That’s Monday done

Hello Friends,

After staring at a computer screen all day, I finally went out for a look around to see how the real world was going. The wind was still an issue most places, but along stretches with more NE exposure it was a bit messy but not bad. One such was the stretch from the north end of Tea Gardens down to about Mactier St.

As anticipated, the swell picked up during the day and at dusk it was out of the SSE at 3 metres and close to 9 seconds. Wind was SSE at 15-20 kts.

The quality was not great along the Gardens to Mactier St stretch, but given the limited range of surf options, it would probably have been one of the better bets. There were some little waves at Collaroy too. Of course around at Long Reef, the wind was straight into it.

Here’s the latest from the Bureau:

Sydney Coastal Waters, Broken Bay to Port Hacking and 60nm seawards:
Monday until midnight: Wind: S 15/20 knots.Sea: 1.5 to 2 metres.Swell: S/SE 2 to 3 metres.
Tuesday: Wind: SW/SE 15/20 knots, easing to 10/15 knots in the afternoon.Sea: 1.5 to 2 metres, abating to 1 to 1.5 metres during afternoon. Swell: S/SE 2 metres.
Wednesday: Wind: S/SE 10/15 knots.
Thursday: Wind: Variable 05/10 knots, tending NE 10/15 knots during afternoon.

Judging from the buoy data south of here, I’d say we can expect the swell to have peaked around sunset and it could be a fair amount smaller tomorrow morning. But I don’t think it’ll be flat. Longer term outlook is for a gradual trend toward near flatness by the end of the week. Hope it’s wrong…

Here are a few snaps from late this afternoon.

Not far from Mactier St late this afternoon.

Not far from Mactier St there were some ok size sets.

Heaps of weed from Mactier St south to Collaroy.

Aiming for the section ahead at far south Narrabeen.

Collaroy was pretty small, but not unsurfably so.

South Gardens looking reasonable at the end of the day.

A few happening this afternoon for the keen but small crew.

BSR 2009 04 06

BSR pic of the day

Bali Surf Report
Date = Mon, 06 Apr 2009
Time = 09:30 AM
Location = Padma – Legian
Size = 2-3plus ft
Surfers = 6 and 8 more in right Padma
Tide = low tide
Wind = offshore wind
Weather = sunny
Water = calm and swim able
Wave = not really consistent and most closing

Legian: High tide at Legian can serve up some of the most power-packed beachbreaks in the world. Always bigger than Kuta, although it usually closes-out on low tide. It also closes out on high tide if the swell is over 8 feet. Because Legian is in the curve of the beach, it collects the compressed energy of all swells. If Kuta is only 3 foot, sometimes Legian can be mignificent at 4 – 6 foot. A handy hint is that Kuta Reef is often about the same size at Legian. A hot crew of young Bali locals surf here regularly, so smile, share and be friendly to enjoy your sessions here.

Another top post from the Forums…

Had to share this post with a wider audience… Hatchman is one of the RealSurf Forums’ more frequent contributors and I reckon this is gold…
Re: Bombora – History of Australian Surfing

Post by Hatchman » Mon Apr 06, 2009 11:51 am

steve shearer wrote:Mostly surfers get to a certain age and quit, move inland, get fat or accept surfing as a part-time recreational activity to be done on the weekend, usually in crowds of other competitive individuals.
Hardly a spiritual pursuit

By that logic you’d say that unless you were going to church more than once a week you would hardly call it a spiritual pursuit?

No offence Steve but your “holier surfer than thou” rants are starting to get a bit tiresome. Like many I would love to be able to surf 4 or more times a week, live in a coastal shack looking over a barrelling point break and be able to take regular trips to Indo. Back in the real world (where most of us live) where we’ve got kids, mortgages and bills to pay 5 days (and sometimes more) a week (not to mention all the stuff for family and friends we need to do on the weekend i.e. we’ve got a lot of responsibilities) that 2 hour slot I and many other weekend warriors squeeze in at the sparrows fart on a Saturday or Sunday morning while most of the world is asleep is a damn fine spiritual experience and hardly one we consider a “recreational pursuit”.

Sitting in the lineup on a fine Victorian Sunday winter morning braving the wind chill as it howls in my ears turning the sea into a boiling choppy beast while rubbing my calf muscles to keep them from cramping into golf balls as the water temps drop into single digits does require a spiritual dedication bordering on fundamentalism I can assure you. Because no ‘normal’ person would do it after a week spent in a cube farm – coiled up in a ball on the couch with a coffee and a gut full of fried eggs and bacon watching the footy does sound like a lot more like it.

