Located just to the west of Sedgefield (between George and Knysna) along the N2.

Works in an Easterly to Southerly wind direction with SE being the best. NW is very gusty due to the large hills to the west of the launch spot. SE is a summer wind and usually blows for 3 days followed by several days of no wind. Water is brackish (dark) but very clean. Rigging area is a combination a sand and grass (not maintained). Entry to the water from the rigging area is through a break in the reeds. Due to the submersed weeds, you have to walk about 100 meters out till you are beyond the weed bank - about waist deep - before launching. When the lagoon mouth is open to the sea, the vlei's water level drops which exposes the weed bank and provides super flat water just off the weed bank. Good for speed and laydown gybes. SE wind can be slightly gusty but generally on a good day is between 20 and 25 knots. SE wind starts to pick up at about 12h00 and peaks around 2 to 3 PM. Conditions vary from flat to choppy the further out you go. The SE is offshore and novices should be carefull not to drift to far away from the launch spot.

 Head out of Sedgefield in a westerly direction along the N2, over the bridge crossing the lagoon, turn right at the Bleshoender sign just before the hill (diagonally opposite the left turn to Sedgefield beach and the camping site). Follow the short dirt track over the train lines to the rigging area. Be carefull for the overhead electrical cables near the railway line. The rigging area can get a bit soggy after rain so be careful not to get stuck with your car. A notice is posted there to the effect that access to the vlei is only permited with a valid permit from Nature Conservation - I've never had a problem in the 7 years I've been sailing there.

If Swartvlei is blowing at about 10 knots (i.e. frustratingly sub-planing speed), and the tide is in, head off to Knysna - gets about 5 knots more wind than Swartvlei when blowing SE.