Townsville, Australia
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About Townsville
Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces NE, so wind from the SW blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.
Water about 26°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing NE. Wind from the NE blows onshore, wind from the SW blows out to sea, and wind from the SE or NW runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves very gently: 10 m deep about 4.5 km out (1 in 455). The sea is about 23°C in June, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 29°C in January, its warmest (no wetsuit). For windsurfing at intermediate level the best months are usually September, October and December, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Townsville.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 31 h 20 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to TSV, changing at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Brisbane International Airport (BNE).
See flights MDW → TSV · Skyscanner from about £795 returnAdGetting there. 25 min from the airport to Townsville.
Accommodation.
Stay in TownsvilleAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Townsville (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Townsville 1 min by car · rooms from £90 a night
Places to stay in Townsville · Booking.com Ad
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Windsurfing lessons in Townsville · GetYourGuideAdBoard and rig hire in Townsville · GetYourGuideAd
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Luxury Where it is
Townsville on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Best on Mon 19: 14 kn gusting 20, side-onshore. Water: chop.
The score for windsurf, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Shore | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 0, poor | wind from the east, 9 knots | 14kn | side-on | chop |
| Mon 19Oct | 80, good | wind from the east, 14 knots | 20kn | side-on | chop |
| Tue 20Oct | 80, good | wind from the east, 13 knots | 17kn | side-on | chop |
| Wed 21Oct | 28, poor | wind from the east-north-east, 11 knots | 15kn | side-on | chop |
| Thu 22Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north-north-east, 6 knots | 9kn | on | flat |
| Fri 23Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north, 9 knots | 14kn | on | flat |
| Sat 24Oct | 33, poor | wind from the north-north-east, 11 knots | 14kn | on | chop |
| Sun 25Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north, 8 knots | 12kn | on | flat |
| Mon 26Oct | 0, poor | wind from the north-north-west, 7 knots | 11kn | side-on | flat |
| Tue 27Oct | 0, poor | wind from the south-west, 1 knot | 6kn | offnot safe | flat |
| Wed 28Oct | 0, poor | – | – | – | – |
Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.
The season
Good windsurf days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan0of 7
- Feb0of 7
- Mar0of 7
- Apr0of 7
- May0of 7
- Jun0of 7
- Jul0of 7
- Aug0of 7
- Sep1of 7
- Oct1of 7
- Nov0of 7
- Dec1of 7
Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for windsurf. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly MDW to TSV, changing at LAX and BNE, then 25 min by road. About 31h 20 door to door
- Tue 20 OctWindsurf Townsville
13 kn gusting 17, side-onshore. Water: chop.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 11 kn gusting 15, side-onshore. Water: chop.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 6 kn gusting 9, onshore. Water: flat.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 9 kn gusting 14, onshore. Water: flat.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Not enough of the right wind: 11 kn gusting 14, onshore. Water: chop.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly MDW to TSV, changing at LAX and BNE, then 25 min by road. About 31h 20 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,330–£2,590 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.
- Flights £795–£1,650
- To the UK airport £35–£65
- Taxi £15–£25
- Stay £240–£395
- Food £245–£455
Book the trip
Where to stayAd
Places to stay · Booking.com (ad)Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.