Given the long weekends forecast of +20Kt SE and low tides in the early afternoon of Sunday and Monday, what would be the optimum time to sail the speed bank between Thompson's and Coochiemudlo Island on Sunday and Monday?

Is there anyone else from the Morton Bay Mob interested in sailing the speed bank this weekend?

low tide is optimal. there is also a bank half way there that can sometimes cause issue with longer fins at low tide.

the bank is lots of fun but went out of favour after a couple of the guys on a couple of times had to swim back on dusk because the wind can be a bit flukey sometimes. if you take a slightly bigger board it rocks!

not sure if you've sailed there before but best tip is to head upwind on your way there and on your way back just in case the weind direction shifts and you can't make it in one tack. it's a pain to have to sail al the way to coochie and tack to make the bank.

on the way back heading upwind helps you make the point at thomsons with the mangroves on it if the wind backs off a little.

great memories

I've sailed to the bank once in June last year. I agree it would not be much fun getting back to Thompsons beach with no wind.

The low tide for Monday is forecast at 12.50pm at 0.71m. How many hrs either side of low tide will the bank work?

Dont sail too close to the bank, it is very shallow in a few spots depending on the tide I normally leave about 5 m

i remember that day. good fun. I brought two mates up from the gold coast - a kiter and a windsurfer. They are the ones who ended up running into each other. We ended up having to bring BJ ( the kiter) back on the front of a formula board...not an easy sail.
Both blokes were good sports about the collision - i was thankful for this during the one hour drive home.

Don't run into the 757. hmmm... maybe ... no ... flight 707?

Ok I must be a little retarded as I can't work out where this speed run is you are talking about. I like the video and it looks good for some flat water but can someone put a picture up where you go and when exactly is good and bad for the tide. I looked at Jarrafe's tracks from yesterday (and laughed when I spotted the plane) but couldn't work out a sandbank for speed.

Look forward to joining others there on Sunday if it's a good spot.

Cheers
Marty

Yeah I remember that day, plenty of non dolphin fins about, water starts were super quick lol.

I wouldn't bother going. Too many sharks. Also, word is that the SWAT team may be there... All of them...

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MartinF2 said..

Ok I must be a little retarded as I can't work out where this speed run is you are talking about. I like the video and it looks good for some flat water but can someone put a picture up where you go and when exactly is good and bad for the tide. I looked at Jarrafe's tracks from yesterday (and laughed when I spotted the plane) but couldn't work out a sandbank for speed.

Look forward to joining others there on Sunday if it's a good spot.

Cheers
Marty

I don't know how many hours either side of low the bank is exposed for, at least 2.
The only difficulty with low tide is that you have to schlep your gear about 250m to get to the water.
The wind there is somewhat perturbed by Macleay Is. Wind is a bit better at Wello but the water's not as smooth.

Thanks for the info.

Sunday is Slalom racing with the Bayside crew, so if the wind still around, who is interested in giving the bank a go on Monday from 11.00 to 3.00?

Thanks for the picture and lines. It's very different to what I looked at on Google Earth. Now where is the local Greg to give us tide info.....
Cheers
Marty

Tide info is on Seabreeze. Low tide on Monday is 1.00pm at 0.71m. I.E if we sail 2 hrs either side of low then we sail from 11 to 3. Who is interested?

I have never sailed there, might come and check it out on Monday

Caution towards reddy bay as there is a tree/log which only gets exposed around half tide could be dangerous to someone. It's about 80m up from the channel markers . I'm keen over the next 3 days not sure if this low tide will be low enough for the bank?? Wind may be up after 2:30 today :). May see a few out

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MartinF2 said..

Thanks for the picture and lines. It's very different to what I looked at on Google Earth. Now where is the local Greg to give us tide info.....
Cheers
Marty

If you want to find sand banks you can step back through the photo history on Google Earth.

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jarrafe said..

Caution towards reddy bay as there is a tree/log which only gets exposed around half tide could be dangerous to someone. It's about 80m up from the channel markers . I'm keen over the next 3 days not sure if this low tide will be low enough for the bank?? Wind may be up after 2:30 today :). May see a few out

Do you mean the channel markers for the creek near Thompson's Beach? Do you mean 80m up the channel?

