Windsurfing in Ballarat is back in full swing, Ballarat once again boasts 3 lakes to choose from and I have detailed them below
Wendouree: Right in the heart of town is at 100% capacity and works well in a North or Northwest wind. It has some major weed beds so remains extremely flat in high wind. It's very safe for the Lerner and great for seed sailing. Weed under the surface is still a bit of an issue I sailed it yesterday with a 42cm fin and found it OK if you knew were you were going but if you end up in the weed it's a B#*#@. The council have commissioned a contract weed cutter and this problem is and will continue to improve.
Learmonth: Is about 80% full with an average depth of 1.5 mts making it another great spot for learning or perfecting your water starts. It can be sailed in most wind directions and gets a bit bumpy in the big southerly's. Learmonth offers some great long runs in the SW and S. No weed and again very safe, dose get a lot of water skiers on the hot weekend but as I am also a keen water skier the boats tend to go home when the wind blows up.
Burrumbeet: My personal favourite it's big and it's open. In the North and North West it offers some really exciting sailing and in the Southerly you will need a wave or free style board as on the northern end of the lake it gets rough. Average depth at the moment is about 2.4 mts no weed but there are a few rocks in around the edge on the north shore. I do offer a word of warning for the learner on this lake make sure people know where you are as it can get rough and there has been the odd boat capsize and drowning in years gone by.
Google these lakes for directions they are all close to town or about an hour from Melbourne city. I am always keen to see more sailors and happy to help with directions and or condition updates.
Ballarat year ago had heaps of windsurfers so if you still have one dust of the cob webs and get back on the water.
Hey Jack,
And for the rest of the Inverloch crew who are thinking of a roadtrip...can you confirm that you can even get a good latte nearby!!!!
Re Burumbeet, is the caravan park still there at Russel Reserve ? We used to go there years ago and it was great being able to set up a number of sails and boards and leave them safely overnight ready for the next day. the fishing wasn't bad either. I imagine the park would have almost ,if not gone broke during the drought when the lake became a grassy plain. Good to see it back, but I stil prefer Inverloch _ depends on where you live I guess. Mobi
drift
latte haberger scotch what ever floats your boat. By the way tring to talk the miss"s into a camping trip at inverloc for the weekend will you guys be about
JAck a few of us will be at Inverloch Sunday/Monday
Thinking about doing a road trip with the club. Ballarat will have to be put on the table
I have been giving some thought to you guys coming over I beleive if we wait until spring I could get some local press involved and we could hold a speed day on the lake in town that might realy help the sport in Ballarat.
I am working on this with some other lake user clubs...
will keep you posted
Great Jack, like the idea of that but we still may need to do a reconoiter beforehand
Hey Jack,
Im keen to do a trip up there soon, now as I live close by n all.
In fact may head up there on the next blow.
(quite suprised at the amount of wind we get inland in west vic actually!!)
Coupla questions, with the lakes:
The bottoms of them... are they stinking black toxic goo like found in lake connewarre or is the mud a bit more pleasant on the nose?
Im not after sand that smells of chanel no 5, just something that wont kill me if ingested!!
and the weed, is it not too bad with a 15 inch fin?
cheers
Nasi
Hi Jack - have they started the weed cutting on Lake Wendouree yet? I've heard there may not be any action on that front for another 12 months.
Talked to the council and unfortunately the next weed cut will not happen until spring in about 5 months but they do plan to take a lot more weed than they did this year with a plan to then keep the weed maintain all year round
