Warm and tiny

0650: not much of anything showing at Dee Why this morning.

Hello Friends,
With high tide around mid-morning and no significant change to the energy levels, we’re looking at another day for snorkling, SUPing, swimming, but not really surfing as such. Sydney’s due for a high of around 29 along the beaches (but around 36 out west).

Wind is light and out of the ENE this morning. The forecast calls for it to build up to 20-30 kts this afternoon. This could lead to a slight increase toward dark, but I wouldn’t expect much more than waist high at the biggest spots. Unfortunately they’ll be hard to catch because the period is about 6 seconds. As with yesterday, there’s nowhere along the NSW coast that looks dramatically better than what we’re seeing in Sydney. The periods are maybe a second longer up north, but the average size of the wind chop is the same as down this way.

Ah well, so it goes. Huey will return one day…

Have yourself a good one!

Sydney’s weather in the 1780s-90s

….Horticulture has been attended in some places with tolerable success. At Rose Hill I have seen gardens which, without the assistance of manure, have continued for a short time to produce well grown vegetables. But at Sydney, without constantly dressing the ground, it was in vain to expect them; and with it a supply of common vegetables might be procured by diligence in all seasons. Vines of every sort seem to flourish. Melons, cucumbers and pumpkins run with unbounded luxuriancy, and I am convinced that the grapes of New South Wales will, in a few years, equal those of any other country. That their juice will probably hereafter furnish an indispensable article of luxury at European tables, has already been predicted in the vehemence of speculation. Other fruits are yet in their infancy; but oranges, lemons and figs, (of which last indeed I have eaten very good ones) will, I dare believe, in a few years become plentiful. Apples and the fruits of colder climes also promise to gratify expectation. The banana-tree has been introduced from Norfolk Island, where it grows spontaneously.

Nor will this surprise, if the genial influence of the climate be considered. Placed in a latitude where the beams of the sun in the dreariest season are sufficiently powerful for many hours of the day to dispense warmth and nutrition, the progress of vegetation never is at a stand. The different temperatures of Rose Hill and Sydney in winter, though only twelve miles apart, afford, however, curious matter of speculation. Of a well attested instance of ice being seen at the latter place, I never heard. At the former place its production is common, and once a few flakes of snow fell. The difference can be accounted for only by supposing that the woods stop the warm vapours of the sea from reaching Rose Hill, which is at the distance of sixteen miles inland; whereas Sydney is but four.* Again, the heats of summer are more violent at the former place than at the latter, and the variations incomparably quicker. The thermometer has been known to alter at Rose Hill, in the course of nine hours, more than 50 degrees (Fahrenheit = 10 degrees Celsius) ; standing a little before sunrise at 50 degrees, and between one and two at more than 100 degrees (= 38 degrees Celsius). To convey an idea of the climate in summer, I shall transcribe from my meteorological journal, accounts of two particular days which were the hottest we ever suffered under at Sydney.

[*Look at the journal which describes the expedition in search of the river, said to exist to the southward of Rose Hill. At the time we felt that extraordinary degree of cold were not more than six miles south west of Rose Hill, and about nineteen miles from the the sea coast. When I mentioned this circumstance to colonel Gordon, at the Cape of Good Hope, he wondered at it; and owned, that, in his excursions into the interior parts of Africa, he had never experienced anything to match it: he attributed its production to large beds of nitre, which he said must exist in the neighbourhood.]

December 27th 1790. Wind NNW; it felt like the blast of a heated oven, and in proportion as it increased the heat was found to be more intense, the sky hazy, the sun gleaming through at intervals.

At 9 a.m. 85 degrees At noon 104 Half past twelve 107 1/2 From one p.m. until 20 minutes past two 108 1/2 At 20 minutes past two 109 (= 42 degrees Celsius) At Sunset 89 At 11 p.m. 78 1/2

[By a large Thermometer made by Ramsden, and graduated on Fahrenheits scale.]

December 28th.

At 8 a.m. 86 10 a.m. 93 11 a.m. 101 At noon 103 1/2 Half an hour past noon 104 1/2 At one p.m. 102 At 5 p.m. 73 At sunset 69 1/2

[At a quarter past one, it stood at only 89 degrees, having, from a sudden shift of wind, fallen 13 degrees in 15 minutes.]

