Anyone kitesurfed in Norfolk Island, interested but struggling to find what the wind is like in August. Also don't know what/if there are any launch sites for going into the surf.
I have been to norfolk 4 or more times.
there isn't any beach there, lots of rocks and reef, so kite with care. The only place I could think of is Emelie bay, launch off the beach, head out through the reef. Watch out for the tides and rips.
Its doable for experts only. Not recommended.
Prevailing wind west southwest. Norfolk has a few spots with access to the water. Most of the Island is surrounded by cliffs. Lauching may be difficult. As far as I am aware locals havn't kite surfed yet. But there is some good surf breaks.
See attached maps & photos which may help.
Why not consider Lord Howe Island quite a few of us are into it over here & the weather is ideal that time of year with a large lagoon, endless onshore sandy beach access & a great surf break on the reef which fringes the lagoon.
There is a great package offered between 6 & 20 August $1679 twin share all inclusive + extras. We are trying to get a wind festival happening over here with Kite Surfing & sail boarding.
Need more info let us know
What's the story with getting gear on the plane? Prevailing winds? How many days a week do you kite? Are you allowed to camp? What's the cheapest place to stay? I did the Gosford - LH yacht race back in 89 & would love to go back?C'mon give us a full rundown .
Thanks
At Lord Howe we are kiting when ever we get the chance. Interest is growing by the day. We are developing new areas to kite depending on the wind direction. We beach launch, boat launch & drift launch
Winter months give us the best oportunity as June, July & August give us the best winds.
Check out this BOM link below for August winds www.bom.gov.au/clim_data/cdio/tables/pdf/windrose/IDCJCM0021.200839.9amAug.pdf
No camping allowed, cheapest accommodation in the winter months, most lodges have good deals in the winter - Somerset, Ocean View, Hideaway, Milkyway & Leander Lei.
Bagage limit is 15kg, but will work out OK if you pre organise eg post works well. You can get surf boards on the plane.
The August all incusive deal through Oxely Travel is really cheap as airfares are expensive. It is a hosted tour with lots of extras.
Would luv to see some young active blood over here in the winter!
Hi Davo
Sounds great - how many kiters are there on the island?
What is it like in August - full length wetsuit weather? What kite sizes should I bring?
Hi Chris,
We have about 6 kiters and more up and comming. We wiil certainly help any visitors to have a great time. We are all in tourism in one way or another. Winter is when we ghet a chance to have fun!! Water temp usually 18c to 20c Coral Reef at Lord Howe so doesn't get too cold for too long. I wear a steamer in winter. Wind anything from 18kts to 35knts most people use an 8m or 10m kite.
Thanks for the interest!
I'm sold - gets me out of (W)ait (A)while and back over to the eastern states. However, can it be compared with Cocos-Keeling Islands in the Indian Ocean which are starting to be promoted in Perth as THE winter kite getaway? I feel the need to investigate both ...
A few Lord Howe photos
Lagoon Beach in South Wester
Heading to the reef from the lagoon
Blinky Beach in an Easterly
Sorry Don't know anything about the Cocos Islands
Looks like LH is a good place to go for winter kiting (and proto testing). How many days a week is kiteable over winter? Sydney wind is not looking good. Do you know rough flight costs from Sydney and accommodation costs?
During the winter months July, August in particular you could expect to be kiting 4 to 5 days per week, with West to Southwest winds 18kts to 35kts.
Most of the kiters at Lord Howe are in tourism, including fishing charters & this is when we get our chance to have a break! We would be happy to get a few kiters over to enjoy what Lord Howe has to offer.
I asked Oxely Travel to put an all inclusive package together. The cost is $1629 for 7 nights airfares & extras and $1829 for 10 nights.
This is probably the best price you can do with airfares & accommodation. There are also plenty of other specials available over winter. Drop me an email if I can help further re getting gear over etc.
A couple of the guys now have Griffin Kites and are really happy with these kites and there performance!
if your thinking of "no F@#K" island. (thats what they call it round here because all the oldies go there). Why not come to nz? Aug probably not the best months. october/ nov are rocking. here in the naki we have the most consistant surf in the southern hemisphere. It really is a world class spot for waves. on the worst days you will still find shoulder height waves.
Do a bit of a tour around the north island in a camper van and you will be able to hit epic waves to butter flat water. do 80km down winders down super long beaches. you can kite every day if you are prepaired to drive to the wind. (max 5 hours)
hmmm... more info.
Ok.
Water temp in the summer months is low 20's in the winter it can get down to 10 deg C. Its not a tropical location. but if you can get over colder water for insane wind and waves then you will have a blast.
Taranaki is the place to go for waves.
Fiztroy beach in New Plymouth is a very nice spot with consistant waves and cross on wind running sept through to march.
