Hi guys,
I'm about making a dream of mine come true in taking a 5 weeks sabbatical from work, leaving cold Germany and spending some time in Western Australia mainly for kite surfing. I'll be there for the whole February 2017. I'm planning to rent a camper van for the period. Related to this, some decisions need to be taken now and I was hoping to get some input from you here.
My questions are:
1) I'm planning to spend approx. 3 weeks North of Perth (up to Exmouth) and 2 weeks south of Perth (down to Albany). Which sequence is better given the wind conditions: N first, then S OR vice versa?
2) I'm keen on exploring some remote beaches in the North. I reckon a 4WD camper van is mandatory? However, it is still not a Land Rover or similar. Will it do the trick though? Or is it overdone and a 2WD would also do?
3) For the southward trip, I believe beach access is easier and mostly on paved roads, so a 2WD camper would suffice. Is that assumption right?
4) I'm 85kg, using both TT and (strapless) surf boards and intend to do both flat water riding and waves. Is 9,7,6 (RRD Religion) a kite range that makes sense for the area & wind conditions? Or should I consider bringing an 10/11 freeride kite as well?

I'm grateful for any input!
Cheers,
Holger

North

2wd

Yes

7\9\11

Hi Holger
One month will only let you scratch the potential west australia has to offer,
You may find picking up a cheap 4wd here
And then selling is a better option
IMHO a 4wd is a priority if you want to get to the premium spots, a 2wd will get you to the common spots, Perth gives good reliable winds but heading north is more reliable and potent
If I was travelling I'd bring a 7/10/15-17
This will cover you , but if you've the chance to extend your break it'd be the best decission

Hi Holger,

Are you planning on travelling alone, the reason I ask is that if you are I wouldn't worry too much about a 4wd. There are some very good remote spots that you can get to by only 4wd access but you'd likely be there by yourself which in WA means a long way from help if something goes wrong.

I reckon that with a fairly short trip, which 5 weeks is in WA, you won't need a 4wd, there are plenty of quality spots to keep you happy.

Flexibility will be the key to a great trip.. February as far North as Exmouth can be heaven or hell depending on what mother nature has in mind. I'd be ready to move on the forecast, if there is no wind up North in February you are going to experience extreme summer temperatures and Cyclones are a possibility too.

Im based in Exmouth so when you are in Perth feel free to give me a call and I can let you know whats going on up here, its an unbelievably good place to kite and even though most will say a little late in the season still most definitely worth the trip up.

I'd be looking at 6,9 and 12 combo,

Hope that helps..

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tgcp said...
Hi Holger,

Are you planning on travelling alone, the reason I ask is that if you are I wouldn't worry too much about a 4wd. There are some very good remote spots that you can get to by only 4wd access but you'd likely be there by yourself which in WA means a long way from help if something goes wrong.

I reckon that with a fairly short trip, which 5 weeks is in WA, you won't need a 4wd, there are plenty of quality spots to keep you happy.

Flexibility will be the key to a great trip.. February as far North as Exmouth can be heaven or hell depending on what mother nature has in mind. I'd be ready to move on the forecast, if there is no wind up North in February you are going to experience extreme summer temperatures and Cyclones are a possibility too.

Im based in Exmouth so when you are in Perth feel free to give me a call and I can let you know whats going on up here, its an unbelievably good place to kite and even though most will say a little late in the season still most definitely worth the trip up.

I'd be looking at 6,9 and 12 combo,

Hope that helps..

Tom have you traded the troopy for a Hyundai getz

Hi guys,
many thanks for your input, very helpful and appreciated.
Unfortunately I can't extend my stay, though I would love to, but may be this will just be an appetizer for the real move at a later stage...
So, if I resume the above:
* I'll take a 2WD (as I'm travelling alone; buying / selling a 4WD probably too much hazzle for this short period; still enough to discover and sufficient for the southern part anyway)
* Kite range 6 or 7/9/12 (because I have a 12mtr Bandit which has good low end)
* first 3 weeks North, then South, but in general flexible depending on the main weather conditions (I'll get in touch Tom, thx)
Cheers,
Holger

Yup

12...

Hi Holger, We have a neat Camping Van for hire - pick up in Exmouth and drop off in Perth.
Loads of Kiting crew rent this 2WD rig for long hires as it works out at a great rate! Fully Self contained, double bed, kitchen, solar even a fridge for those beers :)
The owner was the first kite boarder in Exmouth too :)
www.exmouthcamperhire.com.au

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TurtleHunter said..
Hi Holger, We have a neat Camping Van for hire - pick up in Exmouth and drop off in Perth.
Loads of Kiting crew rent this 2WD rig for long hires as it works out at a great rate! Fully Self contained, double bed, kitchen, solar even a fridge for those beers :)
The owner was the first kite boarder in Exmouth too :)
www.exmouthcamperhire.com.au

delete this post, it makes me wanna take off and go travelling

Agreed...

yeh this was taken late last year by a UK couple that did the trip to Perth over 4 weeks I think.
Amazing how much gear they got into/on it

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TurtleHunter said...
yeh this was taken late last year by a UK couple that did the trip to Perth over 4 weeks I think.
Amazing how much gear they got into/on it

Any free' tear aid with that hire

there's a few campers that german guys on holiday just sell to the next german guys on holiday

I think they all advertise on quoka.de or maybe a similar german trading site

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psychojoe said...
there's a few campers that german guys on holiday just sell to the next german guys on holiday

I think they all advertise on quoka.de or maybe a similar german trading site

Don't believe what they say about fuel consumption especially on the Volkswagen

Hey Holger,

some good advice here as usual.

