I'm a non-local staying at Gosford for a week. Assuming the NE blows tomorrow, which beaches do you recommend?

I've heard Forresters is okay.

How about Umina - does the NE get in there okay? I know the swell will be small, but that's okay as long as there's something since it's a bearaway.

Anywhere else? I don't want to drive too far so Pelos etc. are out.

Doesn't have to be great waveriding, I'd also be happy if I can blast around, get some jumps. And some company would be a bonus.
Thanks for any thoughts.

Toowoon Bay is popular in NE and southerly directions.

Thanks, but Toowoon is further than I wanted to go. I know it's good in a southerly, but I didn't know about NE - do you sail it off the rocks on the other side of the bay?

So back on Umina, it seems like a good setup, and there is a wave today, but I don't even know if people sail there in a NE (I sailed there once in a SSW, almost straight onshore, but really good considering the direction). Does the wind get in okay? How about at the bar - I imagine better waves but worse wind, maybe terrible wind?

Where do the locals sail in a NE on the lower Central Coast? Will there be anyone at Forresters if it blows today? (It's looking less likely despite the good forecast.)

I usually go out at Forresters or Wamberal on NE ( often on my own). if it is good and on weekend there's few ppl out at Forresters.

Never tried Umina on NE but have been on the beach there when there nice wave rolling in and strong NE and it looks sailable (but gusty) . Maybe others have tried.

But this week doesn't look too flash for wind

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LeLex said..
I usually go out at Forresters or Wamberal on NE ( often on my own). if it is good and on weekend there's few ppl out at Forresters.

Was going to suggest Wamberal for ocean sailing. It can get a heavy shore break very quickly though. When I lived there Forresters would always have a lot of even in a strong NEer which made it off-limits.

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stehsegler said..

LeLex said..
I usually go out at Forresters or Wamberal on NE ( often on my own). if it is good and on weekend there's few ppl out at Forresters.

Was going to suggest Wamberal for ocean sailing. It can get a heavy shore break very quickly though. When I lived there Forresters would always have a lot of even in a strong NEer which made it off-limits.

For Wamberal you need to walk north of the lagoon entrance towards the little rocky outcrop and shorebreak is a lot more manageable there!
"Forresters...always have a lot of ??" ..current? shorebreak? sand flying in your eyes? dogs?

I have sailed Umina in a NE and it was fun. It is a little weird as the wind is very off shore when you a riding a wave but definitely worth a try.

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LeLex said..

"Forresters...always have a lot of ??" ..current? shorebreak? sand flying in your eyes? dogs?

Stupid MacBook Pro keyboard strikes again... meant to say "It had a lot of surfers on the wave even in a strong NE."

It's my last day here and it looks like it's finally going to blow NE.
There's still a small wave at Umina so I'm heading there now.

Thanks for the advice and hopefully I'll have something interesting to report.

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Cluffy said..
Toowoon Bay is popular in NE and southerly directions.

Anyone else sailing here tomorrow? I'm a non local hoping to borrow some gear from a friend. Wondering if I'll have people to sail with .. ?

Also what's the deal with not letting us drive down to the bottom car park. Is it like this all summer or just weekends?

Mission accomplished. It was only 10 knots and thigh high on the sets but otherwise as good as I hoped.
I started at the easternmost surf club (those two similar clubs only 500m apart must have caused some confusion and arguments "but I was there waiting for you") which in in the middle of the beach then sailed my way upwind to the bar (far eastern end of beach), getting bearaways all the way up. The wind, which was cross-shore then to 30 degrees off at the bar, was hardly any gustier than an onshore at an open beach, apart from when I headed south out to the bar and it dropped to almost calm for 10 minutes, not sure if it was the hill upwind or the whole beach died, I think a bit of both, strange one ...

Nice, smooth little bearaways, breaking far out for their size. Similar to Merimbula.