Rottnest Island Sports & Outdoors

Here is some pretty technical information on where to Windsurf at Rottnest. 'click' the 'WA Info' link once you've loaded the SurfSail site and choose your destination.

Ocean Swimming!

Travis Nederpelt won the 2004 swim. We watched him stagger out of the water on his gorgeous jelly legs after his 19.2km ocean swim from Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island.

This swim is one of the largest open water swims in the world. Victoria's 'Pier to Pub' has more competitors but it is conducted in a bay and not through open water. This is Rottnest Island's largest day of the year, with over 10,000 spectators, supporters and competitors on the island!

More than 180 kegs of beer are consumed (the champagne total was too difficult to obtain!) and there is more than 750 support craft including Fremantle and Whitfords Sea Rescue, the Department of Planning and Infrastructure Fisheries, Water Police and Rottnest Island Authority rangers in the water!

An amazing group of 100 volunteers and staff man the beaches and the water to ensure everyone is accounted for at the end of the day.

Equipment: Preparation needs to be considered in four main areas:

1. physical fitness
2. dietary needs before, during and after the event
3. mental preparation
AND
4. a support crew that understands your needs throughout the event

There was even a team called Swimming Bare! They placed 177th.

Malibu are the only dive centre located on Rottnest Island. Other dive centres offer day trips but Malibu have the edge with their local office. Dive packages are flexible and you can either meet at their Perth office, Sardine Jetty in Fremantle where the boat departs for Rottnest or at Rottnest Island.

Equipment: Bring your own gear or you can rent everything you need from Malibu

There are dive sites around Rottnest. According to the bloke in the dive shop, this is the most southerly location where tropical fish are still seen. Water temperature, apparently, stays between 18C and 22C.

Equipment: All equipment is available to hire if you don't have your own.

i went during the southern hemisphere winter
and despite perth beaches being very small, strikland bay in Rottnest was very nice with quite big barrelling Lefts over a reef with a fair heavy Takeoff - The rights were quite decent too but end mainly with a closeout over fairly shallow reef - i would say that rottnest is far and away the best surfing area in theperth area - though really for experienced surfers and respect the locals!

Equipment: Your usual board for 3-6 ft though something a bit bigger for larger waves - i took my sydney beach break fish - and well, found it a bit difficult in fast 6ft rottnest, but definately something that you can hit the lip with.

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Malibu Dive and Snorkelling on the foreshore in Thompson Bay offer a variety of equipment you can hire for diving and snorkelling. They also have these Aqua Bikes for a bit of fun in the bay.

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There are many good bays and beaches for snorkling and swimming.