Beach run in September

Woke up this morning to another Perfect day. Sun was shinning, Birds singing and Wind blowing. I love my life. Its been especially Rosy since my beautiful fiance and I found out we are expecting a new edition to the clan. 3 1/2 months pregnant and I'm feeling chirpy again....... thank god. My first thoughts when I found out were of my Surfing and Kitesurfing addiction. "OH NO, how will I get through this." Thankfully as long as I take it easy its perfectly fine to do both as long as I'm comfortable. PHEW! So I figure I've got to cram as much of time in the water in as I can.
Martin and I were instructing yesterday for the Australian Kitesurfing Acaddamy and it been a busy few weeks so this morning was our time to shine. Martin, mah and myself hit the open beaches for a few 'very' small waves with just enough wind.

We started at Stumers creek with 11-15knts ESE and 0.5ft swell. My 10m Ozone Catalyst with 25m lines was just perfect. The water was crystal clear with loads of Rays and fish and kids about. You can really tell its school holiday as the dog beach was full and one poor lil' pooch had never seen a kite in the sky before. He was very unimpressed.

There weren't too many waves to choose from out there but we did come across a couple of fun banks and discovered, thanks to the clear water, that the bank outside my house was actually rock bottom and not sand. Info stored for later surf safety. Cruising into Castaways we packed up and headed for lunch at the German Bakery in Perigian, amazing food.

Thanks for another amazing day World!

5 Tips to survive winter in

the water.

Noosa winters are not to bad. In fact they’re actually AWESOME! Even though the wind is all off shore, the weather is fantastic! sunny days and chilly nights. The Kitesurfing Australia Acadamy is in the middle of its low wind season in Noosa but give us a call if you around Blowin' Bowen for a lesson in warmer weather.

For those of us staying down here, If you want to get in the water and enjoy the crystal clear waves with dolphins and Whales just off the beach then you only have to brave 19-20 degrees. Not too cold really.
That’s generally the picture for everyone else. For me unfortunately, coming from further north, I have a huge problem with the cold. If its below 25 degrees celsius I’m freezing. Especially when I’m Kitingboarding or surfing for a few hours in the water and a cold wind blowing as well. So here are a few tips for those of you like me who couldn’t imagine going 3 months without being in the water over winter. P.S Not for the faint hearted.

1. A good, well fitting wet suit. This is a no-brainer, an absolute must for us wimps. I have one that’s a bit too big for me I got second hand. Doesn’t really do the job properly, and you don’t really want to be getting a second hand wet suit anyway, you don’t know what the person before you has done in it. YUK!

2. For those of us who can’t afford $400 for a really good wetsuit, the second hand option is the way to go. Give it a good wash before you use it. Get the best fitting one you can – too big is better than too small. Mine is a bit big and underneath it I wear this amazing rashy designed to reflect the heat back to your body. It works a treat.

3. Put on moisturiser before you go out. The oils in the moisturiser add another layer between you and that freezing water. When people attempt to swim the English channel for the record books they use a mixture of Lanolin and Vaseline over their bodies for the cold. I’m seriously considering using this under my wetsuit. Anything to keep out that evil cold.

4. Speaking of doing anything to stay warm, you may have come across the rumors that we pee in the wetsuits to stay warm. Well that’s absolutely true and anyone who says they don’t is a liar. Just remember this when thinking about the second hand wetsuit option. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing like the feeling of warmth spreading throught your wetsuit on a cold morring. The problem is, if you pee too much. The way it works is by keeping a thin layer of 'water' next to your skin which stays warm inside the wetty. If there is too much 'water' the layer is too thick to warm up and every time you move you have a fresh cold layer of ‘water’ flushed around your suit. Defeats the purpose of having a wet suit in the first place, and if you on your surf board floating about its really hard to get all that 'water' out. So don’t drink too much before you go surfing. Kitingsurfings not so bad as it all floats around your ankles anyway.

5. Come prepared, It’s not too bad in Noosa once you’re out of the water because the sun warms you up pretty quick BUT if its cloudy or windy it is soooooooo cold. In your bag/car you need a big fluffy towel, a bottle of hot water wrapped in your towel and a change of clothes. First thing you do is peel off your wetsuit and rinse off the salt and sand with some (hopefully still warm) water, and dry yourself with your (hopefully still warm) towel. Soooo gooood!. Get changed, without bearing your ass to the world, and away you go.

