Wing foiling & windsurfing at Whiting Beach Yamba
Whiting Beach is situated just inside the heads at Yamba on the NSW mid-north coast.
This is a great spot for flat water blasting and riding the odd swell coming through the heads.
It works best in a NE breeze. If the wind is blowing from the SE, check out The Peninsula.
The water is generally clear and blue but can get a bit murky after a heavy rain fall. However due to its proximity to the heads, it flushes out with every change of tide so the water clears up quickly.
The spot is suited to all levels and is great for beginners as there is no shore break and you can touch the sandy bottom for a fare way out.
For foiling it is deep enough about 20m from shore even at low tide. There are a couple of sand bars to be aware of but easily visible and avoidable.
Access & Launching
There is a car park right at the launching area just as you turn off Harbour street. You can back up to the grassy rigging area where you will also find a few shady trees.
There are public toilets with an outdoor cold shower and tap.
The launch area is a lovely sandy beach just 20m from the rigging area. It is very protected from the NE wind so there is no shore break.
For kitesurfers there isn’t a lot of room to launch and the beach can be busy with bathers.
It is also a lovely beach for hanging out and a swim.
Potential Hazards
There aren’t too many imminent hazards to speak of here. Like most Australian estuaries, the odd shark can appear but it doesn’t happen very often here.
There are a couple of sandbars to avoid however they are very visible in the clear water. Windsurfers can just sail over them but foilers should be aware.
There can be a bit of current particularly as you approach the rock wall separating this bay from the main channel but it is unlikely to take you out to sea unless you get into the main channel itself.
Where To Stay
If you are a camper, there is a fabulous camping ground located just a couple of hundred metres from the launching area (depending on which end of the park you are at). The facilities at the camping ground are fairly basic however it has some really nice water-front spots on a backwater where you can sip on a Chardy and watch the sun go down. It is also a good spot for fishing.
See the destination page for Yamba for more information about where to stay and other services.
1 Review on “Yamba - Whiting Beach (NSW, Australia)”
Firstly I have to say that I was a little reluctant at winging at this spot due to a recent sighting of a bull shark here. However after speaking to several regulars here, I came to the realisation that this was very rare.
I loved this patch of water. It was pretty clear considering the huge amount of rain that had fallen in the past 24 hours.
The bay is protected by a rock wall from the strong tidal currents of the Clarence River. In fact when I sailed here the wind was only blowing about 8 to 10 knots from the NE and as a novice that is too light form me to get on the foil. The current didn’t affect my ability to point and move around the waterways there with ease.
One of the highlights of this spot for me was that I was staying at the Calypso Camping area just 300m from the launch area which meant I could just cart my gear on a trolley from the campsite without the need of driving there.
I will definitely be back to revisit this spot in the future.