Just wondering if anybody has kited on Fraser?

I've been there at least a dozen times, usually around this time of year Aug / Sept, but always have been for a family holiday, camping and fishing etc. I only started kiting last year, and must admit in previous years i cannot recall seeing any kiters at all, at anytime!
I'm heading up around Dundaburra next week for a boys fishing trip, the tailor will be running, and I know there typically are a lot of sharks around, Ive seen plenty of tiger sharks in close when fishing the surf before. Obviously swimming is not the best idea when the tailor are running, but figured if the wind is right, why not go kiting?

Obviously steer clear of the fisherman, stay on top of the water as apposed to in it, try not to loose my board etc etc.

Any advice? Are the rangers ok with it?
I'll probably take my gear anyway and hope to get a kite in at Cooloola or Double Island on the way up or way back

Are u crazy ?

I live in Noosa and would never contemplate kiting at Fraser especially during the tailor run. There are lots of big toothies up there.

Rainbow beach is OK and DI if you are lucky enough to get a Northerly.

I have been trying to kite lake makenzie for 2 years with out any luck from the ranger red tape stuff but i havnt given up yet . The ranger is on our side as he can see that there is no effect to nature but some people higher up at the computer in the head office dosnt see it the same way . Hopey forget the eastern side well that is unless you dont want too come back those teethy things are bigger than you think . I have seen them from the other side (under the water) at indian heads they were big 5 to 8 meters and i got out of there like the other guy who was see walking on water . We were out spear fishen and scared the s**t out of me . Hell even vic hislop shark show tells ya what it is like where do you think he caught most of his trophies . Kite the other side seen someone there 2 weeks ago and was jumping really high and had it all to him self .
Happy kiting stay alive and kite toomrow .

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suface2air said...

I have been trying to kite lake makenzie for 2 years with out any luck from the ranger red tape stuff but i havnt given up yet . The ranger is on our side as he can see that there is no effect to nature but some people higher up at the computer in the head office dosnt see it the same way . Hopey forget the eastern side well that is unless you dont want too come back those teethy things are bigger than you think . I have seen them from the other side (under the water) at indian heads they were big 5 to 8 meters and i got out of there like the other guy who was see walking on water . We were out spear fishen and scared the s**t out of me . Hell even vic hislop shark show tells ya what it is like where do you think he caught most of his trophies . Kite the other side seen someone there 2 weeks ago and was jumping really high and had it all to him self .
Happy kiting stay alive and kite toomrow .

Bities are just as big on the western side ,the big noahs follow the migrating whales who give birth in Hervey bay,this time of the year..

I have a mate who with his son spent several days on Fraser kiting the eastern side just a couple of weeks ago. Had trouble getting over the break as it was huge. Sounds like that could have been the least of his problems.

The problem at the moment is it isn't windy.

Wait til after October when the sea breezes kick in.

Biteys can't eat you if you don't get wet!

So the lack of kiters along the Eastern beaches is mainly due to the big toothies?
Dont get me wrong, I have a healthy respect for them, in fact they scare the crap out of me!
Visiting Fraser over the last 20 years or so, I have seen numerous sharks....in the surf, off the rocks and headlands etc. However there definately are areas that I would say look far more "sharky" than others. If the wind does play the game, I dont plan on kiting around or anywhere near the headlands (Indian, Waddy) and wouldnt be heading too far beyond the break and would stick to the flatter / shallower beaches.

Probably wont be any wind anyway, but just in case I'll take my gear. Typically in the past (at this time of year) there's usually been a few windy days that make fishing a struggle, so I'll wait and see

Lets us know how you went ....i am heading over shortly as well.

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jasonk said...



Rainbow beach is OK and DI if you are lucky enough to get a Northerly.

SSSHHHHHhhhhhh......Northerly shift mid next week sshhhhhhhhhh!
Too far out, but I am feeling lucky

Stay in close and have ya mate tail you in a 4wd.... Downwind forever... Sharks are everywhere and luck is your friend....Isnt it?

Are you mad? If the wind is up, which is doubtful, get in the car and take the drive back down to inskip. And yes, the Northerlies are due to swing mid-week, but look too ordinary for DI. If the SE's are in when your trip ends, call into Hervey Bay and enjoy the flats. And as for the guy talking about kiting Mackenzie, red tape wouldn't stop me if the location was good, but it's not. Anytime it blows across the lake the wind is gusty and variable due to the surrounding hills and trees, obviously.

