BEHIND an aluminum can factory near Geelong’s salt lakes is kiter’s paradise, Point Henry.
It’s not pretty, the shallow mud flats are full of sea urchins and the set up area is scattered with weedy salt bushes.
Big ships, a factory and a pier surround it.
But let’s face it; do you really care about the scenery when you can be guaranteed a kite at this spot every time when either the north and westerly winds blow?
And who cares how pretty it is when there are hectares of glassy flat water.
Point Henry is more famous for its aluminum factory, which was established in 1963. Around 190,000 tonnes of aluminium a year come out of the plant and you bounce off cola flavoured water when you crash.
Geelong kite instructor Andre Limsowtiin likes Point Henry because it is close to home and the cops leave him alone to drink beer, barbeque and have siestas in between sessions.
“It works on all wind directions, which makes it one of the most diverse and best spots in the state,’’ he said.
“Its home for me and I can get drunk here without fear of being arrested as well.’’
Fellow Geelong kiterDave Roffey said it wasn’t love at first sight when he got to Point Henry but he thought he better learn on the kites he scored for doing a tree lopping job for the owner of a kite shop.
“The barter system works for me all the way,’’ he said.
“I love it and would never have got into kiteboarding if it wasn’t around.’’
Victorian freestyle champion Simon Blake wasted no time in leaving the safari bus and getting out on the water to do his favourite back mobe move when the wind picked up to 20knotts.
He also threw in a few back rolls with 360 degree handle passes.
“This spot is awesome, I’ve heard a little bit about it but never kited here before,’’ he said.
“This is what I love about the sport every now and then you get to a new spot that is just awesome and everyone just cranks out on the water.’’
But Point Henry can also be brutal and northerly winds can be unpredictable and gusty during spring and summer.
Westerly winds are treacherous if you venture too far out and you can then find yourself drifting out of the heads towards Antarctica.
The best time to kite is on low tide in the shallows when the weed and mud helps calm the water to glassy flat.
Sliding through the shallows spraying your mates with waves of muddy water is definitely a must do to mates that you take to Point Henry and that may have not read this article.
Also sticking $20 in your booties and heading across Corio Bay to all you can eat restaurant Smorgies is also great fun.
Stay away from the curried sausages, unless you want to leave a trail through Corio Bay on your way back.
Also make sure you have a mate to pick you up or enough money to make it around the bay in a taxi if the wind drops off.
When heading to Point Henry and you plan to stay there make sure you take plenty of water, there are no taps and shops nearby.
The closest shops are in Geelong which is a 15 minute drive away.
What we enjoyed most on our safari was taking a packed lunch, drinks and hanging there for the day. The northerly winds at Point Henry can also be sporadic so it’s great to grab a sandwich when they drop off.
Another thing to bear in mind is that Point Henry can be gusty on a westerly so it is important to choose the right kite for conditions there.
Most of the guys blow up their two kites at once, so when the wind drops off or picks up they can quickly get out there again.
Getting in and out of the water is also a nightmare. There are annoying prickle bushes everywhere that can be treacherous on kites and feet.
As mentioned before there are heaps of sea urchins, so as unnatural as this may be to some of you, kiting in booties is recommended for novices unless you have calluses upon calluses on your feet.
But what made the safari here memorable was hearing about Bon Beach Timothy Nanninga’s (aka Hookworm) first kiting experiences.
Hookworm said that he and his friend Shane Fleming (aka Tapeworm) bought a kite blew it up with their mouths and then tried to fly it in 30 knott winds when they first got into the sport five years ago.
They were stopped by one of the few kiters in the Aspendale area and sent to buy harnesses.
Once he was riding the drama continued, Hookworm (pictured) then was constantly racing a big black shadow that only disappeared when the sun went down.
“It was then I realised then that shadow was my kite and not a giant shark that I was trying to avoid,’’ he said.
Hookworm is a regular on Seabreeze forum and is always keen to share his advice with fellow kiters.
He is also the organiser of Hookstock, a kiting competition he started in Victoria in 2007.
FACTS
Where: 15 minutes out of Geelong, continue down Ryrie St
When: Anytime of year works well here
Winds: North, West
Suitable for: Intermediate to advanced riders
Handy hint: Take water, shops are around 15 minutes away.
