KITESURFING FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND AUSTRAILA INFO

Here is a rundown on the playground you will be kiting in when you visit Far North Queensland -

On the satellite photograph below, Port Douglas is located down the bottom right, west of the big reef you can see, which is called Batt Reef.

The Tradewinds blow from the South East (meaning from the bottom right of the photograph up to the top left). They can blow all year but are more consistant and stronger during the winter months, from June to August (also our dry/whale season).

The Great Dividing Range that runs along the east coast, acts as a wedge and funnels the Tradewinds up the coast and ridges the high pressure systems upwards as they come across from the Great Australian Bight.

Once the winds get to Cooktown they can escape and travel across the Cape. The Trades get stronger and more consistant just north of Cairns - in fact it's always 10-15 knots stronger at Lizard Island (some 110n miles north of Port).

Now, can you see the Ribbons Reefs that start just off Port Douglas? These run all the way to the top of the GBR and you can find waves on the outer edge (that's why we call it the Great Barrier Reef), reef flats in the middle and awesome coral lagoons behind the reefs.

What this all means is that at low tide you have perfect flat water, high tide you have enough water to smash the waves on the outside edge and generally have nice clean winds.

Remember, that at anytime when you are buggered from kiting or there is no wind. . . . there is always unlimited diving/snorkelling, fishing, island hopping/exploring, relaxing and just about anything ending in 'ing' !

PERFECT. . . . don't you think!

However, Cape York is one of the last untamed frontiers in Oz so watch out for. . . . . the..... crocs, sharks, stingers, stingrays, coneshells, firecorals, stonefish, seasnakes and cassowaries - but hey, all this keeps the crowds down!

BUT, then there's Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas , the perfect stepping stone to all the other locations and is regarded as one of the safest beaches in the world in the winter months.

It has perfect wind, flatwater (thanks to a reef to the south of the beach), lots of waves/ramps to hit, no obstcales and plenty of room downwind. Not to mention heaps of shallow water for learning to kite. Four Mile has everything for every kiter.......

NOTE The blue indicates the wind direction.The Green is the setup area and you can see the WindSwell School, thats the hut right on the beach.

So get a group together let the WindSwell Crew look after you , come and learn to kitesurf The Great Barrier Reef.