Port Macquarie

Planning a trip to Port Macquarie, late December. Deciding on kit to bring as family is comming and space may be a premium.
What is the wave sailing like that way.

I see the speed guys get a run on Queens Lake, and on the river in a N/easter but where do you sail around town in a S/easter?

Appreciate any response and help.
cheers
Climber

Hi Climber,

We sail at Queens Lake in a S/easter. Would be the best wind direction for the Lake. You can get a run of about 3 km + in a SE wind.

The wave sailors sail at Middle Rock. In NE & SE winds. ( Lake Cathie ) 15 mins South of Port. Other places they sail South West Rocks 1 Hour North of Port.
Crowdy Head looks like a good spot for wave sailing in W, S, NE winds.

When your in Port, go and see Mark Jordan at Jordans Boating Centre.
Port Macquarie 0265831005
www.jordans.com.au
He has a sailboard centre! He is the Best Guy to ask for wave sailing advice!

Cheers!

HI Climber

I live in port and am a keen wavesailor. My favourite spots are: Watonga Rock at Lighthouse Beach (5mins south of Port), and Middle Rock at Lake Cathie 15mins south of Port.

When sailing at Lighthouse in the predominent summer breeze from the NE, the wind is cross-off shore, so it can tend to be gusty on the very inside, but once you are 30-40metres out it is on. I like it here for DTL waveriding, however as the beach faces quite south, with a NE wind after a few days it builds up a nasty sandbank for shorebreak, so if the swell gets over head/shoulder high, it can make it difficult to get out with the patchy wind inside.

Middle Rock is a lot more user friendly. NE is cross-onshore, but because you sail on the south side of the rock the water doesnt get chopped up as much as open beaches, so backside waveriding can be quite smooth, as with the gybes on the inside. This is the most popular spot to wavesail round port, and gets 3-4 sailors, and maybe 5-6 kites when it is on. Middlerock is also good on a SE wind, but then you sail on the north side of the rock.

For flat water, in a NE, The river at Jordans Boating Centre usually funnells the wind well on a NE. Make yourself known to Mark and Dale Jordan. Top guys. Sailed with Mark yesterday to try a new fin I got off him. Mark is a real fast sailor in the choppy conditions of the river so it is always fun to try and keep up with him on his fast gear. Other flatwater spots include the Town Green, which is right in town, rig on the grass and launch near the water plane. Also, after work if I am running out of time and there is a good NE blowing, I will just mosey on down to Town Beach, chuck on a pointer fin on my bigger board and sail to and fro from chicken rock to the North Shore. NE on town beach is dead onshore, hense the pointer fin to stay well out. If you want to sail at Town beach, go up and introduce yourself to the lifeguards on duty and promise to stay well out and away from the red and yellow flags for swimmers......and then stay well away from the flags, if you need to come in on the beach come in well away from the flags. I usually launch at Chicken Rock which they are happy with.

This season has been wet like for most of the east coast, but as of the late Oct we have been getting quite strong and regular NE wind. The NE wind usually starts to run out of puff by the end of JAn, then we start to see as many SE winds. The NE winds have been so good as of late that my 85L FSW has been getting a good workout (FYI I am 94kg).

I will PM you with my mobile so maybe we can hook up as sail or two if you want, or just so you get the right info. MArk Jordan as per the response above is a top resource. Late December for me is slow, so if I do do any work it is flexible so I can sail a quite a bit then.

Cheers, Adam