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6 months in Australia... where to go ??!

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Created by AndreaChT > 9 months ago, 21 Oct 2011
AndreaChT
WA, 2 posts
21 Oct 2011 5:27AM
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Hey :D

I´m planning to go for a 6 months internship to Australia and yes I wanna get to know the australian way of working and all that but my dirty little secret is that i´m mainly going for windsurfing LOL

I just can´t decide where to go... I though about Melbourne or Perth but I wanted to ask for some local opinion... where do you think I should go if i want to windsurf every windy evening after work? (p.s.: I would prefer to sail w/ a club than just getting second hand material and going alone!)

Thanks a lot ! :D
Andrea

adamhatfield
NSW, 171 posts
21 Oct 2011 9:02AM
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Depends what time of year you will be here. Also what type of work you are looking for?

mathew
QLD, 2019 posts
21 Oct 2011 1:40PM
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And the type of sailing you want to do....

neilpete
WA, 183 posts
21 Oct 2011 6:43PM
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Just a pick, ….doing it the aussie way

…..3 months Lancelin, 3 months Geraldton. That would be a 6 months well spend I reckon. Remember; ….There will be no time to work.
But working was not part of the plan anyway.

tomp
NSW, 687 posts
21 Oct 2011 10:36PM
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andrea,
as said previously, it depends what time of year. Do you have any family to slow you down or just work?

WA will maximise your time on the water. I'm assuming you will be based in Perth so you can drive to Margaret River (big waves) and up to Geraldton for more wind.

Compared to the east coast, WA is windy. I'm no expert on WA weather but on average 3-4 days per week over 15 knots in summer proper. Geraldton gets stronger wind with days over 25-30 knots and is 4.5 hours north of Perth. Lancelin also quite windy. Always S/SSW wind.

Sydney gets windy days but average windy days and strength is less.

Sydney is great for short stays (as is Melbourne) but if you are serious about windsurfing every week, head to Perth.

* Warning - Perth is not very windy May-Sept. Get here soon!

pierrec45
NSW, 2005 posts
21 Oct 2011 11:56PM
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So Andrea internship for what, work or studies or studies in personal sciences ? ;)

Serious, as pointed out above, your kind of sailing + level, and the kinda work and time of year will dictate whether-how-when to go-come.

AndreaChT
WA, 2 posts
23 Oct 2011 11:48PM
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Thanks for all the suggestions :D


The time of the year will be between July 2012 and February 2013 ... (woooh, i normally hate planning in advance... but windsurfing in Australia is good worth it LOL)


I´m studying civil engineering, so I assume i can find an internship almost everywhere (tho I wont have a car so I need to pick up carefully !)

My sail level compare to "australian standards" i will say is rather poor :( ... ( I dont live next to the see or even a lake, so i dont get to practice that much )

So you will recommend Perth? :D
Somebody is trying to talk me into Melbourne, saying that perth is the most isolated city in the world and that windsurfing at my level in melbourne is gonna be great... what do you think about?

KenHo
NSW, 1353 posts
24 Oct 2011 8:36AM
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AndreaChT said...

Thanks for all the suggestions :D


The time of the year will be between July 2012 and February 2013 ... (woooh, i normally hate planning in advance... but windsurfing in Australia is good worth it LOL)


I´m studying civil engineering, so I assume i can find an internship almost everywhere (tho I wont have a car so I need to pick up carefully !)

My sail level compare to "australian standards" i will say is rather poor :( ... ( I dont live next to the see or even a lake, so i dont get to practice that much )



So you will recommend Perth? :D
Somebody is trying to talk me into Melbourne, saying that perth is the most isolated city in the world and that windsurfing at my level in melbourne is gonna be great... what do you think about?




You can't do Austaralia without a car. Not really much in the way of clubs where you can just rock up and hire qetop gear either. Not like Europe at all in that sense.
Perth will be your best bet. Good sailing in the river as well as the open ocean, so you will be able ero develop your skill base. I was there or a winter in 1996, and had great sailing on warm northerly winds all the time, but I'm not sure that is a typical weather pattern. I think I was lucky.

WindmanV
VIC, 737 posts
24 Oct 2011 10:45AM
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Good morning, Andrea,

Am not sure that we have the internship system operating in Australia, therefore suggest that you contact one of your friends who has successfully done it in Australia, to find out the name of the company and how it was arranged. If you can't do this, suggest that you find out about civil engineering firms in the city you wish to visit, then approach them about an internship. Currently, the employment opportunities in Perth seem to be better than Melbourne.

Should you decide on Melbourne, the time of your visit is our windiest period. During June, July and August (our winter with water temps down to about 10 deg C), we look forward to cold winter northerlies. In September and October, the water temps are starting to rise and we get violent wind strength variations as frontal systems come through. By November and then through to March, the winds are more steady and we look forward to afternoon sea breezes of 12 - 25 knots. Here's a link to water temps: http://www.baywx.com/temps.html (use the Northern Bay info) and here's a link to wind averages: www.baywx.com/fbeacon.JAN.html (work the link backwards for other months. Also, use the Fawkner Beacon site as your best guide). For the period of your visit, you can expect air temps of 12 - 40 deg. C.

