This Friday & Saturday look good. Is anyone taking advantage ?
SB doesn't appear to have LG wind listed. BOM has Robe. What do I lookup for the weather station at LG?
This Friday & Saturday look good. Is anyone taking advantage ?
SB doesn't appear to have LG wind listed. BOM has Robe. What do I lookup for the weather station at LG?
wind.willyweather.com.au/sa/limestone-coast/beachport.html
This Friday & Saturday look good. Is anyone taking advantage ?
Can't go this WE due to prior commitment. Looking at going over next week.
Done a quick trip to the Lake ,only took slalom gear and here a break down of my fact finding trip
: I sailed from the old picnic area about 200m before 5 mile, there's a nice grassy area where you can rig if everyone parked on the side of the road there's more than enough room to rig on, walking out into the lake the ground is solid under foot no mud! The wind had too much south in it the first day so was a bit off shore needed to walk out a bit but was fine the 2nd day SSE before it died but perfect angle
: the spit would have the cleanest wind but didn't head down there
: Looking out from the right hand side there is weed everywhere good couple of square kilometers at a guess
and there is weed growing everywhere else as well a large area near the middle with no weed.
The weed is about a foot under the water but don't get sucked in I jumped off and it was waist to chest deep that's how high it's growing, on Saturday had to walk back in and this stuff is like steel wool my knees are shredded(wore shorts)
:Be careful if you sail across to Cocky's was about 500m out and run aground on firm ground not mud
:Conclusion it's going to be a very very good season down there if the SSE kick in will be epic......beats fishing anyday JK
Looking towards Beachport weed as far as you can see
rigging area
Great report Choco, particularly useful for those of us thinking of travelling over 3,000km or 6,000km return for a wsurf
To add to Choco's report from the 5 mile, the Spit on Saturday was great. Clear water and weed beds a plenty. Only had to walk out approx 20m into the middle lake to clear the 31 BP weed speed, and then off onto very flat water. When I drove over the hill on the track leading out to the spit, the view of the lake was fantastic - I could see the wind gusts streaming across the water, and then there were big areas where the gusts weren't visible because this was on top of the weed beds. They are everywhere and they are huge!! It is still early in the season and the water was flat. Choco's 41 knots is proof that the place is fast now, and will only get faster in the coming months. Cant wait to get back there!!
My mouth is speed watering! I'm aiming for early next week for the first mission. 30+ winds hopefully.
Next week is the only possible week I could go to Lake George, had to take a gamble and book 3 months ago and take a week of long service leave to get the time off. 2 weeks ago I was planning on cancelling the trip. Now I'm starting to get excited.
Looking forward to sailing with new faces(not that I don't like the faces I sail with normally) and seeing what LG has to offer.
I'm booked on the Spirit of TAS and will arrive Sunday. So is Cookie. So won't be all new faces Kaleb!!
I'm booked on the Spirit of TAS and will arrive Sunday. So is Cookie. So won't be all new faces Kaleb!!
Wants come for a sail with me Dave
Next week: Wind forecast great, water still a bit too high for ideal.
Latest reading from John is -0.071mAHD. That is roughly another 7cm drop since the 12th January.
Large areas up the top of the lake where the weed is good and not far below the surface as Chocko reported last week. Its is great sailing but not dead flat. Small wavelets. It is interesting that the high growth areas just 100m out from the boat ramp, the weed is VERY thick, and very flat. That is the first time I noticed signicicant drag at low speeds and trying to get planing. But between the launch and that spot there is a patch with no weed, and if you are planning before you get to the thick stuff you will hardly notice the drag. 40-45 degree rake fins are definitly still better here than 50+ delta type. The weed does not really hold on the fins and the much higher effeciency fins are far better once going. I was using a 27cm Tribal Weedspeed (35-40 degree?) in my slalom board and it was great. It is possible the 50+ degree weeds may be an advantage in some areas when the levels drop a lot more later in Feb and early March
Note what Chocko said about the weed abrasion on your legs if you have to wade any distance through it. Long leg thin wetsuit is better.
I will try to go down to the Cockies end and around the islands today to see what the weed conditions and depth is like.
I had a look at the top of the small lake this morning and it is still quite damp. I would not attempt to drive accross yet but we did see a 4WD and a motorbike go around to the other side yesterday. I recon they must have been hugging the edge all the way!!
In this pic you can visably see the drop since the last photo. You can also see a large area of no weed stright off the 5 mile launch in the middle of the pic. But note that just past that behind the left sign there is a light coloured patch where the foam is gathering. The weed there is 1m deep and right to the surface. Glassy smooth!
