Obviously an assisted downwinder @ nitnat would be ideal, but other than that for this time of year, and staying south of the malahat what have ye? (I'm familiar with Island View, but have been to Willows & the Lagoon collectively about 3 times in my life, and never since I've been interested in kiting)

On a SE is Willows friendlier than IV? (I've looked at the wiki, but I *think* I've heard that Willows wasn't as friendly for some reason)

On a S which would generally be better, Esquimalt Lagoon vs Willows?

I'm certainly open to other suggestions as well, just looking for nice catchment areas, OK launches, and prefereably no reefs or poop to contend with

Sorry but I.V. is really the only place to launch if your a beginner & want to stay S. of the Malahat. Mild days will come. Today is a great day to watch !!! @ lower tides it is safer to launch from the beach, avoiding kite flying while climbing over logs.

JL is right.

Willows is not a very kite friendly spot. It can be fun at low tide but definitely to be avoided until you are really comfortable and more experienced.

IV is the place to go near Victoria.

People are often trekking up island on weekends when the forecast is good. Just post on the forums or message board if you are keen and you can likely catch a ride, share some gas money, and have some new friends to watch out for you on the water!

Thanks for the feedback that was the impression I originally had, but was talked out if it by the sailing guide wiki.
What are the other spots further up island that would be acceptable/safe?

Unfortunately there just aren't that many great spots for learning, but with some help and the right conditions you can still have a go. So, here are a few spots, each with their own caveats as well.

Comox is straight offshore, but in a contained area with flat water. At low tide you can stand up most places and do short tacks and then walk upwind a bit before trying again. Tricky part there is that the wind is often very heavy and there is not much area.

San Pareil is pretty good, but also requires low tide. With the tide out you get a fairly large beach to launch/land. The beach is long enough that you can do a few tacks and get back in without too much trouble. Again, not ideal for learning but one of the better spots available.

Pipers (outside) can be alright too. Again, low tide helps. If the wind is side-onshore you're ok, but it can switch to quite on shore and be tricky. There can be a bit of a bubble near the beach, but is fairly long and you can keep your tacks short and have a pretty large catchment area to bail out into if you're going downwind.

I'd say the key to all these areas is do your homework, go with a friend or two, if you're unsure then be cautious and ask others who are there. Also be very mindful of the forecast, tides, and currents. Winter weather is just inherently less stable and predictable than our nice summer thermals.

All of these places are still far from ideal for learning, but they are, at least in my mind, some of the more manageable options.

I'd still say IV is likely the best option though. It has that huge catchment area for going downwind into and there are usually other sailors there to help out.[/b]