How to Get There

Driving from Melbourne, head along the South Gippsland Hwy to Phillip Island. Follow the signs to Phillip Island and through San Remo. Once you cross over the bridge follow the road for a couple of kilometres and turn left at Woolamai Beach Rd. Continue to the end of the road where there is a decent sized car park and you will be at Woolamai!

Woolamai is an exposed beach break picking up any swell that is hanging around. There are typically a variety of left and right hand peaks broken up by deep channels and rips. The waves can get really massive and daunting on big swells but when it is small it is perfectly manageable for beginner to intermediate sailors. The rips provide an easy route to get out the back usually without even needing to go over whitewater.

Wave Sailing Conditions Required

Woolamai is usually best over summer with South Easterly seabreezes blowing cross to cross offshore. The wind here is usually stronger than the Mornington Peninsula and there are also less surfers around. Woolamai is good alternative to Sandy Point if the swell is too small or if you simply want to sail in some bigger waves.

• Swell Size - The best conditions are small to medium south west swell (0.5-1.5m average). This is one of the most exposed beaches in Victoria so it is very rare that it is flat. If the surf reports are saying less than 3ft, Sandy Point will be flat while Woolamai should be head high. When the swell gets big the channels will close out and it becomes a very powerful and nasty wave. Not recommended unless you are very experienced.

• Wind Direction – East to South East and also sailable on North to North West. South Easterly is the best direction providing nice, clean port tack wavesailing conditions. North West is also good but usually slightly choppier. 

• Tide – Can be wavesailed on all tides but the waves are generally better on mid tide.

Launching

Launch through one of the channels between sand bars so you make it out easily. The shore break can get pretty nasty on high tide and a decent swell, so wait for a lull. Small swells and low tide the shore break wont be an issue.

Dangers

On a small swell Woolamai is a pretty safe beach. As the swell picks up though it gets dangerous with a nasty shore break, heavy waves, closeouts and strong currents. Shoulder to head high is a good size for intermediate sailors. Don't try tackling it on a big swell unless you know what you are doing, Sandy Point is a much safer option when the swell is up.

Overall

Woolamai is really good beach for wavesailing on smaller swells as the channels make it very easy to get out and catch waves. The wind is never as strong as Sandy Point on a South Easterly but it will usually be better than Mornington Peninsula and the bay. It is a big beach so there is plenty of space to find a wave to yourself when the wind is up.

Copyright © 2011 www.vicwavesailing.org. All Rights Reserved.