Hi guys,

I've recently moved to Australia (Sydney) from England and decided to take advice from this forum on a good flat water spot.

So I went to Botany (Keeymeagh??) near the airport on Sunday for an afternoon blast.

Did I go to the wrong place?

After not being able to park for 30 minutes I finally snagged a spot but the only thing I saw there were a couple of hundred jetskis trying to kill each other and all those swimming close to shore!!

I made the mistake of trying to ask a couple of them if they knew where people windsurfed and "not f*&cking 'ere anymore!!!" was the response?

Welcome to Australia

I did see a couple of guys sailing or should I say dicing with death but decided to give it a miss.

At work I mentioned this to some colleagues and they all laughed, described perfectly the individuals & all others being idiots sight unseen (fully sick??? whatever that means) and asked why I would want to go to there anyway....

Have I got there right place?

Cheers,

David M

Wait for it!!!!

It was the worst parking I've ever seen there, and also the most jet skis I've ever seen as well.

Perfect summer weather on a Sunday arvo. That's what to expect nowadays.

I was amazed. I got there about 5:30 or 6pm. Heaps of traffic and no parking. The place is now super busy like St tropez France except its ugly in comparison. Why would go there unless you wsurf or kite. The water was still dirty from the rain. And the smell of the airport and noise of the freeway. Anyway have a awesome sail and no jetski traffic that late.

Love hooning down the runway, I'll be back

Welcome to Oz .you will come across a lot of those motorised bikes on water parking will be a nitemare but plenty of freindly sail boarders.the wind will come soon shortly after this hot spell.expect a seebreeze from 10 to 25 knots later in the week. Dave if you are a keen sailor & dont mine chop try kurnell across the bay.better of driving there to launch.bit of a hike.not as many of those blowflys (jet ski).

There were heaps out sailing, so I imagine you got there a bit too early if you only saw a couple of boards on the water. The wind didn't come in until late so most of us were sitting around waiting till 4 or 5. Yes, there's heaps of jetski hoons and associated tools in the carpark. We need more parking. Fortunately, I live 10 minutes away so I drop my car there in the morning if I think the wind is going to be good in the afternoon then my wife drops me there later If that's not possible, then you just have to get there about 11 and wait the arvo out... sometimes it pays off, other times it's a fail, but it's always good to just hangout and yarn with the locals.

Sorry you had a sh1t first experience with Kyeemagh and Australia's multi-cultural population, but it is worth going back for another try. It's a fantastic spot in a Nor'Easter (no good for any other direction really). Saturdays are typically far less busy and during the week is sweet.

Again the Botany Bay water police, number is 0418 221 100.
Ring ,they have been responding.
Sundays are the worst for jetskis and parking,its pretty much ok the rest of the week.
Nothing like a good old southerly to keep them away.

You picked a really bad day!! I sail there fairly regularly and Sunday was the worst experience I have had for parking and jet ski traffic. I had to wait about 20-30 minutes to get a parking spot. Once on the water it was busy near the beach, but once out over the other side, it was fine. I tended to stay well away from the beach and had no real jet ski problems... except one when I was returning. A jet ski flies upwind so I bear off to go behind him. He then spins 180 degrees and comes out at full noise straight at me. He did see me and back off but gave me a fright!

Thanks for getting back to me guys, much appreciated.

From the looks of things;

A) It seems I was in the right place if not a little prematurely..... (hence only a couple of guys out)
B) The parking was catastrophic even as far as regulars are concerned
C) The jetskis are a problem (as are their owners) but Sunday was as bad as it has ever been

I'll be back as soon as its on again and I'll be more selective with whom I start a conversation

Will Saturday's southerly offer any opportunity there? or nearby?

I look forward to meeting some of you in the near future.

Cheers,

Dave

Southerlies are a whole different kettle of fish. Drive to the end of Bestic St, and then south along the little road that runs along the water until just before it reaches the main road again. There'll be guys there, and there is nice grass to rig on.

In a decent southerly quite a swell builds up on the bay, and as it reflects off the beach you get a lot of crisscrossing swell patterns that rise and fall. Lot's of opportunities for jumping, and not a time for clocking GPS PB's.

