Nice morning, little waves too

0645: it isn't much, but it's better than yesterday.

Hello Friends,

As the change came through yesterday, the skies cleared and the wind kicked up. It was chilly and onshore by the time the sun was low in the sky. The wind dropped overnight and is now WSW at around 5 knots, but it’s due to swing around to the ESE and get up into the 10-15 kt range. Meanwhile, the swell is puttering along from the SSE at a metre or so on a period of just 7 seconds.

That all means its pretty marginal where Dee Why’s concerned. However, marginal is better than flat any day and there is at least a reason for keen folk on long and buoyant objects to get in the water for a few of the waist high sets flopping over up toward the surf club. My guess is there will be similar options around the other stretches of beach with good south exposure.

While the models are currently unenthusiastic about our near-term surf prospects, there is finally something vaguely interesting out at the far end of the forecasts. Essentially, it looks as though today’s weak little pulse will fade back to near flatness as we hit the weekend, but, if those super computers are correct, we might just get a pulse of reasonably solid south swell (2-3 metres at 10 sec) with the current wind outlook being for somewhere in the ENE-NNE range at 10-15 kts. However, I must hasten to add that this is right at the outer most limits of the forecasts, so at this stage, it definitely goes into the watching brief file rather than the diary.

Speaking of forecasts, you may have noticed that I’ve been including short-form tags describing the current swell conditions with my reports. These turn up in the Tag cloud below. I’m sure some of you have been wondering why I’m bothering. Well, here’s the rationale: I figure that over the course of a year, we’ll have seen pretty much every combination of swell direction, size and period that Sydney gets. The idea is to give you a quick way to check out what I reported on those days tagged with a particular combo of values. All you have to do is click on the relevant tag and it will take you to a page that contains all our tags, down the bottom of which you’ll find links to all the reports for days with those conditions. To check out how it works, here’s what happened when we had conditions that matched the forecast for this coming Monday S-2m-10s (remember to scroll to the bottom of the page for those links). Have fun with it!

Hope you’re in for a particularly good Wednesday one and all.

He almost died, G land 15 Sept 08

RealSurfer Marcus van Riet explains:

The interview is a recording of Dr Phil Chapman reading his notes of a case report he gave to me, and the conversation between myself, the doc and Matt Dobell regarding the near death of a surfer at G land on the 15Th of September 2008.
I am sending this recording to you guys so that the story of how a man nearly died at G land from lack of outside help may be prevented in the future possibly published in some way, and assume you will not edit the story or recording too far from the facts (within reason).
dr Phils email addresses are incuded for you to contact him if need be, he can get you in contact with others at the camp.

Click the play button to hear the interview!

Marcus Interview with the Doc

Samoan Surf Reports week 37-08 from Sa’Moana Resort

Guest Steve in the 2nd barrel on the same wave @ Pebbles

WEEKLY   REPORTS  for    2008

Report No:   37-08

Period:           Monday 15^th to Sunday 21^st September 08

Another fine and sunny week in Samoa with the trade winds easing to nil, with glassy conditions all day long. The lack of wind also made for great kayaking and snorkelling around the resort.

Monday. High tide 6:32am and 6:44pm   Awaking to no wind and a small peaky swell the crew decided that straight out the front @ Resorts was the go. Everyone was stoked with left and right hand peaks and barrels galore in the shoulder to head height conditions. Sop good they surfed through happy hour in the afternoon/early evening as well.

Tuesday. High Tide 7:04am and 7:26pm   The crew split today between Pebbles, for those keen on a boat trip, and the rest out @ Resorts. Pebbles had small but clean and hollow little barrels on offer in the glassy conditions and those who made the trip were not disappointed.

Wednesday. High tide 7:51am   A morning boat trip to Pebbles saw some nice waves on offer. It got better as the tide went out, and it tends to get hollower towards mid tide and some nice tubes were scored by the crew.

Thursday. High tide 8:44am   Once again a morning boat trip to Pebbles, which despite being a little slower than yesterday, threw up the occasional nice clean barrel.

Friday. High tide 9:45am   With glassy conditions on offer they again decided to surf straight out @ Resorts with again some nice little peaks were making for a fun session.

Saturday. High tide 11:00am   Similar conditions to yesterday out the front @ Resorts and another fun little session with nice peaks and no wind. In the afternoon a fishing trip netted a nice Blue Fin Trevally.

