Last 2-3 weeks has been the coldest I can ever remember it in Perth.

Yesterday,with the wind in a SW direction blowing 10-15 knots my fingers started going numb well before 5pm.

When I got out of the water at just after 6pm my fingers were so numb I had trouble turning the key to open the car.

Today,with the wind blowing SW at 15-35 knots on the river,there were only around 5 sailors brave or stupid enough to go out in the most popular spot in Perth. We are all turning into a bunch of pussies

I packed up at 4-30 as I was getting cold again. Put the heater on in the car immediately which seems to be a standard practice these days if you are sailing in Perth.

I guess its caused by global warming - as they tell me that causes global cooling

If the temperature was around the average for this time of year in Perth - that's obviously global warming too.

The kiting fourm is separate dude

I wonder what uncle chop chop would say?

How cold is the water their in Perth?

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Magic Ride said...
How cold is the water their in Perth?

Not very cold at all ?? Now vic or tassie that's cold

North East Scotland - now that was a cold place to windsurf. And we lived in cracks in the pavement.

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Magic Ride said...
How cold is the water their in Perth?

Its not cold pm33 is just soft,

news keep reporting it's coldest winter & spring for 20+yrs. I agree it's too frigging cold in Perth. out at Avalon surfing in head high on a Sunday afternoon only 2 of us out. it was a bloody cold day and water was equal to esperance temps. no mention of of such cold spring conditions in WA tourism brochure.

Easy - buy a decent wettie etc..

Petermac is right.
It has been extremely cold in Perth.
Weather on the weekend was saying it could be the coldest spring for 50 years
It is certainly the coldest winter /spring that I remember and I have been around for 50 years
My fingers were numb yesterday too and I went home because I was too cold. That doesn't happen very often. (should have worn my 5/3 wettie - got sucked in by the early sunshine)
There were a lot more out sailing yesterday, Pete, but most had left earlier because they were so cold or worn out from sailing in the strong and gusty wind.
The water temp doesn't feel any colder than usual although graphs for the ocean say temps are at the low end of the range, but air temps have been very low. We have been lucky to get to an 18 degree max for months now, and most of the time it is around 13 degrees.
Usually the weather starts warming up in August, but here we are nearly October and we are still in a winter pattern.

On the upside, our summer seabreezes for the last few years have suffered because offshore water temps were too high. That is not the case this year, and I am predicting good seabreezes this summer!

Looks like this September has been cooler than normal in Southern WA.

www.weatherzone.com.au/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=9500&list=ds

www.weatherzone.com.au/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=9965&list=ds

www.weatherzone.com.au/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=9977&list=ds

www.weatherzone.com.au/station.jsp?lt=site&lc=9225&list=ds

Sounds like Klamath Lake after the lake melts from the winter freeze. I'm in a 3 mill shorty with a 3 mill full suit over that, with 5 mill gloves, head gear and booties and I'm good. That will get me out in a minimum of 40 degree Fahrenheit water with a minimum air temp of 50 degree Fahrenheit. Our lake is 22 miles long and 15-30 feet deep, so it warms up super fast. Two months later the water is 60 F and and 2 months after that 75 and it's board short season. Just shed my wetsuit gear off as the water warms. Works great ...

+1 for uncle chop chop

been sailing all last week at Sorrento, Port Phillip bay, a balmy 14c water temp, air 12- 16! My 12yo daughter sailing an Opti as well. Feet were cold for a few minutes, but soon warm!

Not sure what you guys in Perth are doing, but down here we wear spray jackets over our wetsuits/ impact vets, makes a huge difference, stops the wind evaporating the water in them and causing more chill. Warm as toast yesterday sailed until about 1730.

The thing about the river and estuary is the difference between the fresh water run off and ocean water. Coming down off the hills where there's been early frosts, is a lot different to ocean water around 20c. So at Liptons only a stones throw from the cut, it depends what the tide is doing and how much rain we've had.

And they reckon I'm soft, I might have to come over for a warm sail

I found Perth too cold in January! That SW gets going and you need to rug up at night.

Sounds like its almost as cold as sailing in TAS ...

when the weather gets tough, the tough get going
you want cold, check out local crazy man - once colder , he rides on top of the ice !!
nothing stops this dude

Now that's bloody hardcore!!!!!!!

we live in Perth for hot windy summers and mild warm winters. We don't live in tas or north pole for a reason. We not polar bears. Come over in the summer and see how long it takes you to moan about the heat and relentless sun.

watching that made me feel instantly warm ...I will never complain again.
even though the water in our area didn't drop below 19 this year .
south wind is always cold .but no ice ...

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decrepit said..
Not sure what you guys in Perth are doing, but down here we wear spray jackets over our wetsuits/ impact vets, makes a huge difference, stops the wind evaporating the water in them and causing more chill. Warm as toast yesterday sailed until about 1730.

The thing about the river and estuary is the difference between the fresh water run off and ocean water. Coming down off the hills where there's been early frosts, is a lot different to ocean water around 20c. So at Liptons only a stones throw from the cut, it depends what the tide is doing and how much rain we've had.

I had on my 3/2 wettie with polypro rash vest underneath, flotation vest , spray jacket, fingerless gloves, neoprene beanie, and booties.
I would have been warm if I had worn my 5/3 smooth skin wettie, but I'd have cooked if the sun had stayed out.

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Simonzee said..
North East Scotland - now that was a cold place to windsurf. And we lived in cracks in the pavement.

ha ha for sure! Used to go uni in Edinburgh...... why I thought it was a good idea to bring my ws kit!!

I've still got my fire going and it's a couple days off October

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penguin said..
we live in Perth for hot windy summers and mild warm winters. We don't live in tas or north pole for a reason. We not polar bears. Come over in the summer and see how long it takes you to moan about the heat and relentless sun.

It's easy to understand why you're moaning about the heat. Maybe you should transfer here and you'll feel much better.

The water temp here is still a cool 21 degrees centigrade, but should rise to 24-25 in a month or two. Trouble is, there is no wind It's easy to buy a thicker wetsuit but can you really survive without any wind? Only the the really privileged get to live where the water is warm all year round while the wind remains above moderate every day.

Lumberjack Wave sailing !

I liked the launch from the Iceberg

Dr. Chop is right

Its because the water temp is LOW and the SE to S wind pattern has started early.
Bodes well for summer so be happy Peter.

You guys are all soft, try sailing on the mid north coast of NSW, I had to wear my long sleeve wetsuit top with my boardies sailing the other day.