My observations on this extreme heat, succeeded by so rapid a change, were that of all animals, man seemed to bear it best. Our dogs, pigs and fowls, lay panting in the shade, or were rushing into the water. I remarked that a hen belonging to me, which had sat for a fortnight, frequently quitted her eggs, and shewed great uneasiness, but never remained from them many minutes at one absence; taught by instinct that the wonderful power in the animal body of generating cold in air heated beyond a certain degree, was best calculated for the production of her young. The gardens suffered considerably. All the plants which had not taken deep root were withered by the power of the sun. No lasting ill effects, however, arose to the human constitution. A temporary sickness at the stomach, accompanied with lassitude and headache, attacked many, but they were removed generally in twenty-four hours by an emetic, followed by an anodyne. During the time it lasted, we invariably found that the house was cooler than the open air, and that in proportion as the wind was excluded, was comfort augmented.

But even this heat was judged to be far exceeded in the latter end of the following February, when the north-west wind again set in, and blew with great violence for three days. At Sydney, it fell short by one degree of what I have just recorded: but at Rose Hill, it was allowed, by every person, to surpass all that they had before felt, either there or in any other part of the world. Unluckily they had no thermometer to ascertain its precise height. It must, however, have been intense, from the effects it produced. An immense flight of bats driven before the wind, covered all the trees around the settlement, whence they every moment dropped dead or in a dying state, unable longer to endure the burning state of the atmosphere. Nor did the perroquettes, though tropical birds, bear it better. The ground was strewn with them in the same condition as the bats.

Were I asked the cause of this intolerable heat, I should not hesitate to pronounce that it was occasioned by the wind blowing over immense deserts, which, I doubt not, exist in a north-west direction from Port Jackson, and not from fires kindled by the natives. This remark I feel necessary, as there were methods used by some persons in the colony, both for estimating the degree of heat and for ascertaining the cause of its production, which I deem equally unfair and unphilosophical. The thermometer, whence my observations were constantly made, was hung in the open air in a southern aspect, never reached by the rays of the sun, at the distance of several feet above the ground.

My other remarks on the climate will be short. It is changeable beyond any other I ever heard of; but no phenomena sufficiently accurate to reckon upon, are found to indicate the approach of alteration. Indeed, for the first eighteen months that we lived in the country, changes were supposed to take place more commonly at the quartering of the moon than at other times. But lunar empire afterwards lost its credit. For the last two years and a half of our residing at Port Jackson, its influence was unperceived. Three days together seldom passed without a necessity occurring for lighting a fire in an evening. A habit dete, or a habit de demi saison, would be in the highest degree absurd. Clouds, storms and sunshine pass in rapid succession. Of rain, we found in general not a sufficiency, but torrents of water sometimes fall. Thunder storms, in summer, are common and very tremendous, but they have ceased to alarm, from rarely causing mischief. Sometimes they happen in winter. I have often seen large hailstones fall. Frequent strong breezes from the westward purge the air. These are almost invariably attended with a hard clear sky. The easterly winds, by setting in from the sea, bring thick weather and rain, except in summer, when they become regular sea-breezes. The aurora australis is sometimes seen, but is not distinguished by superior brilliancy.

To sum up: notwithstanding the inconveniences which I have enumerated, I will venture to assert in few words, that no climate hitherto known is more generally salubrious*, or affords more days on which those pleasures which depend on the state of the atmosphere can be enjoyed, than that of New South Wales. The winter season is particularly delightful.

[*To this cause, I ascribe the great number of births which happened, considering the age and other circumstances, of many of the mothers. Women who certainly would never have bred in any other climate here produced as fine children as ever were born.]

Extract from A Complete Account of the Settlement at Port Jackson

by Watkin Tench 1793

A Complete Account of the Settlement at Port Jackson, in New South Wales, Including an Accurate Description of the Situation of the Colony; and of its Natural Productions; Taken on the Spot (London, 1793; German and Swedish translations)

TG’s surf forecast

Surf forecast issued Friday 30 January 2009: Seven day outlook for Sydney:

Small now ??.. Get used to it… But Hey the weather’s nice….

And why finesse with heights…

Sarturday through Friday: pretty much around 1 metre North East more or less.

Water temp is currently around 22, but I’d expect it to start getting a bit cooler after we’ve had a few days of fresh Noreasters.

Weather from the Bureau:

Forecast for Friday evening
Fine. Light to moderate northeast winds, fresh and gusty near the coast, easing late evening.
Precis: Fine.

Forecast for Saturday
Fine. Mostly sunny. Light to moderate northeast winds, becoming fresh and gusty near the coast in the afternoon.
Precis: Fine. Mostly sunny.

