Do you like grey?

Late arvo update:

1500 or so and a few bods chasing little offshore things at BBX.

As the tide’s dropped, the conditions have improved ever so slightly at the north ends. The light’s dull and the wind is steady, but because it’s out of the NE, spots like Northy and Butterbox are relatively clean, if rather small. I’d say if you catch something in the waist high range, you’re doing reasonably well, all things considered. Swell is ESE at around 1.5 metres and 8 seconds apart. But there are some 10 sec period sets, so if you’re in the right spot…

Hello Friends,

0830: scratching out a few sections from the paltry offerings at Dee Why.

Not terribly spectacular this morning. Good one for sleeping in, I reckon. Grey skies and around 10kts of NE breeze aren’t making the Dee Why end of the beach look too appetizing. There were a few in the water anyway, and good on ‘em.

A few sluggish little things wandering into a not exceptionally crowded looking Northy.

Sets look to be struggling to make waist high, but there might be the very occasional bigger one in amongst the choppy dribble. Bureau says the wind will stay out of the NE and bet up to 18-23 kts by this afternoon.

The MHL buoy is showing a couple metres of SSE swell. It’s around 9 seconds apart, so I’m mildly surprised that there’s not more showing at Dee Why. Should be a bit bigger in north corners. However a quick check of the cams shows that nothing much of interest is showing at this stage. And the swell plots on the MHL combined chart are not showing any obvious sign of imminent improvement to power levels being likely for us here in Sydney.

Outlook for the next 24 hours looks to be pretty much more of the same to me. We’re due to have strong NW winds tomorrow ahead of a late 20-30 kt south change. That will pretty obviously push up the south windswell as it comes through. Tuesday, according to the Bureau, should see the wind strong from the SE in the morning, but slackening during the day. At the same time, the models are still saying that a longer period pulse could begin to fill in during the afternoon on Wednesday and Thursday morning is still looking like the pick of the week.

Go well with your day!

Cold Water Editor’s picks – Sunday evening 2 Nov 2008

What’s looking good for Monday Australian time? Lots of cold water spots, that’s what. Chile looks promising, so does Morocco and might be something in South Africa. Both Westports (USA and NZ) could have something too.

For a god-like overview of surf prospects all around our beautiful blue planet, Stormsurf’s global model is pretty cool…

Storm Surf

I reckon Punta Lobos in Chile could be fun. They’re running a tow-in contest there at the moment. You can learn more about it at the Association of Professional Towsurfers (!) website’s page on the Punta Lobos contest.. Check out the funky travelogue promo down the page. Some damn big (and very cold waves).

Still cold, but maybe not as chilly as Chile, Morocco’s waveland could maybe have a few on Monday. According to the computer generated forecast on magicseaweed, Agadir could be happening big time.

Here’s some Morocco…

Heading way south and around the corner to J-Bay, it looks as though the surf call there is for more swell, but maybe not the best wind. Surfline’s you-beaut Lola swell model says it should be fun size tomorrow morning…

Looks as though they’ve got themselves a bit of swell up in the Pacific Northwest state of Washington. Heaps of Aleutian juice getting served up in the ice water (around 14!) at spots like Westport. It’s raining and windy, but you could get lucky at the breakwall…

Another Westport that might have the odd wave tomorrow, is the one right across the ditch from Sydney on NZ south Island’s wildly beautiful west coast. Seems their swell is fading but Monday could see the locals finding some fun size 2 metre 13 sec period waves – if a model like this one from surf-forecast.com is to be believed!

Found a great site I should check out? Please use the form below to tell me more…

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Taj Burrow on Track to Take Top Honors at Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro

Taj Burrow takes to the skies in Round 3 at Praia da Vila in Imbituba.

IMBITUBA, Brazil (Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008) – Taj Burrow (AUS) has made it abundantly clear that he made the trek to Brazil to win the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro.

The current World No. 2 amassed the highest heat total of the event to take out former tour surfer Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 18.10 to 13.17 today. If Burrow goes on to win the event, it will mark his fourth ASP World Tour victory in Brazil.

“I’m feeling good and confident, just warming up, feeling my board, the waves and the water, so I’m happy to be here in Brazil,” Burrow said. “I really want to win this contest.”

Brazil’s punchy beach breaks suit Burrow’s style perfectly, allowing him to use his aerial antics to delight the fans on the beach and the judges alike. Today was no exception.

“I’m surfing pretty comfortably,” Burrow said. “It’s good when the jet-skis pick you up and you can surf a lot of waves. It’s really fun out there because you can try trick maneuvers and do aerials.”

World No. 3 Bede Durbidge (AUS) also made his heat today. Though Durbidge would love nothing more to finish the year second behind nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) and ahead of Burrow, he’s trying to take it all in stride at the moment.

“I just try to not think too much about it,” Durbidge said. “I’m just trying to have fun and enjoy Brazil, so let’s see what happens.”

