Yorkeys.

Yorkeys......meh.

The extra distance to Port Douglas (roughly 1 hour) is worth it. Better chance of wind and nice place to visit.

scotthammell said...

Going to Northern Qld in August (6th) to try and get some wind, winter has only started and I having withdrawls already. I am tossing between Port Douglas or Yorkeys, Has anyone got some feed back for me. Lizard Island is out of the price range, just want to kite on a budget.

Cheers

Hey Scott, I'm also going up there on the 10th. If I get time I might visit Yorkies but I'm pretty much heading straight to Port Douglas.
Might see you up there.
Clint.

I am heading up with a group from the 31/7 until the 8/8.

Can someone tell me what sort of wind to expect as I have read a lot of different things?


We will be doing the kite Surfari for 4 days in the middle of that period, which I have been told is 20-30. For the remainder we will be around Yorkies and Port Douglas.

What is the general wind range, and time of day etc? How is the season shaping up so far? I was thinking about leaving the 12 at home, but am having second thoughts.

I was about to ask the same question for 17-21AUG as I am doing the Kitesurfari on 13-16 and am going to do the same as you.. Port Douglas for the rest of time

You beat me to it. Port Douglas it is

Cheers for the answers guys. It seems Ant is going to be busy, good boy .. I've been before and can't wait to go again.

Tom83 said...

I am heading up with a group from the 31/7 until the 8/8.

Can someone tell me what sort of wind to expect as I have read a lot of different things?


We will be doing the kite Surfari for 4 days in the middle of that period, which I have been told is 20-30. For the remainder we will be around Yorkies and Port Douglas.

What is the general wind range, and time of day etc? How is the season shaping up so far? I was thinking about leaving the 12 at home, but am having second thoughts.

A few weeks ago at Port Douglas, had a great downwinder from the 4 mile to 500 hundred meters from the Surf Club.
No wind at Yorkies, and Port was goin' off!
Packed up after a great session and then sat on the lawn next to the bar and sunk a few and had a chat in the afternoon sun checkin out the activity on the beach.
Dylan, the owner of the Surf Club restaurant/bar is friendly to kiters, so put a few $$ in your pocket before you take off from 4 mile.

Don't kite anywhere near the swimming area in front of the surf club, (stop about 500 meters before) as it upsets the Surf Club guys.
Last year there were a few guys that needed a crowd to make them feel good and were kiting really close to swimmers and nearly ruined the whole thing for everybody. I heard that they were on their last chance before their gear was going to be confiscated.
(Don't stuff it up for the rest of us just cos you're here for a short time)

Bretto has a few excursions as well. May as well see the place while you're here.

Cheers...

Thanks for the tips

I will try to spend the majority of time (outside the surfari) in Pt D. Don't worry, we will try to be as respectful towards local rules as possible, last thing I want to do is mess it up for locals.

Can someone let me know what sort of actual knots you get on a general afternoon. When you say small kite - do you mean 9m small - or 6-7m crazy small?

Daisy said...

Port Douglas is great, good clean wind at 4 mile beach and heaps of other activities too
If you want to go further north for really epic conditions then try Ant at Australian Kite Surfaris www.australiankitesurfari.com.au/

with daisy on this one. port douglas is alot better than yorkeys. yorkeys often gets real southerly/offshore wind where as port gets nice onshore wind. kiters are much more friendly in port douglas than at yorkies too.

Ahh winter on Seabreeze..... The same old thread every year "should I head to Cairns?"

Being a local I would love to say that Yorkeys a great spot but the reality is that is a fickle place to kite at best. Be warned, it can be a great place to kite on the right tide, wind direction and wind strength but the reality is this doesn't happen very often.

If you wish to spend your hard earned coin on a kiting holiday in Cairns I would think twice. I would hate to spend money on flights, accomodation, food etc only to be standing on the beach or looking for alternate activities. Consider Pt Douglas or even better yet, head up with Ant on his Kite Surfari.

www.australiankitesurfari.com.au/

Pete pretty good possibility of crocs at Port. Be careful.
Once, I saw a 4.53m at Yorkeys. But only once.
A few people have been bitten around Cairns.
Cairns-> Port = Leaping Daintree gators.

Who held the croc while you measured it

kiter77 said...

I'm hiring a car and driving to the Elim Beach where kitesurfaris go for about 1/ 20th of the price

wear a bullet proof vest

kiter77 said...

I'm hiring a car and driving to the Elim Beach where kitesurfaris go for about 1/ 20th of the price

There's certainly plenty of info about. There was some pilots who started a topic here last year about it. They turned up & were abused by Ant & crew, so they said **** it, & told everyone how to do it by themselves.
Elim is great if you can go on Spring tides, so you get the sandbars at lowtide to kite behind. You can camp @ Eddy's & when your sick of there go to Archers Pt & Walker Bay. There are a few local kiters around Cooktown. Great people & great friends. I'm sure you'll meet them when in the area.
There are 4wd hire places in Cairns, you can grab some camping gear too. It'll work out about the same price as the trip, without the other people

Pete pretty good possibility of crocs at Port. Be careful.

It always pays to watch out for crocs. I have kited at 4 Mile Beach for 3 visits over 5 years and only had to dodge a few turtles (who usually duck when they see you coming) and one large sea creature (small whale or dugong) a long way out.

Having said that, there are definitely crocs in the creek that flows where the marina is, and in the Mowbray River (quite some distance north of 4 mile). Mowbray is best avoided; there are some large rays that get about their too.

The Daintree River is a long way away.

Crocs ARE occasionally spotted out to sea - including on the Low Isles - but they don't tend to stay there, just cruise around. It always pays to have a good look around.

Asking locals is highly recommended; they know what is going on.