Had a call from the EPO officer last week asking questions about the lake ...then these signs have appeared...apparently a visiting windsurfer put a complaint into the council about the water quality.....

anyway don't drink the water ....

I know whenever I took in a mouth full accidently it would take me about 5 mins to feel well enough to keep going.. Didn't take long to learn to not take any in.. Must be getting worse as the lake gets shallower.

Allergic to speed ?

I promise the day I do 40 knots will drink a mouthfull and have a mud bath

A windsurfer visiting complained about the water quality?

This issue would be easily solved. If you don't like the water quality go home.

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Mobydisc said..
A windsurfer visiting complained about the water quality?

This issue would be easily solved. If you don't like the water quality go home.

Think they did..

Why would anyone drink the water being windsurfed in

exactly!!!!!!!!

No problems it is much easier to drink beer any how , love the spot and hope to be back next year , happy days

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Dezza said..
Why would anyone drink the water being windsurfed in

I did the first day..the mud etc on the fin makes the board spin into the wind or go sideways while trying to waterstart and I'd end up under the sail pushed down under the water with a mouthful of LG water....ugh..needless to say it didn't take me long to find out how to avoid that! Then it's great!
Looking forward to sailing the lake when it's nice and clean and flat..

Considering I've sailed twice in fresh water in around 25 odd years of sailing I tend to not purposely drink the water I sail in, but $%&T happens sometimes. TIP - When you shut your eyes to brace for impact, SHUT YOUR MOUTH ALSO!

Every on of the many sailors there would have ingested at least some of the water. The vast majority of us are perfectly OK.

I went round the front in a big way down near the islands (Jamie reckoned it was a 9) and got a full on nasal cleansing and swallowed lots. Like Mark said, beer is the best antidote.

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ka43 said..
I went round the front in a big way down near the islands (Jamie reckoned it was a 9) and got a full on nasal cleansing and swallowed lots. Like Mark said, beer is the best antidote.

Isn't it salty anyway?....come on guys...

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ka43 said..
I went round the front in a big way down near the islands (Jamie reckoned it was a 9) and got a full on nasal cleansing and swallowed lots. Like Mark said, beer is the best antidote.

Ditto. I obviously did not drink enough beer as I was ill for over a week when I returned - then again it could have been the shock of having to retrun to work!

The most annoying bit is the "nose juice" that flows out over the next few days...

Yup.. saw the same notice near the locked gate out to the spit when we were there last week...I think we all had a few tastes of the goodness whilst we were there...didn't get sick though...love that place even though we didn't get to sail it at its best

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TheSailingMoose said..
Isn't it salty anyway?....come on guys...

Pool of Silom( ??) a local tourist attraction at Beachport is supposed to be 7 x saltier than seawater so I assume Lake George would be similar..

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sboardcrazy said..

TheSailingMoose said..
Isn't it salty anyway?....come on guys...

Pool of Silom( ??) a local tourist attraction at Beachport is supposed to be 7 x saltier than seawater so I assume Lake George would be similar..

I know the lake water stung my eyes much worse than sea water. Its no big secret is it? You drive over a dried up salt pan of a lake to get to half the launch areas, a dried up salt pan that is quite visible from Google Earth or showing on any other map. The water never going to be as pleasant as the water in Lake Jindabyne or the ocean. It is what it is.

Lucky our gear isn't made out of concrete and steel

"Acid sulfate soils are naturally occurring soils which form in waterlogged areas, in the presence of iron, sulfide and organic material. Acid sulfate soils are harmless when covered with water. If exposed to air, through excavation or drainage, they react with oxygen to form sulfuric acid in the soil matrix. This acid, and the associated metals which are released, can be toxic to the marine and freshwater plants and animals, contaminate water supplies and corrode concrete and steel."

Out of interest is LG more fresh water or is it extremely salty? If salty then maybe not an acid sulfate issue.

Very salty Snags, stings like buggery in your eyes.

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ka43 said..
Very salty Snags, stings like buggery in your eyes.

I found I had to gulp heaps of fresh water from my camel back everytime I swallowed some LG water just to help feel a bit better..

I read some stuff in an exhibit at the local museum in beachport re the salinity of the coastal lakes west of beachport. Lake Eliza and Lake St Clair were classified as super saline and lake George is classified esturine. LG is the only lake of the three can can be open to the sea, however I don't think the channel has been open for a number of years. LG was definitely saltier than the sea, my board felt more boyant, the water and spray stung my eyes and nasal cavities. However, being really salty is an advantage, given the thousands of birds that frequent and use the lake as their rersonal toilet. Salt is a natural anticeptic and reduces the potential microbes from the bird poo.

Doesn't it sound fabulous! But as Moby says - it is what it is - which also includes good strong wind and flat water.

By the way, I don't think the white is a salt pan. I think it's more of a clayey sand made from the local limestone.

I don't think it would matter what was in the water... I still would be ;)

We had some great sailing at boggy sailing twice in great conditions... The fresh water of boggy was nice but I would wade through the mud for LG any day

We got 3 great sessions in different wind directions on LG with day 1 being the magical SE woth some bonus "glossy"! Back on the boat over the river now. Thanks everyone for your help and hospitality....got 8 pb's between the "4" of us and had a heap of fun just cruising around when it was a bit lighter..sometimes planning in 8 knots... Got no right but was.... Will be back for sure!



[;

)]

Well said boys, LG is a great place and we will be back next year.

Ditto Geoff, I'll definitely be back, LG is a top spot! I can't believe a windsurfer would complain about the water quality... Obviously someone that didn't get a swag of PB's!

You cant be serious Andy, every day I came home with a rash on my face, any sores got infected, and wallowing around in that bird**** filled water you get it up your nose. Its not a pleasant place to sail, the only reason people go there is to get Pbs there incapable of getting in there home area. As I questioned several sailors if you didn't have a GT31 glued to your arm would you sail here, response 'Probably Not'

I love the place, even when it is so different this year! At it's best, the Lake is uniquely exquisite.

The mud does not bother me at all.

The water is fine because I don't ingest it.

I had no issues with medical things, but then again, I played in the dirt a lot when I was a Kid and swum it lots of farm dams!

I go there because it is really fun sailing with regular steady winds and flattish water. Plus there were many like minded windsurfers to hang out with.

I can also go faster there over a NM and 1 hr than at home, but probably very unlikely that I will ever get a 2sec, 10 sec, 5x10 sec PB there.

I would go there to sail even if I didn't have a GPS.

Why else would I have stayed there for about 6 weeks of the summer and loved ever minute?

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Hroar said..
You cant be serious Andy, every day I came home with a rash on my face, any sores got infected, and wallowing around in that bird**** filled water you get it up your nose. Its not a pleasant place to sail, the only reason people go there is to get Pbs there incapable of getting in there home area. As I questioned several sailors if you didn't have a GT31 glued to your arm would you sail here, response 'Probably Not'

Look on the bright side at least your immune system will be stronger now.

I wasn't there this year, but from the 2 previous years when my wife and I were. I'd definitely go several KM to sail there no matter, maybe not from the other side of Aus, as we have some nice flat spots here as well.
My wife loved sailing there, and she certainly doesn't wear a GPS, some of the best sails I had were in lighter wind, with square Kms of absolutely glassy water, not conditions to bet PBs in, just loads of fun!
As with Andrew, neither of us were affected by the water. We have a supper saline lake here that's far far worse than that, and I'd still sail there without a GPS

its hard to put a cat back in the bag....