So there is a bit more to do in winter than in summer, when you can grab you board/kite and jump in but if you want to get wet all year round make yourself as comfortable as possible. ENJOY!

Bad weather for QLD

It doesn't seem all bad for us Queenslander's after Cyclone Yasi. In Noosa we managed a nice 6foot afternoon session on the points and a good dose of wind. My family in townsville however didn't fare as good with power outs and now way out of town because of flooding from the Cyclone. I ve heard of another possibly on the way too so its not over. Australia has fairly copped a hiding as far as weather is concerned. If you see any chance to help these guys out definitely get involved. There is so much work to be done to get these people back on there feet. You can donate through
Disaster Relief appeal.
Thank you very much.

Indonesian Reef or Roads?

As with nearly any sport relying on the forces of nature there is a great and not-so-great season for kitesurfing. You may be lucky enough to grab a short chilly session here and there in winter but the general idea is to set off from Noosa and the Sunshine coast in search of chase the next big adventure... Well at least until spring when Rainbow Bay sh owes us what heaven is like. Martin and myself from The Australian Kitesurfing Acadamy try to disappear for greener pastures when the wind slowes down.

So here is a lil' research i did to pass the time. Enjoy.

Question.

Which is the more dangerous?

Surfing over Razor sharp reefs, covered by a mere 3cm of water at low tide, in Indonesia

OR

Dodging and weaving through the traffic of a busy Kuta (Commercial center of Bali) Street on a, not so reliable, scooter.

Having been fortunate enough to have safely returned from a month in Indo in June, I am in serious debate as to which of the 2 is the most terrifying!

You have 2 choices on the streets in Kuta. Ride or be ridden over, as many of you probably well know if you have ever been to Kuta. My partner at the time had the good sense to volunteer for driving duties while I took responsibility for the 2 surfboard stuck to the side. This involved hanging precariously out the opposite side of the tiny scooter to balance the weight whilst also fending off anything that even looked close to coming in contact with the precious boards. (I'm happy to say a few dings were avoided, although at the price of my dignity. Its hard to keep your relaxed beachy look intact while barking and snarling like a pit bull at people that get to close) If all of this were not hard enough it was achieved while hurtling down the streets at breakneck speed, dodging, swerving and squeezing through impossibly small gaps. 1 miscalculation and its all over for boards, scooter, and people alike.

However, when the inevitable crash came it was not me that ended up banged up. My selfless partner heroically through himself under the bike and I to take the full force of impact. As grand as this sounds we were actually doing a late night/early morning Mcdonalds run after watching the World Cup in The Sky Garden. Doing 3kms an hour towards a corner, misjudging the angle of approach we went into the curb instead of around it. Luckily we were going slow enough so I could just 'step off'. Unfortunately for my friend, he ended up with no skin on his knee and out of the surf for 10 days. Needless to say after that we had the good sense to WALK to Mcdonalds after the game.

The only possible explanation for putting yourself in this situation, In no control over your own life or death, is Pure Trust for the person driving! And let me tell you it takes a hell of a lot of that to make you agree to something as crazy as getting on the back seat of a dodgy scooter in Kuta..... Also the burning need to get your ass out to the line up ASAP on a gorgeous glassy 4ft surf session. :)

My first trip to Uluwatu was definitely memorable. Most of my surfing has been over soft sand banks or the slow long rights of the Points in the Noosa Heads National Park One the Sunshine Coast. At Ulus your shit scared before your anywhere near the water. The decent into the spot where you paddle out is a winding passage of stalls and steep stair cases and bars with viewing platforms, from there you climb down an even steeper set of stairs into the darker cave below. The actual paddle out is through the narrow cave with turbulent water slamming up against the walls and into boulders in the middle. After navigating your way through, the cave opens out into a sweeping sideways current that whips you away as you try to paddle against it, over shallow reef and heavy waves to the line up. At a lower stage of the tide, if I tried to duck dive under one of the waves I would break the nose of my board off on the reef and scrape my fins. And if that wasn't bad enough, after you have spent 3 hours dealing with strong currents, a million Pro surfers and a bloodthirsty reef, you have to get back the same way you came out. PHEW. You can line up the cave and paddle like hell for it BUT if you miss and the current takes you passed, its a long paddle back out and around the line up for another try.