Looking East from the same spot.
Next week: Wind forecast great, water still a bit too high for ideal.
Latest reading from John is -0.071mAHD. That is roughly another 7cm drop since the 12th January.
Large areas up the top of the lake where the weed is good and not far below the surface as Chocko reported last week. Its is great sailing but not dead flat. Small wavelets. It is interesting that the high growth areas just 100m out from the boat ramp, the weed is VERY thick, and very flat. That is the first time I noticed signicicant drag at low speeds and trying to get planing. But between the launch and that spot there is a patch with no weed, and if you are planning before you get to the thick stuff you will hardly notice the drag. 40-45 degree rake fins are definitly still better here than 50+ delta type. The weed does not really hold on the fins and the much higher effeciency fins are far better once going. I was using a 27cm Tribal Weedspeed (35-40 degree?) in my slalom board and it was great. It is possible the 50+ degree weeds may be an advantage in some areas when the levels drop a lot more later in Feb and early March
Note what Chocko said about the weed abrasion on your legs if you have to wade any distance through it. Long leg thin wetsuit is better.
I will try to go down to the Cockies end and around the islands today to see what the weed conditions and depth is like.
I had a look at the top of the small lake this morning and it is still quite damp. I would not attempt to drive accross yet but we did see a 4WD and a motorbike go around to the other side yesterday. I recon they must have been hugging the edge all the way!!
In this pic you can visably see the drop since the last photo. You can also see a large area of no weed stright off the 5 mile launch in the middle of the pic. But note that just past that behind the left sign there is a light coloured patch where the foam is gathering. The weed there is 1m deep and right to the surface. Glassy smooth!
Looking East from the same spot.
Daffy you will find the water level will be ideal when the wind kicks in, the short sail I had on the 1st day there it was a little choppy(well flat compared to anywhere else) when the wind picked up it moved a lot of water towards cocky's/islands it became very flat, weed was only a foot under the water if that, compared to earlier when it was at least a couple feet under.
This is looking so good but what are my chances that there will be wind at the end of March? Fingers toes legs & eyes are crossed for a session. I will of course man a decision in March as to what kit to take but really looking fwd to checking LG out on my trip.
Daffy you will find the water level will be ideal when the wind kicks in, the short sail I had on the 1st day there it was a little choppy(well flat compared to anywhere else) when the wind picked up it moved a lot of water towards cocky's/islands it became very flat, weed was only a foot under the water if that, compared to earlier when it was at least a couple feet under.
Hmmm, not so sure. Difference between 20 knots and 25-30 knots???? I guess we will find out next week.
Went for a cruise down to the spit and back today. Through the islands and past past Cockies and along the Spit.
Weed in the middle of the lake was about 30-40 cm below the surface and even if it drops 15-20cm it mayl still be not 'ideal'. There is a large area around the Islands with almost no weed and a big area between them and Cockies with no weed. The is weed down the cockies side of the lake, but only extends a couple of hundred meters out. Up hither it is better but may be dicing with the rock garden if you get in too close.
The best weed is in the area between the weather station, the spit and 'Uncle Kev's' bay, but that is iffy for wind in the southerlies we have had so far. The area between packers point and the 5 mile is also very good on the south shore side, and the top end of the lake is also very good over a wide area but the weed is thinner there and, while it is not glassy smooth, it is still quite flat.
The spit is excellent as it is deep right up to a few meters from shore. Weed there too, but not too thick. Not quite enough weed across the gap to make it flat and the big lake on the other side from the spit was quite choppy.
This is looking so good but what are my chances that there will be wind at the end of March? Fingers toes legs & eyes are crossed for a session. I will of course man a decision in March as to what kit to take but really looking fwd to checking LG out on my trip.
Chances of good srong SE at the end of March are lowish. You could get a nice 16-20 knots like Jimbob and I did last year in March though. Historically, the SE winds turn off around early March, but with the changing and unpredictable weather patterns these days, who knows
This is looking so good but what are my chances that there will be wind at the end of March? Fingers toes legs & eyes are crossed for a session. I will of course man a decision in March as to what kit to take but really looking fwd to checking LG out on my trip.
I stayed in 2015 into march and it was not that windy it was just about all over towards mid march.
OK, after a few days here, my advice is to stay at home. Don't bother to come a long way to sail in the muddy, weedy, smelly, choppy lake. The wind forecasts look awful too.