Forums > Kitesurfing   South Australia

Newbie spots mid coast?

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Created by Jamesrmartin > 9 months ago, 3 Jul 2013
Jamesrmartin
3 posts
3 Jul 2013 1:08PM
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Im new to this site, and kiteboarding in general, but wondering if there are any no-go zones down the mid for kitesurfing? I've had lessons, got gear and all but im still a little hesitant as i dont know anyone else who kites, and havent seen many people down the mid!

Help would be appreciated!

lovelife
SA, 160 posts
3 Jul 2013 4:34PM
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Hey Jamesrmartin

welcome to the awesome sport of kiteboarding

check out the saksa webpage about spots where you can kite (link below) and some other useful info about kiting in general.
http://www.saksa.com.au/?page_id=279

I have just started not too long ago myself (almost a year now) and can tell you that it is much easier to learn without waves. The midcoast generally has waves, and also bits and pieces of reef depending where you go. As a beginner it is

-nice to have some space for when things go wrong (smashing the kite on the beach/water/ having to release etc) so a broad sandy beach without obstacles is what you want
-nice to have the least amount of chop and waves in the water, as it will have you progress heaps quicker. Trust me, I started learning in winter, and it is tricky enough to learn with wind that is not as consistent as it can be in summer, but adding waves and high chop makes it harder than it has to be for sure
-nice to have people around to have a chat to, and that can also help you out a bit if you have questions

However, even though you say there are not many people kiting down that way, there are definitely a bunch of kiters that love kiting down the mid coast, and they are mainly people that love wave riding or playing in the swell that can hit the mid:)

There are also lots of people that like to kite at henley, grange, largs bay, north haven, seacliff and other places. As a beginner in winter, largs on a S-SW is one of the best places to learn as it is relatively shallow and there is usually someone out when it is windy to say hello to. Also, North haven (also called the 'wall') is a great place for kiting, as the water stays real flat during a NW (which is good as you can really focus on your board skills once you get to that stage)

If you want to stay down the midcoast however, Moana for example has a nice sandy beach without a reef, so a good option on a day without swell to practice. There are so many places to kite, but there are a few forums on facebook on which you can check where people are heading (very useful in winter when there are not 100 people out down the coast on a daily basis) check out the saksa page, and the whos kiting where page.

Just be mindful, that in winter the winds are always frontal, and can change direction and strength sometimes really quickly, so make sure you keep an eye on the horizon for big changes. Just ask some of the people on the beach if you are not quite sure about something such as what size kite to use

Don't know how helpful my advise is as I am certainly no expert, but I hope this helps at least a little. SA crew is the best so dont hestitate to post here on fb etc :-)

now, HAVE FUN! its meant to be a bit windy both today and tomorrow:)

cya on the water, yeeeeeeooow !!

cheers elise



lovelife
SA, 160 posts
3 Jul 2013 4:46PM
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Oh yeah, forgot to say, either this weekend or next weekend (depending on the wind) the state kitesurfing wave titles will be held, either at seaford or around middleton... So if you want to get to know some people that kite and want to have a good arvo watching some great kiting, maybe head down and say hello to a few of the crew:-)

Details will be posted here on seabreeze (there is a thread already going on the SA page) so if you are interested in coming down for the day keep an eye on this section:)

Jamesrmartin
3 posts
3 Jul 2013 4:04PM
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Oh rad! thanks so much! I know the mid quite well from surfing but wasn't quite sure if it was a great spot to kite

It's an awesome sport, but im a bit of a newbie and am just getting to know the in's and out's of it all- So its great to know theres help!
Thanks heaps for the info-
James,

pintofpale
SA, 229 posts
3 Jul 2013 10:38PM
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Hi Jamesrmartin,

Lovelife has given you a pretty good wrap up of kiting the Mid South Coast. Moana is definitely the only place I would recommend to a beginner on the mid but there are better places to learn. One thing to bear in mind is at Moana there is a lifesaving club and to avoid kiting in front or anywhere near their flags. So on a northerly you would go south of the club. On a southerly, North of the club but the southerly wind swell is usually too much there for a beginner and you may end up on the reef especially at high tide when you run out of beach. You need to pay attention to the tide at the Mid. Southport may appear tempting but the wind is very gusty on a Northerly, there is a surf club one way, a jetty and reef the other, surfers out at the hump, and more beach users. As lovelife said, your best bet is to get your skills up at The Wall on a Northerly or the Chicken shop and you will certainly encounter more kiters to help you launch and land.

Jamesrmartin
3 posts
3 Jul 2013 10:22PM
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Hey pintofpale,

Thanks! I've kited down at middleton beach with waves before and must admit its not easy learning while getting dunked by waves 80% of the time... I live down near the mid so going all the way up to The Wall and places like that is a little tedious! Thanks for all the info regarding Southport and moana surf clubs etc!

Cheers



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"Newbie spots mid coast?" started by Jamesrmartin