# Westerly winds & kayak fishing at Redcliffe Peninsula



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Especially if you're a newby to kayaks and kayak-fishing, beware the risky situation that arises when kayaking Peninsula waters with Westerly winds.

If you haven't good paddling skills and/or your paddling fitness isn't really strong, getting caught out from anywhere along the Redcliffe Peninsula can be fraught with danger.

Westerlies are not to be trusted... they can go from light to strong in minutes, and that leaves you heading for Moreton rapidly.

I've been caught a couple of times, but paddle-fitness got me out of trouble... sustaining the paddle during the strong wind times, and making ground during short lull periods.

Very worrying, believe you me!

Even if you're not a newby and are quite happy with your paddle-fitness, if you happen to be out wide from the Peninsula when the Westerlies pick up, you'll wish you weren't there.

There's Westerlies forecast for tomorrow (Monday 5th May)... at the moment 10/15 knots is BOM's opinion.

I'll be on the water, gauging the wind-strength at all times... hugging close to shore if needs be. I'd like to get out further, and if I do venture so, will be ready to head in at a moment's notice.

Please... don't take these winds too cheaply... I lost a good friend to them (fishing from a tinnie) some years back.

They can be treacherous!

Stay safe... Jimbo


----------



## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Well said Jimbo, and a very timely warning for anyone kayaking on the East coast, an especially prevalent danger till September.

I too have been caught at the beacon, was very fit at the time, and still couldn't make it back to the boat harbour. I had to land on the Safety Day beach, which took an hour of maximum exertion for a distance of about 1.5 kilometres. It came up suddenly from 15 knots to 30 knots, gusting to 34 knots. Very dangerous, and well above the predicted wind speed maximum of 20 knots.


----------



## Bretto (May 23, 2010)

I was out there on Saturday Morning with the westerly blowing. Didn't find the wind to be an issue. Basically flattened the water out, though I guess I wasn't as far out as what you usually go Jimbo. When the wind swung and started blowing from the South-west things chopped up awfully quickly, but by then I was on my way back in.


----------



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Bretto said:


> I was out there on Saturday Morning with the westerly blowing. Didn't find the wind to be an issue. Basically flattened the water out, though I guess I wasn't as far out as what you usually go Jimbo. When the wind swung and started blowing from the South-west things chopped up awfully quickly, but by then I was on my way back in.


Were you paddling or pedaling, Brett? If pedaling, makes it a lot easier.

I hit the briny at Scarby this morning, and it was OK until about 0945, then the Westerly picked up markedly, and I headed shore-wards... got a bit distracted for a while then, as there were bust-ups all over the place, but although I did cast, I couldn't get a cast in amongst them... so finally gave up and paddled away.

From daybreak there was a NorWester blowing lightly, then the Westerly sprang up, and later switched to SouWesterly. I came home at a good time... got a bit rough after that.

Cheers, Jimbo


----------



## Bretto (May 23, 2010)

Yeah Jim, I was pedaling. Yes it is easier.


----------



## Sunhobie (Jun 22, 2006)

Good warning Jim.

The wind on your back, as you glide out from shore in an offshore westerly, lessens the sensation of wind strength and lulls you into a false sense of security. The return trip can be many times longer and more difficult if you go too far.

In a westerly (East Coast OZ in Winter):
close inshore is usually glassy calm (very deceiving).
the water looks dark out to sea (because you only see the backs of the waves, not the whitecaps).
the horizon is usually very lumpy.
the wind is very gusty because as it travels across land before it reaches you, it gets heated, cooled and twisted by terrain.
the wind feels stronger because it actually packs more punch, due to the air being colder and more dense.

If in doubt, don't go out... or stay close to shore... or change your launch site to somewhere more protected.

Obviously, if you are sailing it is much slower and more difficult to sail back to where you launched from so make allowances.

If you are heading out in an offshore breeze, turn around and work back into the breeze occasionally just to make sure that you are aware of the actual conditions.

A couple of years ago a novice kayaker was lost for hours near the mouth of the Brisbane River in these exact conditions. He could have easily perished.

Good seamanship is a combination of knowledge, awareness, experience and ability. Unfortunately, you can't get it all in a book or on a forum.

Best to know your abilities and stay within them

Mal


----------



## Stealthfisha (Jul 21, 2009)

Ive been caught out too when winds were supposed to be 22knts later that morning.....by 0900 it was knts....by 1000 it was gusting over 40knts....all charter boats headed in....we ended up 4klm out...but really got hit when 3klm out.....took over an hour at maximum effort to get back....scary stuff.....had we been in heavy plastic...without some level of fitness...the VHF would have been utilized and the satphone and then the plb.....

good luck at redcliff if you guys go......


----------



## Stealthfisha (Jul 21, 2009)

Are we still creating a sticky thread as suggested two days ago on personal experiences on what not to do?....eg...getting caught out with an offshore or the AEC........


----------



## krustayshen (Oct 14, 2013)

I was talking to Jim about this the other day and it is surprising how you can be so easily caught out.

One day I was fishing about 1.5 km off the beach at Scarby with a WSW wind, when I decided to tie on a new leader.

Now I have trouble tying these Knots at the best of times and being on the water only made it more difficult, so after a few attempts I finally got it right and I looked up to see Moreton Island larger than usual on the horizon.

I then looked down at the GPS to see I was drifting at 4 kmph.

I was so preoccupied with tying my leader I did not notice the wind had got up.

So I estimate I was stuffing around tying my leader for about 15 minutes and at 4 kmph I would be another 1 km off shore.
I stuck the rod back in the holder and paddled back into the face of an increasing westerly. About an hour later I made it back to the beach.

Lesson learned and a good workout.


----------



## krustayshen (Oct 14, 2013)

nezevic said:


> Another reason why I carry a drogue. It goes over the side every time I stop. Can mean the difference between a big paddle and a short one.


This is good advice.


----------



## Stealthfisha (Jul 21, 2009)

drogue while tying leaders etc...cool idea....that's a pet hate of mine is tying one as quick as I can before losing 100 plus meters from the spot I want to drift in.....that's what happended to us...the EVOs just pointed downwind while I was rigging up a drift bait.....yep you bet 1km is easy to drift for while doing this....this has all happened on one fateful day...only once...but damn does it make you think!


----------



## Sunhobie (Jun 22, 2006)

salticrak said:


> That there Mal is some really good observations.I know this comes from an old salt.


Hey Salti, I just realized we are nearly brothers. We joined this forum 8 days apart. I am the eldest so you must do as I say.
Mal


----------



## krustayshen (Oct 14, 2013)

salticrak said:


> But I am prettier,purty wins all.


Hey Salti, I think you mean 'Portly'


----------

