Gerry Lopez & Jock Sutherland talkin’ Pipe

Came across this very interesting video of Gerry Lopez and Jock Sutherland talking about the history and their experiences of Pipeline. It’s part one of six and in this episode they give us brief bios before Gerry talks about trying to surf Pipe the first time in 1962 – and meeting Jock, who already had it wired. Although we see the two champions bantering on a dimly lit stage (they’re actually at the Patagonia surf shop in Cardiff, California) , their chat is liberally illustrated with great stills pictures from Jeff Divine and Surfer magazine.

Discovery credit goes to dailysurfvideo.com which looks like a site to add to the bookmarks!

More about Mr Lopez in my post entitled Where’s Gerry

Late arvo update: wind dropping

Heaps of folks in the water at 1715 Friday afternoon.

Hello Friends,

The wind’s backed off a little as we head toward evening. The water down at Dee Why is not looking too lovely (note the colour in the picture), but that hasn’t put off 30 odd people (at least) from having a go. There are some okay sections in amongst the general messiness. Again, the beachy is bigger and more consistent than the point. Although I haven’t been in the water myself today, it looks from all the wetsuits, as though the water’s not only woofy, but chilly as well. Certainly it had a bit of bite to it a couple days ago.

If you like these conditions then that’s good because we’re going to have a lot more of the same.  I agree with the Goat that we’re basically into an extended period of this stuff.

Better than being flat anyway.

Have yourself a top old evening one and all.

TG’s Forecast

Surf forecast issued Friday 13 February 2009: Seven day outlook for Sydney
Wind and waves and wind and rain… no fun for this little duck…
Saturday: 2-3 metres East South East
Sunday: ditto
Monday: 2-3 metres East
Tuesday: 2-3 metres East South East.
Wednesday: about 2 metres East.
Thursday: in the 1-2 metre range South East.
Friday: in the 1-2 metre range South.
Our thoughts this week have been with those affected by the bushfires in Victoria… Friends in St Andrews were very lucky that the wind changed before the horrendous fires got to them. Two shark attacks in Sydney in two days… Hope the two guys are doing OK – wish you well. Timely reminder for the rest of us that risk of attack is increased when the water is murky after rain, especially early morning and later in the day – feeding time.

Water temp is around 20.

Stay safe in the surf and in the bush.

Shark attack Woolloomooloo
Shark attack Bondi
Bushfire safety info for bushwalkers etc

Weather from the Bureau:
Forecast for Friday
Cloudy with showers. Moderate southeast winds, fresh near the coast.
Precis: Showers.

City: Max: 20 Parramatta: Max: 20
Terrey Hills: Max: 19 Penrith: Max: 20
Liverpool Max: 20 Richmond: Max: 20

UV Alert: 9:20 am to 5:00 pm, UV Index predicted to reach 11 [Extreme]

Forecast for Saturday
Cloudy, with periods of rain. Moderate to fresh east to southeast winds.

Precis: Rain periods.

City: Min: 18 Max: 21
West: Min: 15 Max: 22

Sunday Rain periods.

City: Min: 18 Max: 21
West: Min: 15 Max: 22

Monday Rain periods.

City: Min: 18 Max: 21
West: Min: 16 Max: 23

Tuesday Showers.

City: Min: 19 Max: 23
West: Min: 15 Max: 25

Wednesday Shower or two.

City: Min: 19 Max: 25
West: Min: 15 Max: 28

Thursday Chance shower.

City: Min: 19 Max: 27
West: Min: 16 Max: 31
Sydney Coastal Waters, Broken Bay to Port Hacking and 60nm seawards:
Friday until midnight: Wind: E/SE 15/20 knots reaching 20/25 knots at times. Sea: 1.5 to 2 metres. Swell: SE 2 to 3 metres decreasing.
Saturday: Wind: E/SE 15/20 knots reaching 20/25 knots at times. Sea: 1.5 to 2 metres. Swell: SE increasing to 2 to 3 metres.
Sunday: Wind: E/SE 15/25 knots.

Midday snapshot

late morning, tide high, choppy and messy, but at least there's some size.

Just back from another wander around the northern beaches and it appears that there is nowhere really doing it. About the best of the bunch were the chaotic sections popping up at Dee Why point and the tide-fattened little sections at south Steyne.

Reporter PB and I had a coffee at the cafe across from the Bower and I can tell you that late this morning it was just way too fat to do anything with. The swell seems to be going well wide too, so I’m not convinced it will be a lot better at low tide. A couple bods paddled out, but we didn’t see them catch a single wave.

Street run-off from the showers of the last day or two have made the water look pretty cloudy and unappetizing everywhere I looked.

Like every other surfer in Sydney, I’m keen to get in after those weeks of dribble, but I don’t think today’s the day for me…

Go well with your afternoon.

Twitterers: I’m mr_realsurf

White wash

6 feet of SE swell on 8 secs with a howling SE wind- no chance of a decent wave today, not even Manly is protected although maybe kiddies corner if you are keen.  Wind and swell set to peak around sunday but nothing surfable until maybe Monday or Tuesday.  Seems the grey suit brigade is causing havoc amongst the beach and harbour goers at the moment- exercise caution.  Enjoy.

The Mootrix

MAN vs. COW See the video.  Someone once told me I had a better chance of being attacked by a cow than a shark. Seems appropriate today given the shark attacks in Sydney.  Those aren’t funny. This video is hilarious.

Yeah, it’s wretched in Sydney

Hello Friends,

Running around this morning revealed nothing more than what the others have already reported. It’s just awful – not to put too fine a point on it.

As of 0915 this morning the wind was out of the SE at 10-25 kts depending upon where you’re standing. That’s consistent with the Bureau’s call which is as follows:

Friday until midnight: Wind: E/SE 15/20 knots reaching 20/25 knots at times. Sea: 1.5 to 2 metres. Swell: SE 2 to 3 metres decreasing.
Saturday: Wind: E/SE 15/20 knots reaching 20/25 knots at times. Sea: 1.5 to 2 metres. Swell: SE increasing to 2 to 3 metres.

The MHL Sydney buoy is showing a couple metres of SE windswell running at about 8 seconds apart. There is some longer period stuff in the mix of up to 10 seconds and out at sea the chop on top of the swell is getting up to 5 metres.

A quick glance at the forecast models suggest that we’re into a SE to ESE pattern for the next week. Conforming to the Bureau’s call, they reckon we’re set for pretty strong SE wind all weekend. And we’ll have rain periods to make it extra specially nice.

Anyway, have yourself a good one and go well with your day.

audio: Bondi Shark story on ABC radio national

Bondi shark attack story, Radio National 13 Feb 09

mmmmm not today

It’s pretty uninviting out there this morning, it’s dropped off a little from yesterday and is very windy, cold, messy, closing out. So unless your extremely keen for a wave today i’d just write it off and re-assess things tomorrow!

Violent crumbles.

Grey day in Bondi with more news crews here today than when Paris Hilton was visiting . You’ve obviously heard about the shark attack and it seems to have had an affect on decisions this morning. Not one surfer from Bronte to Bondi. If you do have the balls though, Bronte reef and Bondi cosy corner worth a look as everything else quite wind affected.