So once again on this trip, I found myself in a position that my mother would never be told about. And once again The pure trust I had for my partner is to blame. Faced with certain reef cuts and possible drowning in front of a crowd of pro surfer onlookers no less. Only the words 'It will be fine just follow me' from a trusted friend, could get me into the water. I will add however, the next time he tells me not to worry about the reef boots I will promptly pegg one at him before retrieving it and putting them firmly on my foot..

I'm happy to report there were no serious injuries while surfing.. . .So is that then the answer I'm looking for and therefore the end of my research? Are the roads more dangerous due to injury caused? Well I would have been convinced at this point as well but for a few little incidents I haven't yet mentioned. Such as my partner coming in 2 hours late from Kuta Reef looking a little white considering he had been in the sun for 5 hours. His leash warped around the coral and took 3 waves underwater before it managed to come unstuck. Yes if it wasn't for a lucky slip of the leggy he would probably still be under there. The currents washing around him were to strong for him to reach down to the Velcro. If you manage not to get your leggy caught then it may be another part of you body wrapped around the reef. On our last trip to Ulu's it was a tide so low the cave was high and dry, and you walked across the reef to get out. I have never seen so much blood in the water. Seriously it was messy. At least 7 guys out there would definitely have to go to the hospital after the session, and that's only if they survive the scooter ride to get there.

For me, there is something that keeps popping up through my thoughts. A consistency in all of this madness. For instance, My boyfriend after nearly drowning, still stayed out for another 2 hours. The skinless guys at ulus paddling back out to the peak bleeding for 'Just one more' before hospital. Getting back on the scooter every morning even after witnessing some horrible accidents, just to get to the perfect spot where the wind is light and off shore. We put ourselves in dangerous situations to surf. Sounds crazy right? Not really. Not when you have experienced the thrill of that Perfect Wave on a clear sunny day with a bunch of your mates cheering you on, and what it took to get you there!

Surfing itself is the search for the perfect rush. The heart pounding jaw clenching drop down the face, which can sometimes feel like throwing yourself off a cliff. And then there is ... ….. The BARREL! Oh, yes. Not a lot in this world could possibly compare. If you haven't watched the digital movie 'Surfs Up', grab a bowl of popcorn and a pillow and enjoy. It says it all.

Still the question remains, which then is the most deadly and dangerous? Scooter or Reef? Well in my experience they are both a terrifying thing to be faced with. Some people will be more concerned with the reef and others the road. How much are we willing to risk for an adventure? What will we be missing out on if we don't risk it just a little. I think the moral of my little study is to not stop doing what you love or let anything stop you from finding it. Even if something scares the hell out of you. You can take the precautions to minimize risk and still get stuck into it and have a blast.

It's worth it!

Thanks for reading about one of my little adventures.

CJ

Kitesurfing in Noosa, Sunshine Coast, QLD

I want you for a minute to close your eyes and imagine what it's like to be totally one with nature. Easy yeah? OK now you are cruising over crystal clear water where you can see dolphins and manta rays under your feet and a kite over your head, all you can hear is the ocean. Now, coming towards you is a beautiful 4ft perfect wave jacking up and about to break. Action! The forces of nature and your own pumping adrenalin kick in to give you the ride of you life!
Beware, fellow thrill seekers. Before falling over your feet charging out the door in search of this ultimate rush, there is something you must know........Kite surfing is highly addictive. It takes over your brain as thoroughly as a couple of jager bombs on a 'quiet one' in the local bar.

So for those of you brave enough to put aside comfort, safety and the pounding jager hang over, the day began for me at Nomads Noosa Backpackers Hostel, where I work and my friends were staying here on the Sunshine Coast. Great Bar, central location, smiley staff and a chance to meet fellow kite enthusiasts to plan the ultimate day out; What I like to call a 'Down-winder'. The holy grail of Kite surfing!

