Hey guys.. Got a few dilemmas! Sick of sydney!! Been border line packing up and moving to Melbourne for the last year. Every second wkend I'm keen then then back out! What keeps backing me away from moving is the overall distance I will need to travel for a suf or wave sail. Looks by pics ye guys post ye get some great conditions.
My question realy is..How often do ye guys get a wave sail in? If we moved (wife and me) we probably move somewhere between frankston and elwood just don't know where. Any recomandations, both need communting distance to city. What would I Likely to be traveling for a surf? I'm borderline moving but need that convincing! It's all come down to water time! Btw sydney sucks for windsurfing!! Great Waves but zip wind!
Cheers

Hello, Rhino,

We don't get down the line wave sailing in the bay but, on a 20-knot south wester and depending on where you are, the wave height can get to about 2m, although there's usually a lot of chop on the wave face. The wave period is only about 5 seconds.

We hope for big winds in winter (cold northerlies) and September/October (south westerly, but very frontal). One of my friends is a surf/wave sailor and he only has a wave board and his biggest sail is a 5.5m, but he seems pretty happy even when sailing in the bay (he normally travels to Phillip Island for the waves there).

Do a Google time/direction search from Mentone to Point Leo and Mentone to Torquay. Mentone is about halfway between Frankton and Elwood and Pt Leo (and surrounds) will give you access to genuine waves (as will Torquay). Both of these have surf/windsurf conditions.

Have a look here for past bay wind graphs http://www.baywx.com/graphplot.html and have a look at the surf cams here for wave conditions on a daily basis triggerbrothers.com.au/index.php?option=com_webcam&Itemid=183 (use the surf cam locations down the LHS bottom of the page), and www.swellnet.com.au/, tab Surf Report and Forecasts, select Vic.

If you decide to come here, make sure you've got a job lined up and you'll need a 4/3 wetsuit for winter (our water temps get down to about 10 deg C in August).

Hope this helps.

Thanks guys for replies. Not fussed with cold weather! I'm Irish so have had many a winter and summer freezing my nuts off at home!
How often do ye guys get out on water? Is it possible to get a evening session in once the clock changes? How bout surfing? Any of ye travel for a surf? What's it like living say near frankston and traveling for a wave?
Will be planning a wkend down Vic soon to suss it out

We have a lot of good breaks for wavesailing, you can find a spot that works with cross-cross off conditions on nearly any wind direction which is nice. The only drawback is the consistency. Sometimes it can be weeks between good sessions...
You also need to be flexible with your time, if you can only get away on the weekends you won't get much sailing in at all.

Quite a few of the decent reef breaks are popular surfing spots so forget trying to sail if it's under 20 knots. Sometimes you still get desperadoes out when it is 25+ which can be annoying. Otherwise you can usually find empty beachies down towards Sandy Point, wind is usually pretty strong down there as well. Forget the bay for real wavesailing, if it is really windy then some spots can throw up some decent bump and jump but it is just super short period wind slop so you don't get breaking waves with proper shape.

Water is cold but with a decent 4/3 it isn't really a problem. If you are happy surfing than Vic is good, there is nearly always swell so worst case you can still have a paddle most of the time. Then occasionally you will score some pretty good sailing.

I would leave that decision completely to your wife.! (She would probably choose elwood.) The further South your move the less sophisticated the facilities.
Frankston is a beautiful location but has a bogan reputation. Its probably because i live there!

Why limit yourself to Melb? Geelong (for instance) has some great spots close by (Torquay, Barwon Heads etc). and only an hr to the city.

Heading further out of Melb (East or West), real estate gets cheaper - wave spots increase.

Just sayin' as an option...not a city fan (sorry).

Cheers for all the help and info. Turns out we may be making the move!

claydog said...

I've just moved down to Bonbeach from Brighton
Found a three bed double garage place for mid 400'000. Beach side and walk through onto the sand.
Make the move, you wont regret it!

I agree you wont regret it. We made the move to Bonbeach on the beach back in March.
See you on the water at Bonno this Saturday for a bump and jump session.

^^^$400k would get you a nice 4b/r home close to the beach, a new w/s van & whole new kit here! Prob some coin left over for a holiday to Hawaii also!

Just have to keep an eye out for the whales that are prolific this time of year in our local waters .

(Herald Sun today)
www.heraldsun.com.au/nocookies?a=A.flavipes