WHITSUNDAYS PADDLE TRIP L3 PADDLER JUNE 2026

Whitsundays “beautiful one day, perfect the next”. Lucky for us, in the month of June it has prevailing Southerly winds. This time of year is when all the Hamiltion Island sailing events are on becasue of the consistent Southerly winds. The weather in this part of Queensland is dry and sunny with average day temps 27-31 degrees and its not stinger season, so nothing to worry about. 

Many of you have been to the Whitsundays, but have you really done the Whitsundays? Aside from the tourist cafes/restaurants of Hamilton Island have you explored all the outer Islands that are only accessible by boat? have you paddle from Island to Island or chased runners through the Whitsundays on a surf ski. Your not alone, as not many have! We are opening the door to this Whitsundays paddling experience. 

Now picture yourself waking up in 30 degree weather from The Airlie Beach Hotel accommodation which offers you your own apartment and double bed. You stroll downstairs to the cafe to meet the rest of the paddlers to then walk across the road to the beach for a yoga/stretch session with your coach.

From here we walk 200m to the Airlie Beach marina (8:30am) and board the speedboat that will zip you out to the best outer island based on the wind, swell and tide. One speedboat takes the people and the second speedboat takes the surf skis. Now picture yourself arriving on a secluded beach in the middle of the Whitsundays with other like minded paddlers and then setting off for a fun downwind run to another secluded Island (10am - 12pm). Coach Luke Horder is on a speedboat coming up next to you giving you instructions on when to work and when to surf, showing you what to look for and how to connect the runs with less effort. Luke will be filming your stroke and providing you real time downwind footage of you, that you can watch later back at your hotel room. 

On this trip you are there to learn all the skills of going downwind, whether this is all new to you or you are looking to improve, we ensure before each paddle we outline what you are looking for with the ocean curvatures and how to use them to go faster. We outline all the safety precautions and make sure you are in communication with Luke Horder via radios at all times. By choosing the right level group trip for you and having Luke and Glen Horder on speedboats, this will make the whole downwind run feel very safe and enjoyable.  

When you reach the first secluded private island (12pm) the surf skis and speedboats will all be pulled up onto the beach and your change of clothes and lunch/drinks you packed on the boat will be there ready for you. Enjoy your lunch on a beautiful beach, then perhaps have a walk and explore the island, enjoy a dip, indulge in some yin yoga with the group or simply lay on the beach and have a nap. Then at 2pm we are ready for our second downwind session! We will be finished around 4pm and zip back on the speedboats to Airlie beach where you have time to rest, shower and change to meet us for dinner and drinks at a different resturant each night. We get to celebrate each days success and review video footage and stats over a few glasses of wine. 

This holiday is all about fitness and learning downwind skills at an accelerated rate. What you will gain in one week here could take one year back in Sydney. You can enjoy the spoils of a few glasses of wine each night and a nice desert, as you will be burning thousands of calories off each day. 

This trip is capped at 10 people to ensure we can deliver the ultimate trip for you. The more wind we have then the further the downwind runs will be, as we are there to maximise the downwind conditions. If one day we do alot of downwinding, then the following day we aim to do a bit less for you to recover. Each day is planned around the wind to create the best opportunities for everyone. 

Whatever speed you paddle at in this L3 group, we will ensure the group can all see each other out there. We can stagger the starts and set up regrouping segments. With each downwind paddle 12-15km's and two downwinds per day, Coach Luke Horder and the other boat driver Glen Horder will be on the speedboat zipping around to everyone making you will feel safe. A VHF radio clipped onto your lifejacket is there for you at all times to call out to the boat drivers and to hear what the coaches/boat drivers are saying to you. Communication is key!

Partners (non paddlers) are welcome to come on the trip. For your accommodation you have your own apartment (double bed) that they can share with you and partners can join in on the breakfast, lunch and dinner hangouts and really feel part of the trip.

Our moto is safety and progression!

Payment Options:

Pay in full here on the website or email us admin@sydneyharboursurfclub.com.au and you can do 2 x 50% payments over 3 months or 4 x 25% payments over 4 months. 

Please do not book any flights or anything else until we have received your payment, formulated/secured the group and then contacted you to then go ahead to book flights.