I might be moving to sydney at the end of this year and i was just wondering if anyone can tell me where good places to windsurf are??

I will probably move around manly northern beaches.

Cheers Owain.

Good places to windsurf include Lancelin, Maui and Geralton. Unfortunately none of them are in Sydney.

True,

I used to live in Wollongong. I do not think the weather is that different between Sydney and the Gong. I used to go windsurfing every weekend no matter what and in summer I would go if it was windy.

However this season has been pretty ordinary.

In relation to the original question, good spots probably depend on where you are going to live. As the roads in Sydney are generally very congested, especially in the afternoon then it would be best for you to both live and work somewhere close to where you want to sail. Otherwise it will be too much of a hassle to get there.

The question also depends on what sort of windsurfing you like. However if I had my choice of dream spot to live and work it would be living at Kurnell and working at Kurnell Public School.

Ian K said...

Don't take any notice of them Sydney is a great sailing location - You can compare the 3 pm January windroses on the BOM site, even allowing for more exposed location of the Sydney anemometer it's up there with Perth. Used to go up there most weekends, can barely remember one when it didn't blow at least one day.

Sydneysiders don't know how lucky they are.

Yeah but anything on the coast looks good compared to the ACT. Apart from freezing your arse off most of the year, you have lake burley which is too small and flukey or lake george which dried up and has fence posts and wire when it's full. I gave up windsurfing when I moved there for a job in '92 and it traumatised me for life. Thankfully I'm on the coast again and have re-started windsurfing

owain said...

i prefer flat water for freestyle and i will be moving around manly, queenscliff

is balmoral near there slash a good place to windsurf?

Botany Bay is the best place for flat water in Sydney. Honestly it will be a pain in the arse to drive to Botany from Manly. You could possibly have an hour and a half journey if you travel at the wrong time, ie between 6.30am and 10am. You will also have to pay a toll each way, once for the Harbour Tunnel and once for the Eastern Distributor.

On the north side, Balmoral Beach looks okay but I have not sailed there. What wind works there? I guess a nor easter.

Owain I live in Manly/Fairlight - I sail Long Reef for waves or Wanda (for wind and waves), in a Westerly Narrabeen Lake is worth a go, and you can always sail Manly/Fairlight in a Southerly - just watch out for logs! Balmoral seems to pick up a better NE than a lot of the places on the Northern beaches - it's just a bit gusty and probably too choppy for freestyle.

A NE in the top corner of Botany is the place to go for flat water freestyle and is about 30 minutes from Manly.

would it be worth while possibly looking for a place to live in the eastern suburbs ??

i would really only be able to go on weekends any how. So i guess i could drive to botany on a sat and sun if the wind allows.

i used to live and sail northside, moved down to the eastern suburbs a while back. certainly windsurf more than I used to. as far as I can tell its just windier down south. coogee to botany bay is probably 20 minutes for some flat water, or about 40 to get down to kurnell. from memory anyway - haven't had cause to do either of those drives much this year.

> Flat water freestyle

Me too.

So Balmoral's great for a few months in the summer - onshore winds, easy to get to middle harbour, etc. Good shops for resting, and not talking about the sightseeing... Parking right by in the weekends if you arrive early enough. Rotten wind in the winter though (full offshore).

Narrabeen: OK in the summer, seen worse in the winter. Out of the 3 beaches, choose your starting spot carefully to avoid offshore, that's all.

Botany Bay: probably the best for flat water, though can get boring - no features, few shops. I like (used to like) Sanderingham in the summer for onshores, and Kurnell in the winter - great place to catch the offshores. Kurnell's a bitch to drive to though, and absolute nothing there. Speaking of Botany Bay, around the airport strip too, of course.

You moving, Manly: Manly's a dump, it's for misguided tourists, misguided immigrants and geriatrics. Avoid.

OK, the northern beaches, like most places has pro's and con's.
Living at manly is busy, crowded but still nice. The further you go north the more laid back it becomes. Most sailors live from DY/Collaroy to Mona Vale.
Its possible to sail manly but very crowded. As stated Fairlight is a good place to sail.
Long Reef is probably the best place to sail but unfortunately it doesnt really work in a nor-easter anymore. We got it good once last summer. In a southerly it cranks, side on and waves, B & J and lots of options like Makaha etc if your game.
Collaroy is good in a SE or nor-east but is dumpy and onshore.
Narrabeen Lake works pretty good in most directions except due S or N/NW. Just turn up and ask around.
Newport is the bomb in S/SE but is for experts only.
Palm Beach is good on Pittwater and surf side but is incredibly crowded in summer with tourists and Home and Away wannabes.
Im sure someone will vouch for the city beaches and the "shire".
Living in Manly will be a good base. Only shop in Sydney is Wind-Surf n Snow at Collaroy just off Pittwater Road. The boys will help you out.
Hope this helps.

Snapped the mast (with a big bang) on Fri arvo at Botany - about 1.5 - 2km out.

Big thanks to the guys who stopped to help - partic John who helped me de-rig.

Long paddle back - I was the only one who was glad the wind didn't get up
gashed finger too - watch out for sharp ends on carbon fractures.

Anyone got a 460 30% mast??

Wineman said...


Snapped the mast (with a big bang) on Fri arvo at Botany - about 1.5 - 2km out.

Big thanks to the guys who stopped to help - partic John who helped me de-rig.

Long paddle back - I was the only one who was glad the wind didn't get up
gashed finger too - watch out for sharp ends on carbon fractures.

Anyone got a 460 30% mast??

No problem Wineman, glad I could help. I'd actually never had to de-rig in the water before, just seen it in books, so it was good to finally get the chance to practice. Glad it was you and not me paddling back though Goodluck in with your mast shopping.

I second what Krusty said.

St George or Sutherland shires are great places to live for what you describe.

i like the point you make qwerty

my location will be primarily determined by the ease of access the the city and the quality of the location as i will only be able to windsurf on weekends

thanks everyone for posting their insight into the location

cheers owain

Guys, you miss 2 things.

First, Owain says he digs flatwater freestyle. If the case, then it's Botany Bay year around, or perhaps Balmoral and middle harbour from there when not in waves.

Second: winter, guys. Offshores for at least 6 months. If you're north, you're stuck with Narrabeen. Botany Bay is the best in the winter, certainly not Pittwater.

Better class of people on the north side too....