Replacement surfer Marco Polo (BRA) free fell to a last minute victory over World No. 12 Kai Otton in the first heat of the day. Otton led the majority of the Round 3 bout, but suffered his third Round 3 loss in as many events when Polo earned an 8.67 with a minute and a half to go.

“It was like a Final,” Polo said. “In the end I was out there waiting for a wave, hoping for a big one and then right at the end of the heat I dropped in on a set wave, did two maneuvers and finished with a huge floater. It was a very great wave and I very happy to move on.”

Leonardo Neves (BRA) equaled his best result of his rookie season by beating Jordy Smith (ZAF) today. Currently sitting No. 39 in the ratings – a big result in Brazil is crucial for Neves to requalify as a Top 27 surfer on the ASP World Tour.

“When I saw Marco Polo turn his heat with the last wave I got a really nice energy from him and I felt confident before my heat,” Neves said. “The crowd was rooting for him and then for me, so I thought, ‘today is the Brazilian day.’ I had luck in my heat and caught two good waves, so I’m stoked. I need a very good result here to go to Hawaii more relaxed and keep my spot on the tour.”

The other two Brazilian surfers still in contention for the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Crown are rookie Heitor Alves and former ASP World Tour surfer and event wildcard Bernardo Miranda.

Fred Patacchia is the only Hawaiian still competing in the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro. He beat Hizunome Bettero (BRA) to lock down a Round 4 duel with lone Californian Timmy Reyes. Florida’s Hobgood brothers and North Carolina’s Ben Bourgeois round out the Americans still competing.

France’s two-man contingent are also still in contention after advancing from Round 3. Jeremy Flores (FRA) earned a 9.80 – the highest single wave score of the event – to beat replacement surfer Marcio Farney (BRA) 17.97 to 12.00. Miky Picon (FRA) beat Mick Campbell (AUS) 15.84 to 12.86.

Guaranteed equal 9th or better results are season-bests for Burgeois and Daniel Ross (AUS). Ross convincingly eliminated Chris Ward (USA) courtesy of a 9.33 in his scoreline today.

“There are some good lefts out there and I picked up a good one, surfed it well and got a good score,” Ross said. “To get good waves you have to massacre them. I’m looking to make more heats and I hope to have another good one against Tom Whitaker, we are good mates.”

Ross and Whitaker will meet in Heat 3 of Round 4 which may well be held tomorrow. Australian Dayyan Neve is also still surfing the event and is matched up with Miranda in Heat 6.

Another call on competition status will be made tomorrow morning at 7:30am. For more information visitwww.aspworldtour.com.

Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Round 3 Results:
Heat 1: Marco Polo (BRA) 14.17 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 14.00
Heat 2: Leonardo Neves (BRA) 12.33 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 11.40
Heat 3: Ben Bourgeois (USA) 13.10 def. Ben Dunn (AUS) 10.60
Heat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 17.97 def. Marcio Farney (BRA) 12.00
Heat 5: Tom Whitaker (AUS) 14.00 def. Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 11.20
Heat 6: Daniel Ross (AUS) 16.83 def. Chris Ward (USA) 13.33
Heat 7: Mikael Picon (FRA) 15.84 def. Mick Campbell (AUS) 12.86
Heat 8: Taj Burrow (AUS) 18.10 def. Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 13.17
Heat 9: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.83 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 11.10
Heat 10: Damien Hobgood (USA) 15.00 def. Tiago Pires (PRT) 13.90
Heat 11: Bernardo Miranda (BRA) 14.34 def. Taylor Knox (USA) 13.84
Heat 12: Dayyan Neve (AUS) 12.33 def. Jihad Khodr (BRA) 7.83
Heat 13: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 14.34 def. Jano Belo (BRA) 7.10
Heat 14: Heitor Alves (BRA) 12.83 def. Roy Powers (HAW) 4.43
Heat 15: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 15.50 def. Hizunome Bettero (BRA) 9.60
Heat 16: Tim Reyes (USA) 13.67 def. Travis Logie (ZAF) 5.20

Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Round 4 Heat Draw:
Heat 1: Marco Polo (BRA) vs. Leonardo Neves (BRA)
Heat 2: Ben Bourgeois (USA) vs. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 3: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 4: Mikael Picon (FRA) vs. Taj Burrow (AUS)
Heat 5: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Damien Hobgood (USA)
Heat 6: Bernardo Miranda (BRA) vs. Dayyan Neve (AUS)
Heat 7:C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 8: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Tim Reyes (USA)

C C ‘Sunday’

Overcast and mild on the Central Coast this Sunday morning.  The swell is weak and inconsistent at 1 – 2 feet from the east southeast.  There is a light east southeast breeze forecast to go northeast later.  Low tide 0445 and high tide around 1120.  Local barometer 1020 hpa, 78% humidity, 18 degrees C.  Have a good weekend!