Video: the Dolphin stampede

Posted on February 15th, 2009 in Cool Picks, Editor's picks, Vids we like.

Who doesn’t love watching dolphins… a lot of dolphins!

From the YouTube description: This video was shot in the Sea of Cortez between Isla la Guardia and Bajia de los Angeles. While fishing we ran through a pod of several hundred dolphins. This is part of what we saw.

Late arvo wrap

Posted on February 15th, 2009 in Collaroy.

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Hello Friends,

Drove up to Umina to visit some rels staying at the actually quite impressive Ocean Beach caravan park. Figured I might as well use the opportunity to grab a snap of the fabled Box Head while I was there. It was utterly awful though. Close together, messy, totally wind whipped junk really. No one was in the water, which was hardly surprising given the frequent bouts of lashing rain and powering onshores.

Got back to the Northern Beaches not long before dark and managed to grab a snap of some crunchy beachy action at Collaroy. A few folks were on the peak just south of the stormwater pipe. Looked like excellent waves for breaking boards and bodies to me. The wind wasn’t too bad though and the SE swell had picked up a bit since last I saw the beach. It’s around 3 metres out at sea and averaging around 8 seconds apart.

The Bureau is now calling for swell to be E/SE at 2-3 metres tomorrow with wind out of the SE at 20-30kts. “breaking dangerously inshore” they add… showers and cloudy too with a low tide at around 722 in the morning building to a modest 1.1 m high around 1300. Another wild and messy one, but with luck the really protected spots will have a little something…

Owen Wright does it again at Billabong Pro Junior Coffs Harbour

Posted on February 15th, 2009 in Contests, News Stories, Surf News, Top stories.

 

 

 

Coffs Harbour, NSW – Billabong Pro Junior Coffs Harbour was run and won today in epic conditions, as Owen Wright (Lennox Head, NSW) won his third straight event.

As conditions rapidly increased overnight, with the arrival of a fresh 3-4m swell, competitors were greeted with solid, rugged storm-like peaks as they arrived at Coffs Harbour Jetty.

However, as the swell, rainsqualls and wind abated, what was left was

near-perfect four-to-five feet waves  which was welcomed with open arms by

competitors and officials alike.

 

 

 

 

 

 

None more so than Wright, who dominated the final defeating Garrett Parks

(Lennox Head, NSW), Perth Standlick (Bondi, NSW), and Davey Cathels (North

Narrabeen, NSW), who finished second, third and fourth respectively.

Wright, who now holds a massive lead on the ASP Australasian Pro Junior ratings after three straight victories, was in super-human form once again, accruing a combined heat total of 17.00 (out of a possible 20).

“It feels great,” Wright said after accepting the check and trophy for his third consecutive event.

“To win again is a dream, I¹ve just got some really good momentum at the

moment and hopefully it can continue onwards.”

High scores dominated the day¹s competition as the finest junior surfers in Australasia pushed the boundaries of competitive surfing.

Wright locked in a virtually perfect 9.90 (out of a possible 10) in his semi-final, Standlick followed suit with a nine-point ride, whilst Dean Bowen (Gerroa, NSW) added an 8.00 (out of a possible 10)  only to be eliminated.

Whilst the second semi-final saw event standout Parkes awarded the highest accolade in surfing  a perfect ten  after combining a mind-blowing barrel with a radical combination of turns. Only to be followed up by a 8.65 (out of a possible 10) to Cathels a mere two minutes later.

“The standard of surfing was so high throughout the final and the semi¹s, all the guys were ripping,” Wright continued.

“To beat guys like Davey, Perth and Garrett is awesome,” he continued.

“Having grown-up with these guys, to finally get a result over them is a

good feeling.”

As the third stop on the prestigious 2009 ASP Australasia Pro Junior Circuit, the Grade 3 ASP Rated Boys event saw a whopping $20,000 up for grabs, with Wright taking home $4000 for his troubles.

Having started the year better than any other junior competitor in history, Wright has had a dream start, something which he was looking for before entering 2009.

“I had a really good season in Hawaii where I trained really hard and just had fun,” he said.

“I wanted to start really well and I am over the moon with my results.”

Throughout the entire Billabong Pro Junior Coffs Harbour, Billabong, Surfing NSW, competitors and Coffs Harbour residents alike, all rallied together to raise much needed funds for the Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal.

In a show of mateship, compassion and generosity over $1200 was raised,

including a $200 donation from champion, Owen Wright, with a minute silence

observed before the final.

On behalf of Billabong and Surfing NSW we would like to thank all individuals who gave generously and ask that others visit www.redcross.org.au  and assist in any way that you can.

Mush mush mush

Posted on February 15th, 2009 in Dee Why.

Waves around, not as bad as it could be but pretty messy. At least the wind’s not into it yet.

Slop central

Posted on February 15th, 2009 in Bondi, Bronte, Tama.

It’s as messy as a half sucked mango this morning without one option to offer you. There is swell…..but the wind is oh so wrong. Let’s hope all the forces will align and produce what we deserve soon.

A few around

Posted on February 15th, 2009 in Big Picture, Dee Why.

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Hello Friends,

Looks like the wind hasn’t picked up quite as much as expected – yet. The Bureau has hoisted the strong wind warning for SE’ly wind ranging from 20-30 kts. They als say we can expect 2-2.5 metres of east swell. The MHL buoy is showing a swerve back toward the SE at the moment. Average height is just over the 2 metre mark and average period is a shade under 8 seconds.

Quality where Dee Why’s concerned looks just a touch better than late yesterday. Not too many folks in the water yet either. Sets at the point look to be in the chest to shoulder high range. Along the beach they seemed to be about the same when I snapped the pictures, but I’d expect the usual size and consistency ratios to prevail (ie, the beach generally being bigger and more consistent).

The models are in general agreement that it won’t be flat this week in Sydney. Overall it looks as thought the SE’ly will continue to be the dominant factor through about Wednesday. I’m currently holding out hope that they’ll be right about Thursday and that we’ll see WSW winds in the morning with a bit of ESE swell (not dissimilar to what’s getting in right now).

Between now and then the swell intensity could build as an east pulse looks set to travel down the eastern seaboard toward us (see the graphic). Too bad about the damn SE wind. Mind you, east isn’t exactly the best direction for our stretch of coast. Not that many spots really like it much.

Have yourself a top old Sunday and stay in touch, you hear?