Tempted to go to my favorite Shearwater spot after forced rain and no wind break but wonder what is my chance of:
-getting sick after soaking in this brown sup
-striking floating debris
Are there any reports about water quality on Gold Coast?
How long it usually takes for the water to clear after similar rainy events?

in Melbourne they call this algae, but if think it is just dirt and mud and overflow effluent from storm water pipes spiting everything on the beach
www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/bay-beach-problems-roll-on-with-algae-warning-20120129-1qo12.html

Went for a sail for a couple of hours at KFC today. The water is clean as far floating debris etc just still off colour. You can't see the sand banks like usual so you have to know pretty much exactly where you are in relation to them. Other than that the wind was OK, stronger than expected, with some holes in it. I managed to plane on every run most of the way across except the last one where i chugged back and packed up. I love Shearwater too but not so much in N-NE. It's starting to clean up at Shearwater "a little" on high tide incoming tides only. I'm not too worried about getting sick from the water it's so close to the ocean and still salty so i recon you will be ok.

It looks like Moreton Bay.

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evlPanda said...

It looks like Moreton Bay.

That's true i didn't think of that it's just that we are spoilt down here with the water quality we normally have. No-one gets sick in Moreton Bay most of the time can't see why it would be any different here

last summer I hit something big just under the water in brown flood conditions at shearwater. It was a big log under the water very heavy - tore my fin off and damaged the board as the fin smashed out of the box - it snapped my knee backwards in the strap and I was hobbling for teh rest of the month. Not such a fan of post flood conditions now, (pun intended ! lol)

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evlPanda said...

It looks like Moreton Bay.

Moreton Bay is currently the colour of the river in Willie Wonkas Chocolate factory.

people have often sailed shortly after these types of rains (at the gc). i've never heard of anyone ever getting crook from it. I don't think i'd be too worried.

but you can go first

I went out friday in the rain. Logs and crap everywhere. I saw 20 odd thongs. The water tasted so fresh and felt soft under my board, hard to explain but you have to experience it yourself.

Ive beeN out yesterday and today and its back to normal just a little brown. No logs except behind a houseboat

did u used it as a slider?

that's a great pic btw

It wouldnt worry me if the wind was good enough, yes there will be rubbish in the water both bacteria and debris but thats the chance you take, usually after 4 or 5 tide changes you will see a vast improvement after rain.

When the dam wall was lower at Hinze, if it was spilling over it could stay murky for weeks, i was at Hinze on Sunday and its about 4mtrs from spilling so you havent got that continous flow.

Wind looks dodgy for s few days anyway, i think Monday was possible but only just

Thanks justin, ofcoarse i used it as a slider.
Haha im pretty sure i cringed everytime something tapped my new board.

hey guys, funnily enough i was just about to start a thread on water quality. i was sailing 2 weekends ago at beachmere, having a good sesh on 5.0/freestyle board but as soon as i fell off i felt slight tinge on any open wound.

it's now a week and a half later and i am pretty sure i have some kind of infection / tropical infection because the wounds won't heal and they've been weeping.

so just a heads up as im going to see the docs tomorrow.

anyone else have the same?

Sea ulcer. Same as a coral cut style infection. Had one on my foot from a blister, everytime you get in the water it gets deeper.
Bedadine afterwards and try keep it dry. Started healing straight away

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Troyrotor said...

Sea ulcer. ... keep it dry.

that is cool advice for commited windsurfer.
From now on, mate, start a day with dry beach start, do all your tacks and gybes for an hour without falling into water, get a rest for a while on the beach and you can repeat everything for one hour more.
Keed doing that for a year and ulcer will heal itself. Just don't fall into water under any cirumcstances

Or if you cant do that, try a waterproof bandage and dry the cuts after sailing.

Beach start windsurfer, now that would be cool.