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NotWal said..

MartinF2 said..

Thanks for the picture and lines. It's very different to what I looked at on Google Earth. Now where is the local Greg to give us tide info.....
Cheers
Marty

If you want to find sand banks you can step back through the photo history on Google Earth.

Thanks again. I have no idea how to do that sorry so I do appreciate you posting the picture up.
Cheers
Marty

So ..... It was seen above the whole market set. Like the vicinity where the boats Moore but opposite the creek mouth or before! I didn't sail that high today so didn't see if it was still there :). With more east tomorrow may see it

The bank only really works on 0.6 and less tide so not much good this weekend.

Thanks Vando
Looks like the east side of wello is the go.
See you at the Bayside racing tomorrow

Can I bring my kite

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vando said..

The bank only really works on 0.6 and less tide so not much good this weekend.

Thanks. I'll try to remember that

GeoGeo and I had a great sail there yesterday, first time for me. To be honest it was the best session we'd had for ages. Great to have a nice log run to the island and back, had some drag races and by 3:30 we were had it (bunch of other sailors turned up but the wind started to drop). The walk back from the water but well worth it. We noticed the sand bank but we were both wary of not knowing the location so avoided it this time round. Seemed that the best way to get out to it was to perhaps land on the island and walk up to the bank (maybe for us upwind challenged guys anyway).

Cant wait to get back there again, great rigging conditions and parking with no boats to worry about and lots of room for everyone.

Yep, as Tilldark commented, that was a great day. I was there only once before, 2 years ago when I learned to use foot straps. So much better than Shearwater GC at least for slalom gear. But I have to admit, I have to thank to Shearwater conditions; boats, kites, bigger boats again, gusts and steep messy chops for good preparation. Vic point felt like paradise. Shearwater GC might have a nicer water but the boat traffic over the weekend ruins any slalom sessions. Can't wait to sail at Vic/p again. I also like the fact that there seems to be quite a few guys on slalom gear so there is always someone to join.

Wow Goldy must be real bad then if you think VP is good

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tilldark said..

GeoGeo and I had a great sail there yesterday, first time for me. To be honest it was the best session we'd had for ages. Great to have a nice log run to the island and back, had some drag races and by 3:30 we were had it (bunch of other sailors turned up but the wind started to drop). The walk back from the water but well worth it. We noticed the sand bank but we were both wary of not knowing the location so avoided it this time round. Seemed that the best way to get out to it was to perhaps land on the island and walk up to the bank (maybe for us upwind challenged guys anyway).

Cant wait to get back there again, great rigging conditions and parking with no boats to worry about and lots of room for everyone.

Nice to meet you yesterday, Kurt and George, you looked to be having a ball when I arrived. I haden't sailed VP for awhile however I've always enjoyed sailing there and found both Kiters and Windsurfers friendly.
I will sail there more often in Soueasters.
Cheers

I was out yesterday, you gents were on severnes chasing eachother and having a ball! You gents tempted us.... Haha.... As we got out you guys came in.
Wind was terrible compared to the previous days I hope to get there more often if the wind is up over 20 and there's a filling tide..... Nice off the wind runs from reddy bay to the markers on Thompsons main beach. Great to see maybe 10 out and some learners out the back.

Nice to meet you both, jarrafe and later on KevB. I'm sure I'll see you soon again, with another 2 GC guys who are keen. I thought that wind was pretty good, it picked up about 1.30 pm for an hour or so. Plus nice flat water in front of the main beach.

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vando said..

Wow Goldy must be real bad then if you think VP is good

I think it's pretty bad for slalom sailing, especially over the weekends. There're so many boats, it's unreal. They're now anchoring even in the main channels. There is nothing worse then 45+ foot sailing catamaran or houseboat parking right in the middle where you sail. Then your 200m run suddenly becomes only 100m one. As soon as you hook in it's time to stand up, pass the boat, be hit by gust and then to think about jibe. It's a good exercise but that's about all. And I don't really like the Train. I don't see much point of going for 50m flat water run and hope for the gust. Not even mentioning number of kites around Shearwater.