You will need a minimum of 2 x boards to sail successfully; one of about 105 litres (slalom) then another of about 85 litres (Real World Wave or FSW types). Sail range should cover 4.2 through to 7.5. Both the board and sail sets may be above your skill level, so adjust accordingly. You will definitely need a car and it may be best to look for employment with a company that is based on the south side of Melbourne

Am sure that the guys in WA will offer good advice, now that they know more of your needs.

Hope this helps.

jamesf
NSW, 988 posts
25 Oct 2011 1:51PM
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Andrea,

You may find it a bit tricky to find engineering work if you havent completed your university degree, although perhaps someone might take you on as a CAD drafter? Most engineering students here do a 2-3 month work period during December-February.

The other option is to organise through Study Abroad or a similar group to do 6 months of university study over here. A few of the universities have active "Windsurfing Clubs" that have equipment and organise social windsurfing days and trips. I know the University of NSW in Sydney has a great club, and a few years ago I know there was also a club at RMIT in Melbourne.

Good luck with your trip planning, hope this helps.

rscaife
WA, 96 posts
27 Oct 2011 9:47PM
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Ich bin mit "Ken Ho" der Meinung. Ab November gibst meistens viel Wind in Perth (fünf-Meter Segeln empfohlen). Auf dem Swan Flussmundung (3-4km weit, und nur 5km von dem Stadt Zentrum entfernt) kann Mann im Nachmittag und Abends sehr gut Segeln. Perth ist eine sehr Australische (und ziemlich schöne) Stadt, weil Melbourne ist eine große, und mehr dynamische Welt-Stadt wie in Deutschland. Arbeitslosigkeit in WA ist ungefähr 4%. Segeln in die Wellen, wie in Lancelin oder Geraldton ist einfach Klasse, aber dort ist Wasserstart sehr nötig.

saltiest1
NSW, 2475 posts
28 Oct 2011 1:00AM
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work?

windsufering
VIC, 1124 posts
28 Oct 2011 2:01AM
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has perth got day light savings

Windxtasy
WA, 4013 posts
27 Oct 2011 11:28PM
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Perth: Nov - Feb will usually give you planing winds after work 5/7 days.

October can be good but not this year.
July I only got out once and I'm keen.
August, September - storm fronts only, gusty and cold, gets dark early. You might get out once or twice per week if you finish work early.

Can you split your time between 2 locations?
Far North queensland July - October, (does the wind last that long?)
then Perth Nov - Feb would be ideal I think.

Engineering firms here do internships but I don't know if they are paid positions.

Hooksey
WA, 556 posts
28 Oct 2011 12:04AM
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rscaife said...

Ich bin mit "Ken Ho" der Meinung. Ab November gibst meistens viel Wind in Perth (fünf-Meter Segeln empfohlen). Auf dem Swan Flussmundung (3-4km weit, und nur 5km von dem Stadt Zentrum entfernt) kann Mann im Nachmittag und Abends sehr gut Segeln. Perth ist eine sehr Australische (und ziemlich schöne) Stadt, weil Melbourne ist eine große, und mehr dynamische Welt-Stadt wie in Deutschland. Arbeitslosigkeit in WA ist ungefähr 4%. Segeln in die Wellen, wie in Lancelin oder Geraldton ist einfach Klasse, aber dort ist Wasserstart sehr nötig.


dude... keep it clean!

NordRoi
621 posts
28 Oct 2011 1:52AM
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My 2 cents, I did from Cairns to Adelaide (3 months) and unfortunately not the west Coast. However, after you pass the barrier reef a lot of good windsurfing spot, sailed around 2 times a week on a 5.2 and 75L...4 to 8 feet wave side, to side-off, could double that with a 5.7 and a 85L board.(from Jan to End of March).

However, the best part was around Melbourne but not Melbourne, Torquay is DA PLACE to be around....surfing Bell's, JanJuc and windsurfing Point Danger...and average was more in the 3 to 4 times a week the 2 weeks I was there. So bottom line, I would consider just visiting west or east for 6 month a SIN .

The country is so nice, the people are so friendly. I recon that West Side is the place for windsurfing, all east coaster was saying so....and the best kept secret(not really anymore), Tasmania!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So Bottom line, toooo many options...tooo mannnyy places to visite... For buying and selling cars, Sydney got a place where all backpackers buy and sell cars...so easy to sell your used car after your trip...so ending your trip in Sydney could be a good way of making sure you visite a lot of the country. However, if you are base in Perth and planning to go to Margaret River to Gnaraloo, you will need a decent and reliable CAR!!!!! RELIABLE CAR!!! 4X4 ?

AndreaChT said...

Hey :D

I´m planning to go for a 6 months internship to Australia and yes I wanna get to know the australian way of working and all that but my dirty little secret is that i´m mainly going for windsurfing LOL

I just can´t decide where to go... I though about Melbourne or Perth but I wanted to ask for some local opinion... where do you think I should go if i want to windsurf every windy evening after work? (p.s.: I would prefer to sail w/ a club than just getting second hand material and going alone!)

Thanks a lot ! :D
Andrea


dinsdale
WA, 1227 posts
28 Oct 2011 9:27PM
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windsufering said...
has perth got day light savings

Don't need it! Perth's the sunniest capital in Oz, even without the extra hour



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"6 months in Australia... where to go ??!" started by AndreaChT