Hi all

I'm getting back into windsurfing after a long break from the sport (injuries & general life got in the way).
I wanted to start a general discussion on the best flat water sailing spots within a couple of hours drive from brissie.

I used to sail at golden beach & the smith st carpark on the broadwater but both of those locations have changed significantly over the years due to sand banks & the number of other vessels using the waterways.

Would love to hear your collective thoughts (& a rating out of 5) on the best places to go in different wind conditions. For example I went to the noosa river between the boat sheds for the day recently but the wind was light N.E (10kn at a guess), the current was strong, there was heaps of boat traffic, it was hard to get a park, there were no showers & no taps to wash gear with that I could see, so for light wind sailing in a N.E. I would give it a 1 out of 5.

I was thinking that if I get a good enough response I will put together a visitors guide to sailing in S.E. Qld & reacquaint myself with the best spots to try too.

Thanks
Mark

Pretty hard to beat Lake C or Lake W for 'getting back into it' both offer safe shallow waters with little tide/current/waves/boating traffic to be concerned about , generally both work in our common SE/NE winds

Yes I need the guide ready for March/April 2018. Thank you in advance.

Select to expand quote

BSN101 said..
Yes I need the guide ready for March/April 2018. Thank you in advance.

Will see what response i get BSN. As Jonesy says, lake cootharaba is pretty cool to sail & about 20mins from noosa too.

From South to Lotta Creek

Yamba, just inside the river mouth, great in a NEer behind the mid channel rock wall, can be gusty. 3 hrs south of Bris

Ballina, again inside the river mouth, works in a SEer, is gusty, 2 hrs south of Bris

The Train Broadwater, boat ramp opposite the end of the Smith St motorway. Works in both SE and NE, 1 hr south of Bris

The Grand Broadwater, boat ramp opposite the The a Grand Hotel. Works in SSE to S

Snipe Island, about a km east of Redland. You need a boat to get there. Works in NW to W at low tide

Amity banks, sand banks about 1km west of Amity. You need a boat to get there. Many channels to choose from depending on Wind direction. Works in S to SE

Couchiemudlow banks, just north of Victoria Pt, Works in SE. Needs a very low tide. Accessed from Victoria Pt

Cox Bank, between Couchiemudlow island and Thornlands, you rig at the end of Carolena St and walk your gear through the park to the gap in the mangroves. Works in SE, from mid tide to low. It's best to launch and come home at mid tide. The mud at low tide at the launch point is epic.

Wellington Point Jetty, east side of the point. Works in ESE to SSE. At low tide you bear away after the second Chanel marker. From mid tide, you can work up to the south. Into the bay. There is reasonable flat water in the shallows

Wellington Pt, west side, works from E to NE from low to 3/4 tide. The go to spot for big NEers in Brisbane

Lotta Creek, accessed either from the esplanade at Lotta or across Waterloo bay from Wello. Best in NNE to N at a low tide, less than 0.8

Select to expand quote

John340 said..
From South to Lotta Creek

Yamba, just inside the river mouth, great in a NEer behind the mid channel rock wall, can be gusty. 3 hrs south of Bris

Ballina, again inside the river mouth, works in a SEer, is gusty, 2 hrs south of Bris

The Train Broadwater, boat ramp opposite the end of the Smith St motorway. Works in both SE and NE, 1 hr south of Bris

The Grand Broadwater, boat ramp opposite the The a Grand Hotel. Works in SSE to S

Snipe Island, about a km east of Redland. You need a boat to get there. Works in NW to W at low tide

Amity banks, sand banks about 1km west of Amity. You need a boat to get there. Many channels to choose from depending on Wind direction. Works in S to SE

Couchiemudlow banks, just north of Victoria Pt, Works in SE. Needs a very low tide. Accessed from Victoria Pt

Cox Bank, between Couchiemudlow island and Thornlands, you rig at the end of Carolena St and walk your gear through the park to the gap in the mangroves. Works in SE, from mid tide to low. It's best to launch and come home at mid tide. The mud at low tide at the launch point is epic.

Wellington Point Jetty, east side of the point. Works in ESE to SSE. At low tide you bear away after the second Chanel marker. From mid tide, you can work up to the south. Into the bay. There is reasonable flat water in the shallows

Wellington Pt, west side, works from E to NE from low to 3/4 tide. The go to spot for big NEers in Brisbane

Lotta Creek, accessed either from the esplanade at Lotta or across Waterloo bay from Wello. Best in NNE to N at a low tide, less than 0.8

thanx john thats pretty comprehensive info.
mark

Thompson street at Victoria point is good in a SE'ly, only works 2 hrs each side of high tide. Its on shore so you're only a couple of hundred meters out sailing parallel to the beach, which is good if you are getting back into it.

As previously mention above lake Weyba (best in a SE'er) and Lake Cootharaba. Bit of a drive from Brisbane but worth it for the easy parking and lack of crowds.

Wellington point is one of the best spots around but parking is bad on the weekends.

Three other spots on the opposite side of Waterloo Bay to Wello that seems to attract quote a few sailors are Wynnum Creek in a NE, and Northern side of the Manly Boat Harbour off the Rock Wall or Southern Side of the Boat Harbour out the front of RQYS in both NE and SE. Bit off a walk for all three at low tide but that's just Moreton bay

Thanx guys
keep the info comming

Dunno if anyone mentioned golden beach? Some jet ski n boats a bit, currents and sandbanks, but plenty of wind there and very flat...

Cotton tree and north shore on a Easterly wind, sand banks and a few SUP but gushing winds and nice flat waters...

I live up the range myself and sometimes go to Baroon pocket, but only if a lot of wind is predicted, as there is usually less than what they say, before a storm it's great. No boats, no sand, no one actually you can have the whole place to yourself. Free bbq, h2o and heaps of parking. Big lake, usually more wind on the N.Maleny side...

Send me a copy of your book, I'd like to see that.

Select to expand quote

waytata said..
Dunno if anyone mentioned golden beach? Some jet ski n boats a bit, currents and sandbanks, but plenty of wind there and very flat...

Cotton tree and north shore on a Easterly wind, sand banks and a few SUP but gushing winds and nice flat waters...

I live up the range myself and sometimes go to Baroon pocket, but only if a lot of wind is predicted, as there is usually less than what they say, before a storm it's great. No boats, no sand, no one actually you can have the whole place to yourself. Free bbq, h2o and heaps of parking. Big lake, usually more wind on the N.Maleny side...

Send me a copy of your book, I'd like to see that.

Thx Waytata, wouldn't mind trying Baroon Pocket when the wind is strong. Which is the best wind direction, Westerly?
thx, Pete

Baroon Pocket looks cool nice tip. Which side do you park on. I'm guessing N. Maleny side?

Burrum Heads, particularly when tides are below 1.0m. Ideal in SSE to ESE. Long flatwater runs.