Sunday. High tide 12:21pm   With a new little pulse of SW swell a boat trip to Pebbles was on the cards for today and the lads were greeted with perfect almost head high barrels. While it was only small it was a great fun session with plenty of tube time and a few peaks back doored for deeper barrels. Grommet Joel even claimed it was the best waves of his life.

Photos

All shots are @ Pebbles on Sunday.   37a-08  Steve got two barrels on this one,  37b-08 Grommet Joel on a nice looking peak,  37c-08 No one could get into position quick enough for this set,

37d-08 Mark hooking in.

Cheers ….George

Review: BREATH by Tim Winton

Look out for this cover

Review – Breath

Tim Winton

“How strange it was to see men do something beautiful,” speaks the narrator of Tim Winton’s latest novel BREATH. “Something pointless and elegant, as though nobody saw or cared.” The narrator is describing surfing, a sport we take for granted here on the Australian coastline. I bet you have never thought of it like that hey??

Breath is a step back in time to what I imagine to be the 70’s, when surfers where drop outs and the sport was still very much a novelty. The setting is a small fictitious town on the West Australian coast, very much like Margret River or Crescent Head in NSW would have been like around the same era.

The story centres around a young boy called Bruce Pike “Pikelet”. He is very much the harmless loner type kid trying to find his independent identity in a small town full of conservative older folk, square kids and the odd well to do tourist. Pikelet teams up with the a young guy nicknamed Loonie who is a couple of years older and is the son of the local publican. Loonie is a bit of a loose unit and an intense character. Together they discover surfing. Once they are hooked on riding waves they are noticed by a 30 something ‘enigma’ surfer named Sando who takes them under his wing. Sando defines cool, he is living the dream as seen through the eyes of a couple of grommets.

The story is a journey through Pikelet’s teen years. Skylarking around with his new mate Loonie, teaming up with Sando, surfing BIG waves and discovering girls. I have only brushed over this as I cannot do the writing justice, it is a must read to appreciate type of book. Tim Winton’s writing style is perfect; he has you there with the characters. You feel as if you are growing up right along side them. Winton’s choice of words is spot on and the feelings he creates are so accurate that any reader will be able to relate, especially if they grew up in the surf culture. In saying that even non surfers will find this book a great read, the story on its own is enough to get you hooked.

I have to admit that I don’t read books very often but my wife who read Breath when it was released a few months ago virtually made me start reading it. Three pages in I needed no more encouragement, the book was in my hands every chance I got. If I could have gotten a waterproof copy I would have taken it surfing to read while sitting waiting for the next set to roll in. I was so disappointed that the book had to end, I am preying that there is more to tell and Tim Winton is working on a sequel right now.

In saying all this, do yourself a favour. If you haven’t read Breath already make it your next read. If I owned a bookshop I would give it a money back guarantee for any surfer who bought it.

Lunchtime?

Why not put a few words together and win the brand new Kings of Leon Only By The Night CD, signed by the band?

You might be amazed to know that not thousands of people enter these competitions and you usually have a pretty good chance of eventually winning if you try most days during a comp like this.

Don’t be limp and afraid. Show us how Surf is . . . Sex On Fire and win.

On the comp page, there is also a link to a video of the new single from the KoL album called Sex On Fire. A great listen while you’re slamming down a ham sammy at lunch. The album just came out yesterday.

s.

Mid-morning report

Hello all,

Just ducked down to Longy on the off chance… there are little soft things coming in and a few are getting to chest high, but the SE wind was starting to stir and I am on deadline with my mag… and… aw, you know how it is when obligation overwhelms your better instinct… so I’m back at the desk, still dry.

Anyway, here’s what Longy looked like around 1000.

