Forums > Kitesurfing General

Any tips whilst in Cairns?

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Created by Ruckus > 9 months ago, 20 Apr 2008
Ruckus
NSW, 70 posts
20 Apr 2008 9:58PM
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Hi all heading up to cairns to go on tour with Ant from Australian kit surfing holidays and will have a couple of days to fill in. Where do you suggest to stay in Cairns? What is the deal about going to green island? The previous threads I have read involve kiting out there in over a 1.5m tide. Can you do a day trip?(probably will be sunday the 4th May for me). I intend to arrive up there on the Sat so hope to kite straight away. Any info would be great.

Scotty99
NSW, 144 posts
21 Apr 2008 8:19AM
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Ruckus,
For Green Island you will need a 1.3m tide, not good for the 4th May. If you decide to go anyway just go to the reef fleet terminal in town and book a trip with Great Adventures.
As for info on Cairns, talk to Chris from Kite Rite at Yorkeys or just get youself down to Yorkeys and have a talk to the locals.
You will love the trip with Australian Kitesurfaris, the wind just pumps and the trip is a real adventure.
Enjoy,
Scott

junglist
VIC, 701 posts
21 Apr 2008 8:22AM
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if you are unlucky to score a day without wind then check out the cable park near Yorkeys.

Cheers

J

stamp
QLD, 2791 posts
21 Apr 2008 10:30AM
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if you are single go to the woolshed

Capt.Gumby
QLD, 353 posts
21 Apr 2008 2:47PM
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Jump on to http://www.greatadventures.com.au/tours/green-island.html and have a look at Green. I don't know what they slug the tourists these days for a day trip but for locals, transfer only costs us just under $50.

If wind is forecast, I will guarantee you will get it. Extremely consistent albeit at times strong. This time of year it is usually between 20 to 35 knots. Have a look a the Seabreeze charts for Green island.

www.seabreeze.com.au/graphs/qld2.asp

Can't stress the 1.5m tide and above rule enough as the reef will dry anything under about a 1m. Usually the best time is to head over when tides are high around midday. You can kite any tide really but you need to walk out over exposed reef and will be kiting well away from the island and if things go wrong.......

Best place to kite is on the SE corner of the island and stay upwind of the island at all times. Something goes wrong you are safe.

Drop in at Yorkies, , locals will help you out.

Hope this helps

brucex
QLD, 701 posts
21 Apr 2008 5:42PM
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Cairns tips-
#you may want some booties for Green - coral is super nasty if you stand on it!
#at yorkies offer to pump up the kites for the locals!!! most of them are old and have sore backs
# dont fall off in the creek mouth at yorkies as crocs are quite common
# its quite cool if its blowin hard - so take a wetsuit top - old wetsuits are fine and most locals wear very short leg spring suits and look like wrestlers off wwf.
# bring your own girlfriend and ask her to catch the kites for the locals - they will love this as they have seen a girl on that beach since 2001

koma
VIC, 760 posts
21 Apr 2008 8:14PM
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Some great tips Captain Bumby & BruceX!
I'm headed up for a week and a bit 'visit the folks' trip to Trinity Beach so was planning on spending the majority of my time kiting. Only after booking my trip did i discover the Aust. Kite Surfing holidays so i might have to save that one for another time.
Last time i was up there (~September '07) the wind was no where to be seen but i've been assured this time it'll be blowing properly for me.

Is it worthwhile kiting any of the other beaches up and around Cairns?

Yorkeys will be my first stop because i'd love to meet up with some locals and possibly organise a Green Island session, but as well as that i had my eye on kiting Trinity Beach on a SE'r or possibly heading up to Ellis Beach. Might venture up to Port Douglas if time permits.

As i'm travelling i'm just planning on a single kite & single board setup (12m Naish Alliance & 136 Naish Sol); and looking at the Green Island wind speeds i think this might be a little too much kite for most days! What do you guys reckon? I'm good with that rig till ~high 20's to 30, but if it's over 30 i'm probably going to be wishing i bought another kite.

PS. If anyone feels like a session between ~10th - 18th May give me a PM and i'd love to meet up.

stamp
QLD, 2791 posts
21 Apr 2008 8:57PM
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drop in at turtle cove on your way up to port. i hear its an excellent spot to kite.

koma
VIC, 760 posts
21 Apr 2008 9:43PM
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stamp said...

drop in at turtle cove on your way up to port. i hear its an excellent spot to kite.


Wow, all those pictures of happy men holding hands; it looks like a great place to 'kite'.
[}:)]

Their clothing policy could be quite liberating though.

... hang on a minute.

Capt.Gumby
QLD, 353 posts
21 Apr 2008 9:47PM
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stamp said...

drop in at turtle cove on your way up to port. i hear its an excellent spot to kite.


Been hanging there lately have we Stamp

Trinity Beach can be gusty due to the headland and has very little beach. Yorkies is only a ten minute drive from Trinity and really is the only beach in Cairns worth kiting. Palm Cove can be good as well, Ellis can be OK but can be gusty.

Hopefully May blows its ring out for you as I am on holidays as well and hope to do nothing more than just kite!

Capt.Gumby
QLD, 353 posts
21 Apr 2008 9:51PM
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brucex said...

