Hi everybody!
I'm going to spend 10 days holiday in Perth between last week of December and first week of Jannuary and I would like to get some info on how and where eventually I can go windurfing so I would really appreciate if you can give some hints on following topics...
1. Is there any shop that rent windsurfing gears?
2. Being with the family (wife + 2 kids) I'm not planning to go windsurfing everyday so could you suggest me some spots where I can go to do some wave (not extreme) eventually breinging the family with me?
3. what about water and air temperature? Wetsuit is needed or not?
4. any other suggestion is very wellcome!
Ciao,
maurizio
If you have a car, Lanclein 1.5hrs north of Perth is the perfect spot for a day trip with the family. You will be able to hire gear and sail in waves.
In Perth, Windforce rent gear at pelican point which has a great park for the kids. Sailing is flat water.
With regards to wetsuit, I often don't wear one that time of year, but most people do wear a short / light one. I always wear a rashie to keep from getting sunburnt.
If you were going south (Marg. River), then you'll need a wetsuit.
can you tell me something more on the water/wind conditions in Lancelin and Margaret River? Wave height, wind knots,... are these spots always working well or you have to consider favorable whether forecast?
Is there anything good closer to the city (Scarborough,....)?
@Dip916 in case of Margaret River how warm has to be the westuit? 3/2 long leg/short sleeve is ok or I need 5/4 winter wetsuit?
@WindsurfingWA do you remember the name of the shop where I can rent in Lancelin?
You will be here in our summer, Perth max air temp any where from high 20s to low 40s, water temp in low 20s. I normally wear a long sleeve rashie and board shorts.
Margaret River is a bit cooler, but only by a few degrees, I'd have a springsuit with me just in case. Wave height there varies with swell coming up from Antarctica. Can get to mast and a half, doesn't really work unless it's at least head high. There's a bit of Family touristy things to do there, caves, wineries etc.
Lancelin is about same temp as Perth, waves there can get to mast high, but will work from waist high up, not a lot there for the family.
If the swell is up, around 2m, you can get a nice user friendly wave here at Avalon, but most of the summer it's dead flat.
There are a bunch of sailing areas in Perth city. Basically, just drive to the beach and look for the kites and sails. The easiest sail is Dutch Inn, 1km south of Cottesloe beach. Small reef break, bit of a beach break, often flattish or bump and jump. Scarborough/Brighton beach is popular for waves, but be warned it is a dumpy, gnarly beach break with strong currents. Mettams Pool, Sorrento... the entire west coast of WA is beach, and you can sail most of it. You can also sail on the river at Pelican Point or Applecross.
The hire gear in Lancelin is from Werner's trailer, not a shop - head into Lancelin, turn left at the end of the road, then right at the end of that one. Look for the big Starboard flag where loads of people will be sailing - that's Main Break. If you are more advanced, take the gear about 1km North to the main pier and you will see people sailing on an offshore reef break (South Passage) about 1km offshore. Conditions can be anything from flat to mast+ high.
North from Lanno, there are world class sailing spots at Wedge Point (4WD, 1/2 hour), Cervantes (1 hour, flat water), Green Head (2 hours, offshore reef). All doable on a day trip from Perth, and it is a pretty drive. North of that is Geraldton, and the legendary spot of Coronation Beach. Worth a weekend or camping trip. And of course there is Gnaraloo...
Most folk sail 4.5 to 5.8 on the ocean, usually around a 5.2 on a good day. The forecast you want is on the Metro / Central West graph page of this very website. 7 day forecast can be fairly iffy, but 2-3 days in advance is very accurate, or ask a local. There is a definite cycle of wind -> trough -> wind that makes it easier to predict. A solid thermal seabreeze is 15-20 knots, a good day is 25-30, ballistic days sometimes hit 35+. The wind comes in in the afternoon, usually from 2-3pm to sunset at 730pm. If you look at the Metro graph page, the Rottnest Island wind reading is 20km offshore, where the wind hits first. Once Rotto goes green, you have about an hour before the wind hits the mainland. Dutch Inn is the Swanbourne graph, Scarborough/Mettams is the Ocean Reef graph.
Welcome to WA.