Cronulla

Surf is up on yesterday but nothing to get excited about, 1foot from Elourera up to Wanda. Elsewhere quiet. Wind to swing NE later.
WIND: SSW at 9kph. WATER TEMP: 17.5 degrees.
SWELL: SSE 1.3-2.3 metres at 7 seconds.
FORECAST: Mostly fine, just the chance of a brief shower. A mix of sun and cloud. Light to moderate southwest winds tending east to southeasterly.
MAX AIR TEMP TODAY: 17-20 degrees.
TIDES: HIGH: 16:11 LOW: 09:35
WINDSURFERS: OK for all riders today.
BOAT DIVING: Good sea conditions outside, vis around 10m+ on the TUGGERAH and Kelloe, 12m at Barons Hut, thanks to www.seatamerdive.com Sydney Scuba Diving Boat Charter and Ian Griffiths “Griffiti”.
SHORE DIVING: 5 metres vis at Oak Park. 4 metres at Shiprock.
See ya – Leo at www.aquasea.com.au in Sydney – wetsuit wettie wetty repairs for surfing scuba windsurfers ring Aquasea on 02.95404774, go diving without tanks ie tankless diving using 12 v volt compressors also known as hookah dive diving with www.aquasea.com.au in Sydney NSW Ph: 02.95404774 led hid halogen torches and lights video boat transom lights for underwater lighting at night similar aqua cam camera and cameras see www.aquasea.com.au for stainless wire in your balustrades and for underwater lights and housings cameras. Mob: 0408.002315 SYDNEY NSW AUSTRALIA.
www.aquasea.com.au repairs alters wetsuits wettie wetty fin chops zipper repair broken zipper for surfing scuba triathalon kayak canoe board cover ring 02.95404774
www.aquasea.com.au makes 12 volt hookah units for tankless diving without tanks scuba powerdive power dive 12 v 12 volt regulators hookah diving for boat hull cleaning ring 02.95404774
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www.aquasea.com.au aqua skipper aquaskipper, shark shield, vortex and sea doo sea scooter electric snorkel waterbird and water bird AGM batteries chargers.
www.aquasea.com.au batteries chargers test equipment lutron measurement equipment calibrators anemometers capacitance moisture multimeter ph electrodes temperature probes sound level light humidity meters ring 02.95404774

Mona Vale

There

There’s a few fun waves all over the place at MV this morning, nothing too special but definately nice to be out there!

Bourez Eliminates Durbidge, Slater Could Clinch ASP World Title No. 9 Tomorrow

Tahitian wildcard Michel Bourez caused his second major upset of the Quiksilver Pro France today, eliminating current ASP World No. 3 Bede Durbidge (AUS). Bourez eliminated Joel Parkinson (AUS) in Round 2 yesterday.

HOSSEGOR, France (Tuesday, September 23, 2008) – Tahitian wildcard Michel Bourez may have hindered Kelly Slater’s 2007 ASP World Title hopes by knocking him out of the Quiksilver Pro France last year, but he certainly helped the Floridian’s cause today.

Bourez beat ASP World No. 3 Bede Durbidge (AUS) – one of only two surfers factoring in whether or not Slater can clinch his ninth ASP World Title in France – by posting a near-perfect heat total today. Bourez opened the heat with a 9.80, backed it up with a 9.77 and left Durbidge searching for 19.57 points to swing the scenario his way.

“The heat was really good,” Bourez said. “There were a couple of really good rights and lefts out there but the rip was really strong and I needed to catch the first wave so that is what I did. I got that first left and I didn’t know it was a 9.80, I thought it was just an 8.00 and then I got that 9.77 after and Bede was combed so I’m stoked.”

Bourez is currently rated 14th on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) – the top 15 competitors on that series qualify for the ASP World Tour at year’s end. Having eliminated an eight-time ASP World Champion in Slater at this event last year, and then outside hopefuls for the 2008 ASP World Title in Joel Parkinson (AUS) and Durbidge this week, Bourez certainly seems to have the skills to mix it up amongst the world’s best.

“It doesn’t feel too good to be interfering with the title because those guys are here to win and I’m just here to beat those guys,” Bourez said. “Hopefully I’ll be here to beat those guys next year. I’m just in this event to prove myself and surf good waves – we surf really small waves on the WQS so I’m stoked to have a heat like that.”

Slater is now two steps closer to ASP World Title No. 9 after today’s proceedings. The scenario coming into the event was such that should Slater win the event, with Durbidge bowing out before the Final and ASP World No. 2 Taj Burrow being eliminated before the Semifinals, he would win the 2008 title in France.

Durbidge is out and Slater is into Round 4 after winning a tough heat over wildcard Joan Duru (FRA). Duru had the heat lead until Slater found two 8.00s late in the heat – he admitted that he has been slightly rattled by being so close to clinching ASP World Title No. 9 and that his surfing in France is not what it has been in earlier events this year.