Once you have gathered your gang and gear and have checked the wind http://www.bom.gov.au/, you're looking for a 15+knot South Easterly. Head to the bus stop outside the cinemas (across the road from Nomads Noosa backpackers) and get on the bus south to Coolum. The bus drivers are pretty good about bringing your gear on as long as you try to keep the carnage created by swinging boards and harnesses to a minimum. Coolum is about 10kms from Noosa, 15mins by bus, about 2-3hours by kite ;)

When you hit Coolum, get down to the beach and set up your gear on the golden sands. Stash your pump for next time, launch and do a couple of sweet jumps for the crowd on your first tack out over the waves. Beware of the Surf lifesavers. They are your friends only if you stay well away from the flagged swimming areas. And if they are nice enough to come out to save your ass after you've dumped your kite and have to swim in, then the obligatory 'thank you 6pack' (beer) is much appreciated.

Your goal is to kite surf out behind the breakers, using the broken waves as ramps to get as much air as possible and hooting at your friends. Once out there pick the perfect wave, be towed onto it by your kite then surf it in. Repeat. You will gradually zig-zag your way down the pristine coastline and home to compare waves over a cold beer back at the bar.

So whats the beauty of this cunning plan to zig zag your way back down the coast you ask? No tacking upwind (its hard to zig zag upwind, against the direction the wind wants to take you). Amazing scenery. Abundant marine life. In the right season you can tack out to where the whales and dolphins are playing or in close to shore with the manta rays and sometimes the odd shark appears to keep things exciting. No matter what happens, even after a long swim in that has you crawling up the beach kissing the ground, you can still roll over look up to the sky and thank mother nature for giving you the best day of your life.

I am a Noosa local who works at Nomads Noosa Backpackers Hostel, Noosa Heads, who loves going Kite Surfing at the weekend! I also enjoy working at the Australian Kitesurfing Academy where I have an opportunity to meet and teach some great people starting out in the sport.

Weather Watching

Whats the Wind doing?

A question that we here often as instructors. Will there be wind today?  Hows it looking for the weekend?  What i wouldnt give for a direct line to 'Huey' for on the dot forcasts.  I've been instructing on the Sunshine Coast now for a few years and think i have seen it all.  The second season I was teaching we had the monsoon come so far south the whole summer was a rainy mess. Another season we saw perfect NW'lys for Double Island Point (spot near fraser) at the start of the season, then Sunny warm NE'lys for most of the rest. Amazing!  What kind of weather will we get this time?? Half the fun in kiteboarding is learning about the weather, making a prediction and being spot on. Wind gambeling! The prize is a cracking session!!

Working for Martin and The Australian Kitesurfing Acadamy is a huge advantage.  Coming from no experience at all I have tried to soak up everyting Martin has given me.  He comes from 10ys kiting experience and befor that 10yrs Paragliding. His knowledge of the wind and weather is rediculous, so its great to be able to learn from that. Like a little sponge.

On the Sunshine Coast we are soooooooo fortunate to have lots of weather stations close together taking and uploading readings every half an hour. If its your day off and you plan to go for a kite, why not have a look at these readings inbetween waking up, shower, breakfast and cartoons.  After a few readings you can decide where to go. Its so easy to see if the wind is switching around or getting stronger. Have a look at these readings  in the observations section in The Beauro Of  Meterology web sight, it will blow your mind watching a south easterly change moving up the coast.  They give us a really good idea of whats happening at that moment and what might happen soon. Along with the Radar Viewer for rain and Tide charts for water movement we can accurately figure out with these three bits of info, where we need to be for the next few hours and what we need to bring. Gear, Towel, Esky. Check,Check,Check.

But what of longer term forcasting? I personaly do not believe in the 7 day forcast. As for the guy on the weather section of the news? DONT BELIEVE HIM, lies all lies! The closer the forcast the more accurate its possible to be (you would think).  I love The Beauro for there observations and forcasting and also love having a glimps at Windguru simply because it has everything you need to see on one easy to read page for wind, and also surf conditions. Its very user friendly for a quick look at whats gong on overall. 

If you have just had a couple of lessons and are now out on your own with a band new set of gear and rearing to go, the best place to start is getting your self familiar with the weather in you area. Look in these links for you clostest kite beach and keep an eye on what the wind is doing. Also in the BOM sight there is a Learn about Meteorology section for those of you are REALLY excited. 

Basically it comes to this. The better you are at predicting the weather the more sessions you will have, the better quality sessions you will have and the sooner you can enter "PRO Kitesurfer" stardom and compete against Aron Hadlow......... or ..... the more FUN you will have :)
 
See you out there,

CJ

Enjoying the vibe at the peregian originals!