too well. Stamp is correct. a kiting holiday and whale shark holiday cannot happen at the same time.
"There" is Coral bay, and probably exmouth too.

Some mates and I went on a 4 week trip in march up north and only got frustrated with the wind, cyclones were playing havoc on us. the earlier trip in november was epic!