Just got back from 10 days with the cheez and kisses at Airlie Beach.
Wormy put me onto a place 1 hrs drive up the road called Bowen. Did not get the chance to take my gear and no gear available nearby but went and checked it out.
Hey Wormy you where right. Beaches where great. Look even better for windsurfing. Visited Queens, horse shoe bay and a couple of others that I have forgotten. Gave the Notogs Beach a miss as I thought the wife would get a bit jealous with the white pointers out.

Have to come back and sail there one day. If I remeber right you have a beach for every wind direction? Damn lucky.
Has anyone else sailed there?

Haven't sailed there but horse shoe bay is great for snorkling, coral just off the beach. I live an hour the other way from Airlie Did you like the Bowenwood sign on the hill? I pissed myself laughing when I saw that on my last trip to Townsville.

What beaches do you guys normally sail? I live down at Airlie and sail Conway mostly, have to juggle the tides a bit tho unless you want to walk a mile....
I seem to be the only guy who windsurfs there, see a couple of kiters and Blo-karters there. I may start to head to Bowen a bit for a change and to see some other guys that windsurf.
Cheers
D.

Sailing at kings beach is the best. i think the wind is a little stronger there than the front beach, you won't stand on any of those razor shell things, and the water is a nicer colour, oh and if you sail it on a really high tide it has a sand bar on where the rock is that makes some little ramps for jumping with a good run up before you hit them, well probably the best around those parts i think, good in all directions.

Also Bowen is good for doing coastal runs, really nice.

If you sail down to around horseshoe bay out off the rocks just to the south, pretty much in between murray bay and horseshoe bay there is a spot that has some steep chop which is good for jumping, i think a couple of currents meet there and cause it, it's pretty good.

I grew up there so this is how i know. also up near abbot point is some good spots but i think it's all closed off for security and **** now.

I am currently at work offshore in India and wont be home till this time next month, the good winter SE's should have kicked in by then so I will make the drive up to check it out.
Cheers
D.

We visited MacKay also on QUEENS BIRTHDAY w/e. Lots of kiters out but no Windsurfers. Not sure what beach it was but a long stretch just around from the breakwater. Is inside the harbour good for speed sailing or does the breakwater interupt the wind flow too much?