The NE winds often come in quite late and can sometimes blow well past 7pm. On a real busy Sunday, I will often wait until 5pm, when there is a better chance of getting a park, and still get a good hour or two of sailing in.

Wanda was really busy also, the worst I have seen it. The crowds are always amplified on the first hot day after a period of average weather. The time of year also doesn't help.

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slalomfreak said..
?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=FMLHpZhmgF64jlRNzBuivgBHELVmLsIX1oQ01ZodNp%2FBLA2%2BTF%2BmEgGCD03q5BiT ]
These signs were very prominent along the bay foreshore about 10-15 years ago but disappeared one day.
Need them back,right?
Who do we report shark sighting to?

Third time lucky?

www.gettyimages.com.au/

The link may work

Not sure why its illegal to sell stuff from a boat. It would be pretty good to buy food or beverages on the water.

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Mobydisc said..
Not sure why its illegal to sell stuff from a boat. It would be pretty good to buy food or beverages on the water.

Might attract a shark..


Last Sunday was not a good day, I didnt expect much at the beginning

1. Wind comes really late, so no point of coming at 11am
2. Water is choppy before 6pm, I cannot go full speed blasting before 6pm. After 6pm, I blasted a few runs flat water
3. I come at 4pm to wait 30 minutes for parking to avoid jet ski and hoping to find a spot to park. Sunset is 8pm on summer, and normally strong wind is coming after 4pm

This should be what you should prepare in a good day.
1. Winds come at 2pm, strongest wind starting from 4pm
2. Come to park at before 12pm. Sunday parking spots will be gone at 1pm


I will only call the police if the jet ski do a lot of circles. This is public water. If everyone behave, I wont have a word

By law, they can only do straight line within 200m to the shore, from my understanding

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Dave001 said..
Thanks for getting back to me guys, much appreciated.

From the looks of things;

A) It seems I was in the right place if not a little prematurely..... (hence only a couple of guys out)
B) The parking was catastrophic even as far as regulars are concerned
C) The jetskis are a problem (as are their owners) but Sunday was as bad as it has ever been

I'll be back as soon as its on again and I'll be more selective with whom I start a conversation

Will Saturday's southerly offer any opportunity there? or nearby?

I look forward to meeting some of you in the near future.

Cheers,

Dave

Mate, like Harrow said, Bestic Street is the place to launch from in a Southerly. You'll see a pile of Powersloshin's gear on the side of the road (council pick up style) and that's where you want to launch from. Generally only a few out in a Southerly as it tends to get pretty rough. Still most are on slalom gear though. If it's over 25knts small waves start to break on the shore and the swell at the runway will be waist high+. Down further, at Georges River, it's bit more manageable, but not nearly as consistent. Again, it doesn't get very busy here in a Southerly because of the rough water, but it's a bit flatter. If the forecast remains strong for later in the week, there'll definitely be a few of us sailing at the river. Here's some footage of the river from last week:

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Dave001 said..
Thanks for getting back to me guys, much appreciated.

From the looks of things;

A) It seems I was in the right place if not a little prematurely..... (hence only a couple of guys out)
B) The parking was catastrophic even as far as regulars are concerned
C) The jetskis are a problem (as are their owners) but Sunday was as bad as it has ever been

I'll be back as soon as its on again and I'll be more selective with whom I start a conversation

Will Saturday's southerly offer any opportunity there? or nearby?

I look forward to meeting some of you in the near future.

Cheers,

Dave

I've been windsurfing a year now in Sydney and never have seen anything like it. It was the first time that I did not get parking when windsurfing, not just the weather but the end of school holidays might have been the cause, too. I went to Kurnell instead.

Also at a superficial glance from the car it seemed that a lot of "wogs" were around who brought their jetskis and not all of them are necessarily known to be always friendly. So don't be bummed out that they did not want to have a friendly conversation about windsurfing locations.

Southerlies are class and no swimmers and jetskis around. Park just opposite before the Shell station a bit further down from the northerly parking spot in K. (noone can spell that).

Nice vid Nigei,but wheres the stack?

Will it be on this arvo??

Nice Video Nigel