XCAT race in the Gold Coast Seaway

away's picture
away started the topic in Thursday, 20 Aug 2015 at 9:42am

Am I to understand that regular people will be unable to use the Gold Coast Seaway from August 22nd, 23rd, 24th?

I am on my annual visit home to the Gold Coast, leaving tonight and arriving Friday morning. Saturday morning looks like t could be the best chance of getting waves for a long time.

It is bad enough that these water bogans are allowed to have their stupid race their in the first place but if it means I miss my first waves in 11 months I will be fuming.

Fuck you Tom Tate.

away's picture
away's picture
away Thursday, 20 Aug 2015 at 9:43am
away's picture
away's picture
away Thursday, 20 Aug 2015 at 9:47am

Probably be onshore anyway but still not happy about it.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Thursday, 20 Aug 2015 at 10:00am

Wow...

"RECREATIONAL boaties and fishermen, as well as commercial operators, will be locked out of the Gold Coast Seaway for much of next weekend because of a powerboat race.

Even surfers wanting to paddle across the Coast’s busiest waterway to get to their favourite waves on South Stradbroke Island will be banned.

To make matters worse, most commercial operators haven’t been told of the exclusion zone and are still taking bookings from customers."

http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/lifestyle/beaches-and-fishing/xcat-w...

away's picture
away's picture
away Thursday, 20 Aug 2015 at 10:13am

The route was supposed to go through some marine reserve areas. The awesome folks at Save Our Spit along with some other community groups managed to get the course changed. , so hopefully it will mean a few less smashed up turtles etc.

It is pretty fucked up, banning people from a public place so some bogans can burn around in their boats for the amusement of ...? well I don`t know.

After 11 months out of the water, cross/onshore, 2-3ft straddy is a pretty exciting thing and I am pretty pissed off that I will be locked out of it
.

away's picture
away's picture
away Thursday, 20 Aug 2015 at 10:50am

Here is the official word on exclusion times.

https://publications.qld.gov.au/dataset/137afb1b-d65d-42f4-b5cd-e59db365...

Not sure if this is up to date or not.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Thursday, 20 Aug 2015 at 3:12pm

Away san, hows things man?

I'm a Goldy lad too. Northern end, Main Beach.

You'll get a wave up aound the Sheraton, usually a bit of south swell gets in there.

I'm counting the days down till December- Yee hah!!

away's picture
away's picture
away Saturday, 22 Aug 2015 at 5:46pm

Hey Zen thanks for the advice.

Actually things worked out well. The seaway wasn`t closed until ten so I paddled over for the early in the dark. I had a security try and stop me as I had to duck a fence to get to my jump in spot. I said I was just going to jump in the water and paddle across and he let me go. I guess he realised if he stopped me I would just jump in somewhere else.

Were some good waves around and I am not just saying that because it was my first time in the water in nearly a year. I saw three boards snapped near me, so that is a good sign.

Also the Xcat thing must have scared most punters away as it was the least crowded Saturday I have seen at straddy in ages.
So, the Xcat was actaully a good thing for me.
I just hope they dont smash any turtles or dugongs or anything.

Woooooooo