“That heat, even though I had a couple good scores, was under what my average has been all year,” Slater said. “There hasn’t been a stellar performance by me yet but I guess the good news is that it can only get better.”

Slater could potentially win the title tomorrow, but he knows that winning the event and watching Burrow lose in Round 4 or the Quarterfinals are both best-case scenarios.

“I’d like to do it here but I don’t expect that is going to happen,” Slater said. “Taj looks good.”

Burrow beat injury replacement wildcard Gabe Kling (USA) in Round 3 today. With the ASP World Title so close to being a done deal, Burrow has his eyes on a different title – winner of the Quiksilver Pro France.

“The title is pretty much decided so I’m just looking to win events,” Burrow said. “I’ve come close to winning a couple of events this year, so I would like to take this one out – that’s all I’m really thinking about, not really the points situation. It is cool to be sitting second and keeping Kelly on his toes.”

Burrow will have to get by high-flying rookie Dane Reynolds (USA) first. Reynolds beat fellow 2008 Dream Tour rookie Jordy Smith (ZAF) in an exciting aerial affair today. The first 20-minutes of the heat were ultra-exciting, unfortunately, when the waves went flat two-thirds of the way through the heat, Smith still needed a combination of scores to beat Reynolds.

“I had fun,” Reynolds said. “It’s kind of a shame it turned out like that in the end. We didn’t have waves for the last 10 minutes. It doesn’t take much for him to get a score, well… he was combed, but he could have gotten a 9.00 and then a 7.00. He could have gotten that easily but the heat didn’t come around for him.”

Reynolds has now beat Smith twice in ASP World Tour competition, winning their heat in Tahiti earlier this year.

“It’s sort of a fluke I think because I definitely look at him and see him doing things I couldn’t dream of doing,” Reynolds said. “But with contests that’s just the way it goes sometimes, it’s definitely junky and rippy and funny out there, it just went my way. I’ll be nervous when I meet him again for sure.”

Chances are excellent the Quiksilver Pro France will wrap up tomorrow. An official decision will be made at 8am local time.

Watch it all LIVE on www.aspworldtour.com and www.quiksilverlive.com.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

Round 3 Quiksilver Pro France Results:

Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.17 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 10.50

Heat 2: Dayyan Neve (AUS) 10.83 def. Heitor Alves (BRA) 8.50

Heat 3: Ben Dunn (AUS) 14.00 def. Chris Ward (USA) 7.84

Heat 4: Bobby Martinez (USA) 14.67 def. Jihad Khodr (BRA) 12.83

Heat 5: Mick Campbell (AUS) 12.33 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 12.00

Heat 6: Luke Stedman (AUS) 12.56 def. Pancho Sullivan (HAW) 12.5

Heat 7: Taylor Knox (USA) 15.00 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 12.46

Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) 16.00 def. Joan Duru (FRA) 13.00

Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS) 16.34 def. Gabe Kling (USA) 9.77

Heat 10: Dane Reynolds (USA) 17.26 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 12.50

Heat 11: Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA) 13.43 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.33

Heat 12: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.83 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 8.17

Heat 13: Michel Bourez (PYF) 19.57 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 10.67

Heat 14: Kieren Perrow (AUS) 11.00 def. Roy Powers (HAW) 7.57

Heat 15: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 12.17 def. Daniel Wills (AUS) 8.13

Heat 16: Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.17 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 6.73

Round 4 Quiksilver Pro France Match-ups

Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Travis Logie (ZAF)

Heat 2: Dayyan Neve (AUS) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)

Heat 3: Chris Ward (USA) vs. Ben Dunn (AUS)

Heat 4: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Jihad Khodr (BRA)

Heat 5: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Mick Campbell (AUS)

Heat 6: Luke Stedman (AUS) vs. Pancho Sullivan (HAW)

Heat 7: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Taylor Knox (USA)

Heat 8: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Joan Duru (FRA)

Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Gabe Kling (USA)

Heat 10: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Jordy Smith (ZAF)

Heat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)

Heat 12: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)

Heat 13: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)

Heat 14: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Roy Powers (HAW)

Heat 15: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Daniel Wills (AUS)

Heat 16: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Damien Hobgood (USA)