I know^^^^ about the trees and hill ,dunes , But there is a spot there that isnt to bad in a e se direction . Yep it wood be cool photo and that would be it .If it is blown northeys i go to di or pialba ,

Going there for 4 days at end of this month fishing but, taken a kite or two as well. Been there a couple of times before and yes there are sharks but the water is usually pretty clear and like someone else said if it is not windy enough to on top of the water 99% of the time I will not be going out. Have surfed and sailed and kited snarky water for years and as long as you pay attention to what is going on around you and get out if anything big shows up, should be ok:) fingers crossed.

I had a good down winder there awhile back, can go for miles, just get someone to trek alongside in a 4WD.
Best just after the low on the incoming tide.
I didn't go out beyond the first gutter though and made sure I didn't drop my kite.
If the winds blowing you shouldn't have too many fishermen to dodge.
Have fun.

Just got back yesterday
Had a couple of sessions
saw plenty of sharks

Thanks for the comments guys.
I'm heading off early Wednesday morning, but not meeting my crew till Thursday morning at the barge. I'm just going to take a cruisy drive up the beach from Noosa north shore, head up to DI, then onto Rainbow Beach. Wind is not looking good for Wednesday, so probably no kiting between Noosa and Rainbow, I might just wet a line instead. Either way, sure beats being in the office.
I'll just see where the day takes me, I may end up at Inskip Point if the Westerlies still blowing, as there should be a chance for a kite there.
As for Fraser, I'll just wait and see what the conditions are like, I wont be taking too many chances

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Hopey said...

Thanks for the comments guys.
I'm heading off early Wednesday morning, but not meeting my crew till Thursday morning at the barge. I'm just going to take a cruisy drive up the beach from Noosa north shore, head up to DI, then onto Rainbow Beach. Wind is not looking good for Wednesday, so probably no kiting between Noosa and Rainbow, I might just wet a line instead. Either way, sure beats being in the office.
I'll just see where the day takes me, I may end up at Inskip Point if the Westerlies still blowing, as there should be a chance for a kite there.
As for Fraser, I'll just wait and see what the conditions are like, I wont be taking too many chances

Shame you're getting on the barge Thursday morning as there is a decent NW prediction for DI.

Where is that forecast?

BoM forecast is all over the place.

Sunny coast today is weird! Smoke from Bribie blowing towards NE and wind on Shelly beach coming from NE. Maroochydore beacon reading west!!!

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Bigwavedave said...

Where is that forecast?

BoM forecast is all over the place.

Sunny coast today is weird! Smoke from Bribie blowing towards NE and wind on Shelly beach coming from NE. Maroochydore beacon reading west!!!

Fraser Island Offshore Waters, Sandy Cape to Double Island Point:
Thursday until midnight: Winds: NW 15/20 knots, reaching 20/25 knots at times
ahead of a SW wind change 15/20 knots extending from the west at night

Well did I got lucky!!!!!!.......had a light NW kick in from about midday on Wed 10/8. And I had DI all to myself for the entire afternoon (apart from 1 or 2 other vehicles doing some fishing coming ang going) there was nobody there. Not enough breeze for my 12m but plenty for the Zephyr. Kited from 12:30pm to 4:30pm on smooth water in the lagoon and also venturing out into the waves. Was one of the best days kiting I have ever had, made special by the fact that it was mid week and I had the entire place all to myself.
Then headed up to Rainbow Beach on Thursday morning to meet my crew and get the barge to Fraser. Conditions werent right on the eastern beaches, and I did give it a crack once on a low incoming tide, but not enough breeze even for the Zephyr. I drove home via DI again on Sunday hoping for another session but it didnt happen.
All in all, it was well worth carting 2 kites and a board along on my fishing trip as that Wed afternoon at DI was special and one I will always remember
Fraser will have to wait till next year

A pic or 2.....

Those pics of DI look great. The graphics on the Shinn aren't bad either. I imagine DI would have been ideal Thursday arvo as the N's kicked in nicely for a few hours in the bay.

Yeah probably BurkeyBoy.....but I was setting up camp at Dundaburra on Fraser by then. A few typos in my previous post, as the wind was N to NE (not NW). It was perfect for zipping in and out of the lagoon through the entrance and into the small waves in the bay. Still cant believe I scored a northerly on the day i was driving up there! Will definately be doing a mid week day trip from Brissy when the seabreezes start in a couple of months