Kiting in Byron and sorrounds

Sorry to bring up this old chestnut, just trying to decide if I just stick to surfing or sneak a kite or 2 in the bag,

The only useful threads I could find dated back to 2010 and it did not look too promising even then. Being NSW, I imagine laws, bans and do-gooders are pretty much anywhere and seems all links to nswkba or aksa are dead.

The only kiteable location I can see is around the pass as winds appear to be pretty much from the N/west this time of year, bit like our northerlies. Is Lennox kiteable or are there any inlets/river mouths worth exploring +/- 20kms?

Cheers

Take the gear and explore. That is the beauty of being a surfer and kiter. Pain in the arse if you don't score, but you will be bummed if it's on and you are gearless. I will always take gear if there is even the slightest hint that I might be able to ride. I just got back from the states and Mexico and was gone two months. Didn't get one kite in. But I surfed loads of days that were pretty good (not like the bombs unleashed a few weeks ago here :) )

There's some epic beaches to kite around there especially just south of Byron definitely take your gear

The big question is can you kite at the pass, I know a diving/sightseeing boat goes through the middle of the surf pack

Bring your kite!
It's not all about the pass.
There are very few restrictions in the area so far, just those in Byron.
miles of sick beaches mostly North/South oriented so NE or S-SE winds are best
Lennox sucks on a NW but awesome on a NE, flat water in the river at Ballina but winds cans be gusty in there and most don't bother as the beaches have so much to offer.
cheers

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RosieKB said..
I'd give the pass - the pass..

So many other places. Its fun to sit there and watch 50 people try to be chilled and agro at the same time! Unless you have a beard and an old school board with no leash? Then you are home! Beardy Weirdy haha

not many other options in NW/W so I might grow a flavour saver while I am there and take out a flat piece of wood no fins and a homemade broomstick 2 line kite a-la tophat ...

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Phoney said..
When are you going there?

June 21-29 as in this Tuesday. Not the best time for kiting but better for surfing I suppose....

Hi. I was the one that sat on a council committee to represent kiters (with help from NSW KSA) that wanted to ban kite surfing in the bay. Local kiters had a meeting and formed self regulation to prevent total ban.
Ie We support the right and safety of all other water and beach users.
In NSW we come under special regulations. See image below. To use the bay our regulation agreement were
To give way to all other water users. To maintain distance off regulations (see below). To keep away from main beach flagged designated swimming areas. (60m either side minimum and 500m out are the regulations) To avoid Swimmers that cross Bay and stop kiting while they pass. No lessons in Bay. No flying kites on beach, to launch immediately. No beginners at pass. Launch zones belongil and area south of tomos rock at pass. Any east in wind creates wind shadows at pass. Do not kite here with old gear (lines) that have higher chance of failure. Beware and give way to landing hang gliders at talow beach cosy corner. Lots of areas to south have cleaner wind than bay and more swell. Know your right of way, lots of visiting kiters have no idea and we get forced off waves on starboard tack by lawn mowers



www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/safety-rules/other-boating/sailboarding-kitesurfing.html

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HighzaKite said..

RosieKB said..
I'd give the pass - the pass..

So many other places. Its fun to sit there and watch 50 people try to be chilled and agro at the same time! Unless you have a beard and an old school board with no leash? Then you are home! Beardy Weirdy haha

not many other options in NW/W so I might grow a flavour saver while I am there and take out a flat piece of wood no fins and a homemade broomstick 2 line kite a-la tophat ...

Just get out there and give it a go I reckon. At least someone will tell you if you shouldn't / have.

Australia is a free country mate. Get out there!

From google maps it looks like there's a couple of sandbars on the river in Ballina that would work in SW & NW. Wouldn't they?

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pearl said..
From SW to WNW is not worth kiting. Been way way better surfing days than kiting here lately. To the cola that said just get out there it's a free country.... Please don't. There are major wind shadows in all but a few directions in Bay. There are also rocks downwind. Kites have been dropped on members of public in past & we try to do the right thing by everyone. Please only attempt if competent, informed, and in the right conditions that allow safe distance off. Cheers!

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CJ2478 said..

Phoney said..
From google maps it looks like there's a couple of sandbars on the river in Ballina that would work in SW & NW. Wouldn't they?

Having kited the area for 12 months I can confirm the above statement regarding SW to WNW not being worth kiting. I have kited said sandbars and wind quality is generally very poor. The only exception is a straight W coming down the river which allows the wind to travel for a reasonable period without obstacles and even then it really isnt that good because it gets so choppy and if you end up in the water youre swimming with the bull sharks. For SW as per the prediction go surfing instead.

Confirm that bringing kite gear was a waste of time/money as I surfed every day, sometimes 2 times in a day in near perfect (sometimes crowded) condx.

I had a kite on the predicted strong westerlies on the 24th down at the pass, there were a 2 or 3 other kites out (all looked overpowered), when I got out the last guy I saw packing up unbelievably had a foil board?! They launched near the rocks near captn kooks lookout. The wind was gusty as hell 17-35 knots was the reading at the lighthouse at the time. I had an 8m and was both under and overpowered. I worked my way upwind then surfed the little wind swells back. The wind was definitely more sketchy near the pass and I took extra precautions so I would not kook out, so I did not stay out too long, landed kite very carefully etc etc. No swimmers or surfers, just a few people on the beach, overall not my idea of fun. Winter kiting in warm water felt weird.

On the upside went surfing everyday, first day was close to pod of dolphins, another day broken head not far from whales, smallest 2ft up to 5 foot solid, even belongil had 4 foot solid on some days perfect right hander, sometimes a left, water easily 20deg, offshore winds and sun most days, was in paradise but someone called the crowds.