Cairns tips-
#you may want some booties for Green - coral is super nasty if you stand on it!
#at yorkies offer to pump up the kites for the locals!!! most of them are old and have sore backs
# dont fall off in the creek mouth at yorkies as crocs are quite common
# its quite cool if its blowin hard - so take a wetsuit top - old wetsuits are fine and most locals wear very short leg spring suits and look like wrestlers off wwf.
# bring your own girlfriend and ask her to catch the kites for the locals - they will love this as they have seen a girl on that beach since 2001





Geez Brucie, you are not long departed and the Yorkies locals have become old, weak, can't handle the cold and haven't seen a woman in years.

When you coming back up, you would fit right in

Fitzy
QLD, 617 posts
21 Apr 2008 9:52PM
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Watch out for Crocodiles

Fitzy - Gold Coast OZ

Ruckus
NSW, 70 posts
21 Apr 2008 9:56PM
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Thankyou Captain Grumby and others, hillarious feedback. Places to stay at Yorkeys knob at the cheapest is $120 per night at the Adair cottage and or Fairways. Is there places to stay that are cheaper otherwise it means staying in cairns somewhere I guess??????

koma
VIC, 760 posts
22 Apr 2008 2:00AM
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Capt.Gumby said...

Been hanging there lately have we Stamp

Trinity Beach can be gusty due to the headland and has very little beach. Yorkies is only a ten minute drive from Trinity and really is the only beach in Cairns worth kiting. Palm Cove can be good as well, Ellis can be OK but can be gusty.

Hopefully May blows its ring out for you as I am on holidays as well and hope to do nothing more than just kite!


Thanks for the heads up Gumby!
Looks like i'll start out at Yorkies and check out Palm Cove after that.
Coming from Melbourne where i'll kite pretty much anything regardless of how gusty it is, i'm sure i'll be pretty much happy with anything 17kn+.
This will be my second kiting holiday (i hit W.A in December '07) and every time i go kiting at places other than my locals it makes me swear i'll never bother kiting at home again!

cammck
QLD, 108 posts
22 Apr 2008 10:36AM
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Holy crap Bruce where is the loyalty.

Hard to take umbridge though as I am having trouble getting my zimmer frame down through the soft sand these days.

We are also taking steps to correct the lack of skirt, every week someone takes a turn to wear a bikini. Gumby has even volunteered to wear a mankini but only if you can fit a slingshot logo on it somewhere.

Camo

Capt.Gumby
QLD, 353 posts
22 Apr 2008 1:07PM
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I would have my turn on the bikini but cammck keeps hogging it and has now had more than his fair share with god only knows how many weeks in a row



See what this has turned into since being at work and not being able to kite.Today looks like a ripper, trees bending over and not a cloud to be seen, I don't think I ever spent so much time on this site.

Scotty99
NSW, 144 posts
22 Apr 2008 2:10PM
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Gumby,
I start a week off at midnight, please let it blow.........
That's ****ed it for sure

au_rick
WA, 752 posts
22 Apr 2008 12:53PM
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don't park yur car under the trees along the side of the road near the casino
the fruit bats sh!t like you won't believe

brucex
QLD, 701 posts
22 Apr 2008 5:39PM
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new tip
try and land your kite in the rigging area and see if you can get it in there without getting it stuck in the tree - or better still kiteloop it and get yourself stuck in a tree.
It is great entertainment

cant wait to see the bikinis boys

Boxburg
QLD, 144 posts
23 Apr 2008 11:42AM
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Guys, if there's only one mankini left, you've been tearing through them faster than Big Tony tears kites.
Missing the brown muck that is Yorkeys. You've gone and made me all homesick.

Capt.Gumby
QLD, 353 posts
23 Apr 2008 11:17PM
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Boxburg said...

Guys, if there's only one mankini left, you've been tearing through them faster than Big Tony tears kites.


We thought we had at least a years supply left but a rainbow leotard wearing guy, in a pimped out motor home, ABBA blasting out of an over sized amp and speakers, last seen calling in at Oxford street on his way to the big smoke had apparently hid them in his comby.

How goes it big boy, heard you were getting amongst the waves and having a blast. Now heading out west?????? no water or waves there fella.

Yorkies is just not the same without you.

Also for your info, Big Tony is no longer his moniker. He now is known as, for the life of me I do not know why or will ever understand, 'Tony Tourettes'.

I have too much time on my hands

Boxburg
QLD, 144 posts
25 Apr 2008 11:29AM
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Ha ha, tourettes Tony. I wonder why...
Still on the coast at the moment in one mile beach at Port Stephens. Gee the new south welshmen have some great spots. Waiting to see if the weather clears up for one last session before we get into the wine country.

firiebob
WA, 3172 posts
25 Apr 2008 6:40PM
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Hey Boxburg, glad you're enjoying life on the road mate, good hey

Don't worry Ben, doesn't matter what Capt Bumboy says, it's reef weather (flat water no wind) here at da mo

The good news is it's 30c and sunny skys, must be wost places to be

brucex
QLD, 701 posts
28 Apr 2008 9:50PM
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keep your eye out next week for an old guy who has fogotten how to jump
is there any surf due next week???

finx
QLD, 60 posts
29 Apr 2008 8:16PM
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your better of going to port douglas..... great water ...call bretto from wind swell i know hes doing a lizard island trip in the next few days. great kiting there



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"Any tips whilst in Cairns?" started by Ruckus