City: Min: 22 Max: 29 Parramatta: Min: 20 Max: 34
Terrey Hills: Min: 20 Max: 30 Penrith: Min: 20 Max: 36
Liverpool: Min: 19 Max: 34 Richmond: Min: 18 Max: 35

UV Alert: 9:20 am to 5:00 pm, UV Index predicted to reach 10 [Very High]

Sunday Fine. Mostly sunny.

City: Min: 22 Max: 29
West: Min: 18 Max: 35

Monday Fine. Partly cloudy.

City: Min: 22 Max: 28
West: Min: 19 Max: 33

Tuesday Mostly fine.

City: Min: 22 Max: 29
West: Min: 19 Max: 34

Wednesday Chance shower.

City: Min: 22 Max: 29
West: Min: 19 Max: 35

Thursday Fine.

City: Min: 21 Max: 29
West: Min: 18 Max: 34

Friday Fine.

City: Min: 22 Max: 29
West: Min: 19 Max: 35

Sydney Coastal Waters, Broken Bay to Port Hacking and 60nm seawards:
Strong Wind Warning.
Friday until midnight: Wind: N/NE 20/30 knots, easing to 15/20 knots overnight.Sea: 2 to 3 metres, abating to 1.5 to 2 metres overnight.Swell: E/NE about 1 metre.
Saturday: Wind: NE 15/20 knots increasing to 20/30 knots during the afternoon. Sea: 1.5 to 2 metres rising to 2 to 3 metres.Swell: NE 1 to 1.5 metres.
Sunday Outlook: Wind: E/NE 10/20 knots.
Monday Outlook: Wind: NE increasing to 10/20 knots.

Afternoon update

Hello Friends,

Really not much to report in the way of a change from this morning’s conditions. Things seem to be pretty much as they were then – except we have the expected wind. The numbers out of the MHL Sydney buoy are fairly dismal: east windswell of around a metre at between 5 and 6 seconds apart. Bleah.

Latest wind readings are showing the breeze coming from the NNE to NE at 10-20 kts.

Latest call from the Bureau for Sydney region:

Wind: NE 15/20 knots increasing to 20/30 knots during the afternoon. Sea: 1.5 to 2 metres rising to 2 to 3 metres. Swell: NE 1 to 1.5 metres.

Manly

just a continuation of the little stuff rolling in again today with a nort eastern blowing it along.

just waiting

Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew Retires from ASP

Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew (AUS), 54, will complete his tenure as President of ASP International at the end of March 2009. Photo Credit: Andrew Buckley.

Gold Coast, AUS – After 10 years of service as President of ASP International, Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew (AUS), 54, will be stepping down from the post, effective at the end of March 2009.

“After deep consideration, I have decided not to seek a fifth term as ASP President,” Bartholomew said. “I depart from ASP with nothing but positive feelings. After 36 years in the engine room of the sport, the timing of this decision is of the utmost importance to me. I feel the time is right. I leave at the height of my effectiveness; perhaps I could say the height of my popularity in the surfing world.”

Bartholomew has been a central figure in professional surfing for over three decades. As a young Australian, the stylish natural-footer stormed onto the international scene in the 1970’s, dominating lineups and planting the seeds for what would one day become professional surfing.

“Wayne has been the most fitting and articulate ambassador for the sport,” Richard Grellman, Chairman of the ASP Board of Directors, said. “He has always represented ASP with integrity and candor. He is the visionary that started the Tour and then reinvented it again with the Dream Tour. We have a global, respected professional surf tour thanks to Rabbit and owe him a mountain of thanks.”

The original “Coolangatta Kid” punctuated a stunning 12 years as a touring professional surfer with a World Title in 1978 and 8 consecutive years in the top 5. Bartholomew’s 36 years in the sport also saw him collect World Titles in the ASP Masters (1999) and ASP Grand Masters (2003) divisions, serve 11 years as surfer representative on the ASP Board, eight years as the regional representative, four years as CEO/President and finally his decade-long stint as President of ASP International.

“All of my roles and especially my time as President have been a fulfilling and rewarding experience,” Bartholomew said. “I consider it a privilege and an honour to have held this position of great responsibility and to have worked alongside a group of very dedicated and talented individuals.”

A champion of surfers’ rights and in possession of incredible market foresight, Bartholomew orchestrated the transition of professional surfing venues from metropolitan locations with marginal surf to the best waves on the planet, resulting in what is today referred to as the “Dream Tour.”

“I have a deep affinity with professional surfing and my personal journey has run a parallel course with the evolution of the sport,” Bartholomew said. “This leaves me with a feeling of deep satisfaction and I am confident about the future of the sport of professional surfing. Thank you for allowing me to serve the sport in the capacity of ASP President.”