Kina road/Tai road (just north of opunake) has insane surf. Its a gnarly spot with cliffs and boulders jutting out of the surf. Today is good example. 40-55 knots and a wave set height of 5.5 meters!!!!
only the craziest of bastards would fly today!!
www.swellmap.com/surfing/new-zealand/kina-road.
Raglan is the home of the Ozone design team. Why do they choose raglan? there some 300+ days a year you can kite there. Epic flat water spot and on the outgoing tide they can kite in 5-6 knots. Its called the magic carpet.
Foxton has an awesome flat water estury and the beach is 100km long. you could do a down winder until your exhuasted.
Auckland has beaches on every angle and its 40 mins from one side of the island to the other. If there is wind you can find a spot to kite irrespective of direction.
sept through to april the prevailing wind is westerly and all the west coast beaches and locations are fair came.
Waikanai, muriwai, baileys, 90mile all epic. The east coast is scattered with tones of good kitable spots aswell. I have less knowledge of them however.
Apparently raglan is the longest lest hander in the souther hemisphere. tho i haven't kited it. there may be a wind shadow there.
www.facebook.com/pages/Taranaki-Kitesurfers/350943415084
www.kiteforum.co.nz/kiteforum
Ps you wouldn't last a day in my house with 3 kids 7, 5 and 3 tearing around. ;)
OK, bit of a run down on myself and Lord Howe Island:
My names Christo, I've lived on the Island for >25 yrs, Surfed all my life and been kiting for the past 6-7 yrs (thats me in the Griffin shot above). I've been asked by Dave (62Davo), the guy whose pushing LHI, to give you some more information about the place.
SEASONS & WAVES:
In the winter months we get big SW - SE swells (June - Oct) although the best time for kiting (cross-off) on the reefs is during the summer months (Nov - May) but the wind is less consistant with a small window of opportunity for the right wind direction. So during winter you'll be kiting On-shore or Cross/On-shore reef waves. We have a fun right thats pretty rippable that I kite alot during the winter (Its not epic but its fun) and a pretty sick reform left reef that fires if the swell gets huge. But if your a surfer, you can surf the back-side of the Island offshore then go kiting later on or before depending on the tides as theres usually plenty of swell around the Island, thats what I'm doing. Try not to come with a crowd though, its a good place to chill, crowded lineups are fustrating and instant crowds are not welcomed on the Island.
If you enjoy a bit of flat water kiting, the water up close to the surf on the lagoon side is like a lake @ mid tide. It can be blowing 30 knts above and theres barely a ripple on the water, the water's so clear you can see the coral reef and fish below you. Plus just head out a bit and you've got heaps of fun ramps to boost-off. Its pretty awesome.
BAGGAGE RESTRICTIONS & WHAT TO BRING:
Firstly the Qantas bag limit is actually 23Kgs, 'check-in' luggage can only be 15Kgs.
So the way to go is pack your board-bag full of your essential gear, Boards, kites, harness, toiletries, wetties etc. everything that will keep you going for a day or 2 @ 15Kg's. Don't worry about a pump, we have plenty over here. Then wear most of your winter woolies on the plane, take a back pack with about 5Kg's of stuff in it as carry-on and if you need any more gear just bring along another bag up to 8Kg's with you and ask that this bag be put on as excess. You won't get charged as this bag plus your 15Kg bag totals 23Kg's. It just means your not garunteed to get it the same day, it might come on another flight the next day, depending on the weight of your plane. But in 90% of cases, it will travel with you.
EQUIPMENT:
You can get away with wearing a long-armed springy so this will keep the weight down, if you feel you need a steamer, I've got a few I can lend ya.
If you can fit in 2 kites I'd opt for your strong wind kite and your all-rounder, I mostly use a 9 and a 12 all year. If only 1 kite, bring a 10 or the 12.
Hope this has helped a bit?
Feel free to ask anymnore questions.
Thanks for the details Christo
I note on the Qantas site that the baggage rules are changing after June 1 this year. (I am booked for late August)
They say that you can pre-book excess baggage of up to 23kg per piece, for a fairly reasonable $15 for the first and $30 for the second piece.
I will be interested to hear how this works out, as an extra 23kg would be nice for gear...
I also read that my 'golf' bag will be welcomed!
"Golf bags and collapsible buggies are carried as baggage and are exempt from normal linear dimension restrictions."
Sounds good, now the check in won't spin out when I turn up to counter with my yearly mainland shopping, Ha!
$15 for excess of 23Kg's, I'll believe it when I see it. the problem is; All passange planes comming to LHI need to carry enough fuel to get out here, circle for 15 min then head back to the nearest port (Port Macquarie) if weather doesn't permit landing. So the planes fill-up, chockers, thus restricting the total weight of the aircraft. I'd stick to my advice, that way there'll be no problems.
Email me a couple of days before you come over.
If it's on for kiting/surfing and I'll show you around.
christo@clearmail.com.au