However rather strangely, like many of my fellow Vicco bretheren, I actually love it with a fervour bordering on fanaticism because I cherish every moment in the surf as a way of connecting, in spirit, back to the ocean as it is the place I love to be. I find it both deeply beautiful and profound sitting out at sea in a Victorian winter, coated head to toe in rubber, staring at the sky turning into various shades of darker grey watching the storm fronts roll in off Bass Strait as the rain pelts my face all the while saying gday to the occasional seal or dolphin that swims by before turning and taking the drop down a nice big fat wall.

Don’t tell me it is a recreational pursuit mate, I need my surfing to live and I’ll love it no matter how often I do it and in what ever conditions mother earth will grant to me. Because when you love it that much it goes much deeper into the core of your being and it becomes an essential part of you that can never be changed.

Absence or fasting makes the heart grow fonder and the devotion run deeper – maybe you need to consider this to understand the depth of spiritual feeling it can generate in people like me as well.

Moooona

If you got up extremely early this morning you would have scored some nice waves like yesterday, if not, then your best bet today is going to be anywhere protected from the macking southerly thats probably going to be blowing all day! good luck with that.

KIDS TRAVEL 13 HOURS TO SURF WITH WORLD CHAMPS

Mick with a few groms.

TORQUAY, Australia — Victorian kids traveled up to 13 hours for a rare chance to go surfing with their heroes at Bells Beach.

Freezing storm surf was no deterrent for the liliputian army of 60 kids who were invited by the world’s best surfers to catch some waves with them at one of the world’s most famous breaks.

The “Surf With The Stars” day — the surfing equivalent of a young golfer playing a round with Tiger Woods — is put together by the pros through their athletes’ union worldprosurfers.com, and is instigated by 2007 World Champ Mick Fanning. And Fanning wasn’t going to let a lingering flu stop him from hitting the icy waves with the grommets.

“Look how stoked they are, it’s all about giving them a connection and hopefully inspiring them … and it’s generally just a whole lot of fun for us too because we get to hang out and find out a bit about them as well.”

“It’s that simple,” World #16 Kieren Perrow added. “You’ve got to see these guys, some come from distant pockets of coast and they rip, especially the families that drove over six hours, each way, to come and surf with us.”

According to parent and designated driver Mark Traynor of remote Lake’s Entrance: “It’s a 13 hour round-trip.”

Sean Squires, 17, also of Lakes Entrance laughed, ”Yeah it was a long drive and we even had trouble from some bikies following us for part of the way, but it was definitely worth it just to see the guys surf up close and say ‘g’day’.”

Tom Harrison, 10, of Barwon Heads agreed, “It was crazy seeing them all out there. Mick Fanning said, ‘If you see any of us pros on a wave, just go for it’; so I rode the same wave with Bede Durbidge, I dropped in on him but he didn’t care. I got one good turn in too.”

The stoked kids came from local board-riders’ clubs all over Victoria and the day was put together with the support of Torquay Boardriders Club and the Mitchell Surfing Foundation.

VIDEO: Daniel Ross Wins Drug Aware Pro at Margaret River

Dan Ross's feet above the sand. Photo: Mario Vassallo

Margaret River, Western Australia — DANIEL Ross (AUS/NSW/Yamba) has won the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) six star prime rated  Drug Aware Pro defeating fellow North Coast NSW Australian surfer Adam Melling in clean 3 to 4 feet (1.25m) surf at Margaret River in Western Australia today.

It was Ross’s biggest career victory and could not have come at a better time for the powerfully built surfer who fell short of requalifying on the ASP World Dream Tour last season and also recently lost his major sponsorship deals!

“ I was so pumped to win this event and I can’t believe how good I feel right now” said an elated Ross after his win.

“I’ve made the semi’s the last two years here and I knew coming here I was a really good chance to win, I’ve trained hard leading into this event and it has really paid off for me in a big way.”

“Without a major sponsor the cash that comes with winning ($US20 000) will make my year of competing that much easier and I wanted to prove to everyone out there right now  that I am worth sponsoring and capable of big results!”

Ross surfed the ASP Dream Tour last year but failed to requalify. Today’s result has him exceptionally well placed for requalification this year.

