Hi Guys!
I'm a french student from Canada coming for an exchange at UWA from july to november! I was wondering what kites should I bring ? I guess the season starts in october, but I'm still hoping to kite during the 5 months! I'm 75kg and have 4 kites: 6,9,12,15.. Which are the best to bring ? I was thinking of travelling with 3 kites..!
Also, I would like to do a trip in the north west! What do you guys suggest to do! I'm coming alone and I know nobody! Where should I go to kite and meet people!?
Maybe it's not the place, but if you guys have any advices or hints with lodging it will be much appreciated!
I will be very happy to find a a job as well!! possible in a kite school ?(not as an instrcutor but I'm willing for anything)!
cheersss!
Hi,
If you do get on the road out of Perth make sure you come and see us in Exmouth. With your 6, 9 and 12 you should be able to kite just about every day up here from Mid September onwards. Drop me a pm or check out our Facebook page for all things kitesurfing in the North West www.facebook.com/exmouthkitecentre
Tom,
Hey,
Have a look through last-years posts on this topic, cause heaps of euro backpackers are always asking these same questions - you'll find a lot of your queries answered in those old posts.
In summary, I'd suggest bring everything except the 15m kite. Winds over here are generally pretty strong.
Word of advice - winter winds in Perth are notoriously gusty and dead onshore, which makes kiting in Perth in winter a bit tricky.
We very unfortunately had a guy killed 2 years ago, cause he went out on a gusty westerly day, with a 9m kite, and got hit by +40 knot gusts and slammed on to the shore pretty bad (well, really bad acutally). Lots of other injuries occur in winter as well. So, if you're here in winter, be careful, take it easy at first, get to know some locals, learn the safe beaches and how to read the storm-fronts / squalls, and what to do when the fronts / squalls come through (i.e. keep an eye on the horizon and when the dark clouds / rain start coming, drop your kite cause it's gonna get hectic real soon!).
Up north throughout winter, say from Geraldton to Exmouth, you'll find epic kiting everywhere. Because it's remote it's all super uncrowded which is amazing (except Gnarloo which has a pretty heavy kiting / windsurfing scene). The flip-side of remoteness is that any screw-ups mean you're on your own a long way from hospitals etc, so kite with a buddy up there.
Lodging on the way up north - just camp on tracks off the main road if you wanna save cash. Lots of little camp grounds in the small country towns. Rent / buy a cheap van, find a hot backpacker chick from the OB backpackers in Cott and get on the road and go explore!
Cheers.
Select to expand quotedanno said..
Up north throughout winter, say from Geraldton to Exmouth, you'll find epic kiting everywhere. Because it's remote it's all super uncrowded which is amazing (except Gnarloo which has a pretty heavy kiting / windsurfing scene). The flip-side of remoteness is that any screw-ups mean you're on your own a long way from hospitals etc, so kite with a buddy up there.
Good advice Danno but just to point out that generally speaking Up North during the winter we either have Easterlies or the same more dangerous NW systems you get down south. The Seabreazes start up her at the end of August and run through the summer. We kite through the winter because we have the Gulf so Easterlies are also onshore. There aren't too many places in WA up North that are kitable in The prevailing winter easterlies unless you get as far as Karratha and Gnaraloo is definitely not good for kiting during the winter.
kitl79,
tgpc and danno are both giving you great advice. It would help to know your skill level and preferred style of kiting ? If you come from kiting in Canada (Quebec?) with all those sizes you are probably well used to dangerous frontal kiting conditions. BTW, 2 guys in Quebec died last summer in frontal conditions and another one in Ontario, in frontal conditions as well.
I also agree that you should leave the 15m at home, won't be necessary, unless you want to try to kite below 15 knots which most people don't bother with on a twin tip. You'll get more strong days than light days.
End of September is perfect timing for a trip up the North West. Then back in Perth by mid-October just in time for the seabreeze. Between July and October in Perth, expect only frontal conditions and mostly on-shore winds as Danno said, but if you're well experienced in those conditions and enjoy that, it should be no problem.
Most kite businesses start operating (slowly) in October only. You won't find a job in the kite industry at this time of year especially if you leave by November, when things actually start to get busy! Just bring more money than what you budgeted initially, life here is almost 2x more expensive than Canada.
Enjoy, oh and bring a wetsuit, July through September is going to be cold.
Christian
yes from quebec! So I'm well used to these conditions! I've been kiting since two years but I have already experienced some serious rough conditions! So, I guess I'll have fun with frontal conditions and my 6m! Then, I'll have better fun with clean winds in october-november, cause I'm always kiting on gusty conditions!
Merci pour les informations!
Marc
IMHO I'd go the 15 instead of the 12, if you were arriving in November for 5 mths then bring the 12, you'll get plenty of days with marginal winds especially in the transition from spring to summer, if your a keen kiter you need to be planning to be staying a bit longer after your studies, you'll be going back as our wind season begins, definatly plan a road trip north, it'll be one of the highlights of your stay,
Yes for sure I Wanna head north at the en dog november!! But I will have to find buddies! I do not plan to by a car! I also have a week of at the end of september! Maybe i'll go a bit north
Marc Australia is a pretty friendly country so long as you have the right attitude; the fact your post got this many responses shows you are on the right track.
I'm sure by the end of your stay you will have a few opportunities to head North with a crew of people :)
Hi Marc
I am also a UWA student and you will really like the university. There is also a kitesurfing spot 100m from UWA called Pelican Point, however if you are inexperienced I would not recommend it.
You also have Melville waters, Point Walter and Leighton Beach to kite (All relatively close to UWA).
Have a good one
@Weta
Yess I'm sure i'll meet great kitesurfers!:P
@PaulyOS
Yup i've seen those spots! Lauching at pellican suppose to be a bit sketchy..!Do you thin I should bring my 15m to kite these spots in August-September ?!
Select to expand quotekitl79 said..
@Weta
Yess I'm sure i'll meet great kitesurfers!:P
@PaulyOS
Yup i've seen those spots! Lauching at pellican suppose to be a bit sketchy..!Do you thin I should bring my 15m to kite these spots in August-September ?!
You wont need your 15m mate. 76kgs with a 12m will do fine for those months. Not to mention, 15m kite is a big kite for luggage. So you will save yourself some money by leaving it
Select to expand quotePaulyOS said...kitl79 said..
@Weta
Yess I'm sure i'll meet great kitesurfers!:P
@PaulyOS
Yup i've seen those spots! Lauching at pellican suppose to be a bit sketchy..!Do you thin I should bring my 15m to kite these spots in August-September ?!
You wont need your 15m mate. 76kgs with a 12m will do fine for those months. Not to mention, 15m kite is a big kite for luggage. So you will save yourself some money by leaving it
Bom do a great site for average monthly wind speeds , from 1994 to 2015, looking at that you might want to re think your size suggestion, I live and kite in the mid west and a17 gets the most use up till October, never seen a kiter disappointed after an overpowered session
Alllright i'll think about it:p! Maybe i'll Béring everything of it´s niot too much extra money!
