Post by thevon on May 27, 2007 19:17:15 GMT 10
We went to Rainbow Bch with the family this w/e, one of those discount accom deals, stayed at Rainbow Shores resort, which isn't super-fancy, but nice. I'd like to organize a blokes weekend sometime to go and stay up there - it really is that good.
Takes a good 2 1/2 hrs to get there. The whole section of beach around Rainbow faces N/E and it has really high steep dunes over 100m high. So when the wind's NE the place is full of paragliders and hanggliders ... the Aust Champs for HG's is there every January. When we went, the wind was S/E so I expected not to be able to fly since it would be coming across the ridge.
The sandblow is only 1km south of the town. To get there you drive a couple of minutes to the water tower where the wide, gravel walking track starts (don’t walk it barefoot). It takes less than 10 min to walk to where the track ends with a really spectacular entrance into the middle of the sandblow about 300m from the beach cliff. Turn left and head towards the ocean. Alternatively you can drive or walk down the beach and climb up from the bottom.
Nick and I stuck to the left side of the blow and were soon rewarded with an incredible view of the coastal sandcliffs curving right around to Double Island Point, and strong lift! It was just amazing. We kept contouring around until we were close to the mouth of the blow, where the lift was just perfect and we had a fantastic fly past sunset.
If the wind was NE the whole coastline would be pumping with huge lift, and you would be able to fly anywhere in the sandblow. I don’t know exactly what direction the wind was when we flew, but I think it was ESE. The mouth of the blow is wide, and as long as the wind’s coming at a bit of an angle to the beach, the wind hits the northern side of the bowl to create great lift. The next morning it was fantastic again, and much stronger so I flew the Drongo lots (just perfect) but in the arvo, it was more southerly, and you had to climb right to the top to get lift. Even then it was still fun. In a westerly you’d be able to fly off the back of the blow, just to the right of where the track ends, and most likely you could DS too.
It truly is a fantastic, spectacular flying location. A couple of things about it:
• It’s great for sandskiing etc, and there’s a steady trickle of tourists walking through – a good place to take the family.
• In a NE you might have to watch out for paragliders & hanggliders.
• The wind funnels strongly up the chute of the blow, so when you step off the track it might be a howling sand blizzard of 30+ knots but it will be less strong out at the mouth.
• Watch out for flying sand! When the wind’s strong, it stings your eyes (wear sunnies). It also gets into everything – radio, planes, anything. If you have to tape your wing, you have to get out of the wind somehow or the tape gets sand stuck under it!
• Take a backpack or 2 to carry your gear. Also take a small toolbox with basic tools.
• When you land flat, your plane skims along the sand like a sled! Really fun, and great pose value. The Minij looked great skimming along gently, and with the foamies it was easy to do touch-and-go belly flops.
(Later) - here are some pics
Looking down the bowl from track entrance
Nick launching
Drongo zooming across an incredible view
Nick flying around the edge of the bowl
Takes a good 2 1/2 hrs to get there. The whole section of beach around Rainbow faces N/E and it has really high steep dunes over 100m high. So when the wind's NE the place is full of paragliders and hanggliders ... the Aust Champs for HG's is there every January. When we went, the wind was S/E so I expected not to be able to fly since it would be coming across the ridge.
The sandblow is only 1km south of the town. To get there you drive a couple of minutes to the water tower where the wide, gravel walking track starts (don’t walk it barefoot). It takes less than 10 min to walk to where the track ends with a really spectacular entrance into the middle of the sandblow about 300m from the beach cliff. Turn left and head towards the ocean. Alternatively you can drive or walk down the beach and climb up from the bottom.
Nick and I stuck to the left side of the blow and were soon rewarded with an incredible view of the coastal sandcliffs curving right around to Double Island Point, and strong lift! It was just amazing. We kept contouring around until we were close to the mouth of the blow, where the lift was just perfect and we had a fantastic fly past sunset.
If the wind was NE the whole coastline would be pumping with huge lift, and you would be able to fly anywhere in the sandblow. I don’t know exactly what direction the wind was when we flew, but I think it was ESE. The mouth of the blow is wide, and as long as the wind’s coming at a bit of an angle to the beach, the wind hits the northern side of the bowl to create great lift. The next morning it was fantastic again, and much stronger so I flew the Drongo lots (just perfect) but in the arvo, it was more southerly, and you had to climb right to the top to get lift. Even then it was still fun. In a westerly you’d be able to fly off the back of the blow, just to the right of where the track ends, and most likely you could DS too.
It truly is a fantastic, spectacular flying location. A couple of things about it:
• It’s great for sandskiing etc, and there’s a steady trickle of tourists walking through – a good place to take the family.
• In a NE you might have to watch out for paragliders & hanggliders.
• The wind funnels strongly up the chute of the blow, so when you step off the track it might be a howling sand blizzard of 30+ knots but it will be less strong out at the mouth.
• Watch out for flying sand! When the wind’s strong, it stings your eyes (wear sunnies). It also gets into everything – radio, planes, anything. If you have to tape your wing, you have to get out of the wind somehow or the tape gets sand stuck under it!
• Take a backpack or 2 to carry your gear. Also take a small toolbox with basic tools.
• When you land flat, your plane skims along the sand like a sled! Really fun, and great pose value. The Minij looked great skimming along gently, and with the foamies it was easy to do touch-and-go belly flops.
(Later) - here are some pics
Looking down the bowl from track entrance
Nick launching
Drongo zooming across an incredible view
Nick flying around the edge of the bowl
I'm sure it would be doable ;D