Sydney downwind routes?

Hey team

What are your favourite downwind routes around Sydney? I'm usually paddling alone, so it's ideal to have places that I can either paddle back or catch public transport back to the car.

Sam

On the north side, going north

Shelly to Palm beach, and vice versa. Parking difficult
Freshwater to Palm beach, parking ok
Long reef (North side, brownwater/Fishermans) to Palm beach. Parking permit req.
Mona vale bad in to Palm beach, parking ok

Going south.
The same as above, plus
Avalon as a start in NE conditions, saves the washing machine effect at Bangalley Head.

Big problem is traffic, delaying the dreaded car shuffle, and turning even a shirt paddle into a half day excercise!

On very very windy days we do a Pittwater inside run that is great fun with up to 3 foot wind chop. If it's a nasty southerly you can get a couple of runs in with good shuffle planning and the bad weather dampens the traffic too.

For parking your best with 3 council stickers, pittwater, warringah and manly. A bit of an investment but worth the hassle free parking.

Using only public transport would make any of these paddles a long day

If you can handle some technical conditions around Cape Solander & Cape Bailey, Kurnell to Gunammatta Bay is great in a Nor Easter, and even better, and less technical in a southerly. The trace below is a NE wind, if it was a southerly you'd paddle direct to Jibbon Head & turn left.
Short car shuffle, heaps of parking at both ends, about 10km pure downwind with no rebound or cliffs. Great in anything above about 15 knots, absolutely epic above 25 knots because of the rebound around the capes.

Georges River Sailing Club to Kyeemagh is also great if it's really honking, 25kn +. Head high waves about a boat length apart, 8km, usually all over in half an hour, and a short duffle along the Grand Parade with a beer at one end.

Mark.

Hi Sam,

Everyone has their favourite downwind around Sydney, a few years ago I wrote this blog about our local, Little Bay to Bondi.

www.thinkkayak.com.au/2012/03/sydney-millers-run/

In my life outside of Think Kayak I work as a fire fighter, so the times I can make it for a downwind don't often match my mates', so I often do this run myself around shift work. I'm a member at North Bondi surf club, so I leave a change of clothes and a bike there, whizz down to Little Bay in the car, paddle back, then ride over and grab the car. It's about 12 kms of paddling an 14km on the bike. I've got buddies who do this, but grab a cab back to Little Bay!!

Another really fun paddle is across Botany Bay in a howling westerly. Clean as a whistle wind chop, it's a hoot.

Nice!

I'll be in Sydney from 16-23rd March. Keen for some downwinders!
Happy to drop my car at the finish, which can comfortably carry 3 skis + paddlers back to the start.

If anyone is keen let me know.
Hamish

Thanks so much for those maps, Mark! I'll give them a shot.

If anyone wants company for a paddle shoot me an email at sam dot mclean at me dot com.

And thanks everyone for the advice.