I'd also recommend not to bother with a 4x4. They are only really useful to access remote kite spots, which can be hard to find and pretty much any of the normal kite spots are accessible with a normal car. You don't have to worry about crowds...once you leave the greater Perth area, kite spots are usually pretty quiet and you'll actually be happy to see other kiters there.

Often the difference a 4x4 makes is you can drive directly on the beach as opposed to walking from the car park. As you probably know, hiring a 4x4 is 2 to 3 times more expensive than hiring a van. There are vans you can hire from about $50 a day (Wicked) which are comfortable with everything you need. If you're traveling by yourself you can easily find other kiters to share the trip with.

That being said if you have a $3000 budget to hire a car, then get yourself a Toyota 4x4 camper!

Also, lots of tourists regularly get bogged with 4x4's and rental companies often restrict where you can and can't go...

Regarding wind, my advice is to have flexible plans and make decisions based on the forecast once you get there. February can get very hot sometimes which can mean no wind up North but wind down South...this happens when temperatures reach in excess of 35 degrees, it can really kill the sea breeze, but that means awesome kiting down south.

Some of my favorite places to kite Outside of Perth you'd want to consider:

North:

-Lancelin
-Wedge Island
-Cervanted
-Green head
-Jurien Bay
-Coronation beach
-Shark Bay
-Gnaraloo
-Exmouth

South:

-Yallingup
-Margaret River
-Augusta
-Walpole
-Peaceful Bay
-Denmark
-Albany

air con!

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Troll said...
air con!

And why did no other genius think of that..


Total.necessity in feb in exmouth.
Good stuff
Dont rent a 3000 clapped out **** camper for three weeks like some nice ladies I have seen have .if renting..a nice one like scotts with tear aid or join others or buy and sell

Thanks again for the input and great spot list. I can't wait for February to come...
See u soon.
Cheers!

Great inputs. I was about to start a similar thread, hope the OP doesn't mind me hijacking this one as my topic is very similar :) We have a bit more time to put it mildly. We're planning a trip of a lifetime (for us anyway). Arrival start of October in Perth with a 12 month visa. We're planning to spend as much time kiting the west and south as possible.

1. Anyone know a good camper dealers in/around Perth? Definitely going for 4x4.
2. Best winds in October? North or South of Perth?
3. Cabrinha dealers in Perth - will need some equipment on arrival :)

Our plans head straight up north to Exmouth and start a big lap of the continent counter clockwise from there. Probably staying in WA until around February depending on how the wind seasons develops. Is that the "right direction" for a kiting couple to go :)

Thanks for any help you can offer :)

No
North as said above??
www.kiteaddiction.com.au/

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timmybuddhadude said..
No
North as said above??
www.kiteaddiction.com.au/

Thanks Timmy - I know you said North for February, just wanted to verify what's true for October.

North WA isn't necessarily always the best option in February, however in October it's by far the best option. Sea breezes can be pretty weak or non-existent in October in Perth, but usually it's blowing pretty consistently from the end of September onward in the areas of Gnaraloo, Shark Bay and Exmouth. Going up there in October then starting to drive down towards Perth in November is a great idea.

I found dealers selling 4x4's to be a lot more expensive when shopping around for mine, so I went for private sales. That being said I had 4 vehicles thoroughly inspected by a mechanic before making my final decision. It took a few weeks of shopping around but I saved a bunch of money. Even if dealers offer ''warranties'' they won't be much help when you're 4000km away.

so your coming to australia on an adventure,
whats adventurouse about a 2wd vehicule, yeh you can access the popular spots , is that an adventure ? not in my book
imho a 4wd is a must if you want to access the special spots , get a few crew and get out there, but be prepared

Sorry....!!.. I mean N from.the very start oct...some people do it the other way around and miss the best bits...you'll love it :-)
Ditto cbulota

I always get away in feb and go north,
In 10 years I've never not had an abundance of wind, the best time for fishing is the worst for fishing weather, hot and blowing it's arse off, however depends how far north you go, exmouth and beyond can be a bit iffy IMO but I'd leave that comment to the guys who live up there, local knowledge is best

Thanks for confirming the route guys! So I guess best option is to scan gumtree and www.caravancampingsales.com.au/ for 4x4s I guess :)
Great pics cauncy ;-)