At present, the ASP Administration will review the role of President for the future as well as potential candidates. Regardless of the decision, the shoes left by Wayne Bartholomew will be immense.

“As soon as Bugs told me about his decision, I flew straight home to try and convince him to stay,” Brodie Carr, ASP International CEO, said. “However, I completely understand his position and have nothing but respect for him. A day doesn’t go past that Rabbit is not thinking, living and breathing professional surfing. With one eye on the keyboard and one eye on the surf, he is the absolute soul of ASP. I was always amazed at how someone could still be so stoked with surfing and in touch with the youth.”

“Rabbit lives for the surfers and always puts their interest first,” Carr said. “Rabbit has been my quarterback who I would go to for the history, the advice and general council. His knowledge and memory is nothing short of amazing. Thanks Bugs I am going to miss you mate!”

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

Human-powered sub across the Atlantic

For your amusement!

This must surely rank high on the top ten list of crazy – but not totally improbable – projects.

In an article that appeared on the New Scientist website late in January, one Ted Ciamillo is shown standing next to the pedal-powered submarine he’s building (see pic below). His plan is to pedal it from Cape Verde off Africa to the Barbados over a period of about 50 days.

Ciamillo has a very slick website for what he calls the subhumanproject. There are some videos about the technology he’s going to use, including shots of him swimming about using the Lunocet fin that is the key to his sub’s propulsion system. (Essentially the Lunocet uses the same principle as a dolphin’s tail.)

It all seems pretty crazy, but when you look at how these guys are approaching the challenge, you can almost believe it’ll work. Very cool.

image from subhuman project

WEEKLY SWELL UPDATE FOR THE QUIKSILVER IN MEMORY OF EDDIE AIKAU

For Waimea Bay: An energetic Pacific Ocean will gradually peter out this week as swells diminish below 10 feet for approximately the next week and a half. A series of small to moderate swells will keep the North Shore active, but nothing on the large size is expected in the coming 10 days. The jet stream has migrated north, keeping winter storm systems further from Hawaiian shorelines, and therefore keeping the large swells at a distance. There are five weeks remaining in The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau holding period.

In this week’s Mark Healey Waimea Weekly Update, Mark is joined by North Shore Lifeguard and 1999 event champion Noah Johnson for the swell update.  Mark also interviews archaeologist Joe Kennedy and Kahu (Hawaiian priest) Butch Helemano to talk about the history and significance of Waimea Bay. “If Hawaii has a spiritual place, Waimea is it,” says Kennedy. To see the full webisode, viewers can tune-in at www.quiksilver.com/eddie.

These video clips along with other videos from The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau are available for syndication through Splashcast; videos can be embedded to blogs, social networking sites and more. Make your way to http://web.splashcast.net/web_watch/?code=HXBN3705OC.

Special thanks to Pat Caldwell from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the swell data and forecasts. Current conditions and surf report for Waimea Bay, provided by Surfline, is available on the event website www.quiksilver.com/eddie. Visitors can also sign up for the official text alert for when the Bay Calls the Day.

About The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau

Scheduled to take place at the hallowed grounds of Waimea Bay, on the North Shore of Oahu, between November 30, 2008, and February 28, 2009, The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, requires one day with a minimum of 20-foot surf (Hawaiian scale, translating to waves exceeding 40 feet faces) in order to run. It is the world’s most prestigious big-wave surfing event and is the only big-wave surf contest sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), the governing body of professional surfing.

Held in honor of the legendary Hawaiian waterman, Eddie Aikau, The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau gathers 28 of the most skillful and dynamic big-wave surfers from around the world as polled by a comprehensive panel consisting of influential watermen, members of the surf industry, and internationally recognized surfing Associations.

The first memorial event for Aikau was held in 1984 at Sunset Beach, two miles north of Waimea Bay. It was won by local standout Denton Miyamura. Following the inaugural event, The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau moved to Waimea Bay, where it has remained ever since. 2008 marks the event’s 24th anniversary; in only seven of those years have the waves been big enough and the conditions right to hold the contest.

MONA

It’s really nice and worthy to get into the water today, waves aren’t to great though, yet again the same as the last few days, i should just start cutting and pasting this same report each day!

Summer. Weather’s great, surf’s crap.

About a gazillion dolphins visited Dee Why on Wednesday. A bit far away to get any fantastic photos, even with a big lens, but here’s one.  Surf for beginners only again today and sadly, I can’t see anything on the charts til at least the middle of next week.