i've noticed in the last few years at my local high wind southerly spot, flat water cross shore chop anything between 1 foot and 4 foot, perfect for blasting and good jumps, a flat water sailors dream. there are less and less sailors showing up to sail once it gets over 25 knots these days, not that many years ago you could not get a car park some days 20+ sailors on the water. and now about 5 of us and we are wave sailors coming there because the ocean is a mess.. whats the go?, have they gotten soft and scared of big winds? is this happening at your local spots?
up here it seems the windier it is the more people on the water.
i think because a lot of the kiters windsurf when it's over 25 knots plus also we see a lot of older 80-90's gear get pulled out of the garage when the sind cranks.
Maybe they moved to Tassie Saw the latest figures in the paper the other day, and New South Welshmen are moving down here in record numbers. We gotta get that wall up soon!
When was the last time there was a good southerly for people in NSW who had to work normal hours? I went sailing in Coffs Harbour just before Christmas on a strong southerly. I was up there on holidays and I think it was on a Monday. I don't think there has been a strong southerly on a weekend this summer in Sydney.
However are there more people at flatwater spots when the wind is lighter? I personally am optimising for lighter winds as this is what we get 99% of the time.
not sure about other places but there is a significant increase in windsurfing activity in the goldcoast/brissy area. places that used to get 3 windsurfing on the goldcoast four years ago now gets 10 or so windsurfers on a given day
yer there are plenty of lighter wind guys, as soon as the 4.6m comes out the van they seam to be packing up or just doing a u-turn in the car park and heading home. could be gear issues, but then again small gear is dirt cheap as no-one is buying it these days. there is a lack of big days but they are what everyone used to wait for and amuse themselves in the lighter stuff in the mean time..