Im heading up to Noosa with the family week after next for 8 days. Is it worth taking the kiting equipment at the moment? I only need 15knts, but the predictions and direction for the river mouth and Lake Cootharaba don't look good. Never kited there before.
I would appreciate any local advice, thanks.
take your gear, the winds are starting to come back slowly, so you never know, it could be awesome!
Should get a sticky made for this....
It is a very fickle time of year - Sea breezes can't make their minds up!!
Lake Cootharaba - under used - the public camping grnds south of Boreen Point, also Elanda Point (other camp site same direction).
Lake Weyba - due to proximity a lot of WIP kiters go there (south of Noosa).
(Contact George / Fiona at Adventure sports (Noosaville))
The magic spot - DI = Double Island Point - 4 WD access takes W(!!) - NW - N - NNE in lagoon
River mouth at Noosa (N - E) NB restrictions on sign at carpark @Maroochydore (NE - SE) - &@ Caloundra (E - S) - All tidal (3-5 Knts).
Caloundra end Bribie Island - Golden Beach (S- SE) Can take E if desperate 4 flat water. (Tide exposes sand banks).
Bribie Island Southern end (W - S) (fair travel distance from Noosa)
Down Winder / Waves - All along the coast from Caloundra to Noosa Heads has good beach access - obvious hazhards = headlands - Patrol / flagged areas S thru'E to N.
So section South Noosa heads between Castaways beach and Stummers Creek (Just north of Coolum) would be in zone.
There are a few others but this is the core ...
I would like to try a SW or W in Cootharaba but U need a boat as last time I tried access from the beach at Teewah to Teewah landing not as obvious as Google maps (2006) makes out - restrictions due to national park.
Use this site for local predictions zoom into coastal zone.....
www.bom.gov.au/marine/wind.shtml
Kite shops...
Noosa Adventure sports..
Maroochydore / Cotton Tree...
... http://www.sunshinecoastkitesurfing.com Johnno
... www.oceanaddicts.com.au/ Luke & Hayden (Great cam of river mouth)
Currimundi
... kitethrills.com/ Mike (Mauritus trip fame)
Caloundra
... www.kiteaction.com.au/ Deeter(??) not sure anymore
Cheers
AP
wow aquaplow that is some great info there must of toke 1/2 hour to write that up but answers some good question in it . Was wondering about Cootharaba the other day when the south easters came in while we were at di would that place go off in the sse .
Many thanks Aquaplow. I will bring a 14m foil kite, but from what I can tell lanching a foil at the lakes is going to be hard. Guess I will hope for NE-E and hit the beach or Rivermouth or enough for a 11m rebel.
I would have loved to do DI but will only have an allwheeldrive.
Cootharaba is awesome in a sse wind but it can get quite gusty. Have kited there in wind ranging from 10 to 30 knots and the stronger it is the more consistent it comes across the lake. Stays fairly flat in close to Boreen camp ground which is where i usually stay. Have to watch out for joe public when the wind it lighter as you get allot of kids playing in the lake as they can walk out a good couple of hundred meters because of the depth.
(it is usually a long one!!)
Further to what Jas says I normally stay at the other camp ground, Elanda, further round the lake. It's one of my favourite places to camp - wife's happy chilling, can hire cat/tinny/canoes together, and I can kite in the lake. I've had some great sessions there. You can go down to the right as you drive in, drive into the trees, and camp away from the crowd in a clearing very close to lake shore. You can normally even sneak 1st night right on the lake shore before they bust you and make you move back 50m or so to official camp ground.
So much good information, thank you all.
So if it blows NW I am serious thinking about hiring a 4x4 and going to DI.
Q. now long it is from the Noosa River mouth (after the barge) to DI? Would a day trip be unrealistic?
Thanks again.
Day trip to DI is good but highly dependent on tides for the day, I did it on Saturday just past. Allow at least 1.5 hrs travel unless you drive like a lunatic (I suppose a rental makes it easier to do that).
Stay away from the little beach in the corner at the sth end of the Boreen pt camp ground on Cootharaba (two spots circled on attachment) . It is known as 'Kiddies Corner' for a reason – leave it for the Kids. There have been several incidents (including clowns jumping over a tinnie while someone was in it) that have been documented and reported to council – give them enough rope and they will ban us! There is plenty of sand to walk around further to the sth and setup. Water launch is easier anyway.
DI - Last went up 6+ months back .. but Tomorrow is looking good so will update if wrong... (Refer to surfx post below - all the reference details required - park license fee etc).
4WD - there r2 hot spots getting on and off beach - can be a lot of soft rutted sand.
It is tidal. Hi tide = v.poor slow driving in soft sand and a few points were touch and go for getting thru' U would have to wait...
Timing...
The ideal = hi tide anytime between 10am - 2pm - U drive on the hard packed inter-tidal zone. And the lagoon is full for the day's fun!! - U can / could still kite at low water but 40% or less of hi tide area.
I aim to be off the beach by 3/4 tide either way (it is a diurnal tide = 12 hour cycle) last time took the back route home thru' freshwater - still agreat day
From 3rd cutting (start) to X-over is approx 40 kms = 75-90 MINS. 40 Kmh thru'camp zone 60 & 80 thru' rest.
The ferry @ Tewantin 1st run is 5:30am - last run 11:00 pm-ish??? (need to check this)
If ur kids r up 4 a bit of rough&tumble - there are some great dunes for sand surfing - hard bottom boogey board is smick (pics 2 come)
If U decide to drive thru'to Rainbow beach - take advice on the day - there are rocks close to the exit point and by mid-tide getting past can be tricky!!
Car wash (+air4tyre reflate) before ferry on way back = -30Kg of sand!!
A long day - take everything.
AP
Picture or it did not happen time... (Qlty so so - gopro video)
DI and the smooth sand hill...
or...the one with jumps
Too slow!!!
Nothing like a dare from her brother!!!
2 Infinity &,,, 1/3
2 Infinity &,,, 2/3
2 Infinity &,,, 3/3
AP
