I am at Balmoral. It is nice. Reeeeal nice. No planes. No mud. I think I can handle the parking fees.

Where is the best spot to
launch from?

How did you go? I was on a yacht sailing near there and it looked busy, choppy and not particularly windy.

Meh, did some gardening instead.

I'm sure I've asked this question here before, but never sailed it proper.

Balmoral is great in a NEer. However, pick your times as Middle Harbour is a busy spot. 6pm on a Sunday night seems to be my favorite time.

The Northern end is an easy launch but only legal past the rocks. If you are on a Slalom Board this is the go!

Launching from the sailing club is possible, but you have to deal with moored boats and gusty conditions while you sail through to open water. Easy on a race, wally or formula board.

Hope to see you out there.

Ah. I lie. I remember now I have sailed it once, in (too) light conditions, and had a terrible time flailing around the moored boats.

When you say "north of the rocks," do you mean north of Rocky Point Island (there are lot of little bunnies on there, serious), or north of the rocks at the beach north of that, which looks very tight, but doable?

www.google.com/maps/@-33.8237675,151.2560387,1274m/data=!3m1!1e3

Also, I saw a whale out near the lighthouse once. Again, seriously. (Bunnies and whales does sound crazy).

I'll be on FSW gear, although I'm considering going back to something blastier.

On that map, zoom into street view at very northern end of The Esplanade. That is me rigging up on the grass. The section of parking is still free of charge there, and you launch from straight in front on the beach. Don't be hanging around uphauling and gybing in with the swimmers of course, get in and go, swim out if it's busy.

Doesn't get anything like the noreasters of the 80's and 90's now though, apparently none of Sydney metro does. I've seen plenty of dolphins, and last year a turtle off the Navy base. I'm back in Sydney for a few weeks, so hoping to get back out there soon.

Yesterday afternoon was great. Easy parking, 5 boards out.

Would have been fun picking your way through the moored boats at the launch

Takes 5 minutes and you're out. Worse is coming back in when you're tired and it's shifty & gusty. Haven't hit any bow sprits, outboard motor legs or barnacled buoys in a while, touch wood.

I used live just up road and sailed the NE'r often in its hey day. The easiest launch was off the north end of the beach, illegal but no one seemed to mind. As long as you stay out once launched
Or if you go the other end near the sailing club in low tide you could almost walkout or swim adjacent to the rocks, easier than picking your way through the moored boats.