Dan Ross in action to win. Photo: Steve Robertson

“That’s my aim for sure and now I’m winning I want to get on a roll and string together a lot more excellent results.”

With the lead  see sawing in a  high scoring quality  final, Melling opened with an excellent 8.67 ride and looked to have control when he backed that ride up shortly after  with a strong 6.07 ride.

Ross opened with a 6.77 score, remained patient and found the finals best ride when he scored an outstanding 9.43 at the twenty minute stage of the 30 minute final.

Ross unleashed all his power on this ride combining two massive bottom to top turns sending fans of spray  high off the wave and it was immediately clear to the large crowd on the hills of Margaret River that he had taken the lead with that ride.

While Melling searched for an achievable 7.54 to regain the lead, he fell on a few critical turns late in the final and was forced to settle for second on a score line for each surfers top two scoring rides of 16.20 (out of a possible 20) for Ross and 14.74 to Melling.

Melling’s second place today is the second time he has finished runner up  in an ASP prime 6 star event.

“It’s disappointing not to win but Rossy is a great guy and I’m really stoked for him today” said Melling.

“Having made the finals twice I now really want to win one of these events; my start to the season has been great but there’s still a lot of work ahead to qualify for next year’s Dream Tour – that’s my goal and I have to remain focused because the season has really just started.”

Despite being disappointed at not winning, Melling’s  good early season form see’s him as the number one rated surfer on the ASP World Qualifying Series Ratings ahead of Brett Simpson (USA) , Dion Atkinson (AUS) with  Ross in fourth place.

In what turned out to be a dominating day for the Australian surfers, with all Australian semi finalists, Luke Munro (AUS/Gold Coast) and Dion Atkinson (AUS/SA) placed equal 3^rd both picking up valuable 2625 rating points along with $US2950.

Both Atkinson and Munro have firm goals to qualify for the ASP Dream Tour for next year.

“I’m really happy with my start to the season, 5^th last week  in Tasmania and 3^rd here is a great start to my season” said Atkinson.

“That’s two ‘keepers’ already to the season in my aim to qualify and that is a lot better than most other surfers this early in the season so I’m feeling great”

For most of today’s finalists their next stop on the ASP World Qualifying Series will be South Africa in mid April for the Quiksilver Pro presented by Virgin Mobile in Durban, another six star prime event.

Melanie Redman-Carr winning her fourth Drug Aware Pro title at Margaret River. Photo: Mario Vassallo/Surfing Australia

Veteran Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Dream Tour surfer Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS/WA/Dunsborough/33 years of age) won her fourth Drug Aware Pro at Margaret River defeating rising Hawaiian star Coco Ho (17 years old/North Shore Ohau) in clean 1.25m (3 to 4 feet) surf.

Redman-Carr’s local knowledge and experience at the break saw her select the superior waves in the final which she won comfortably with a combined top two wave final score tally of 12.60 To Ho on 7.67.

“I have really surprised myself winning here today” said Redman-Carr.

“The younger emerging girls here have been ripping and I was sure I’d be eliminated in the opening quarter final today when I faced Carissa Moore (Haw); she has been the form surfer all week and I thought she’d win the event”

“The waves were really fun out there today and I’m sure my local knowledge helped out a lot” added Redman-Carr.

Redman-Carr opened with a 5.83 ride and was never seriously challenged by Ho who had difficulty finding the right waves to deliver any high scores at all.

Redman – Carr  sealed the final with 3 minutes remaining when she used her priority on a clean righthand breaking wave, scoring the finals top scoring ride of a 6.77.

That left Ho chasing a very difficult 8.10 and with no waves in the final few minutes the 2009 Drug Aware title was Redman-Carr’s.

Redman- Carr’s experience includes finishing second on the ASP World Tour on two occasions, the last time in 2006 and she officially retired from full time  professional surfing this year following the birth of her daughter Willow last year.

Being a local girl with an affinity to the surf here at Margaret River she accepted a wildcard into this event and went on to win $US 4000 in prize money.

Drug Aware Pro Margaret River is the biggest ASP World Qualifying Series Six Star Prime Rated event in the world. Prize money totalling $US145 000 and essential prime rated points on the ASP World Qualifying Series ensures an outstanding field of the world’s best surfers. A field of more than 250 surfers representing countries such as New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, USA, Peru, Brazil, South Africa, France, Spain, England, Portugal, Reunion Island, Canary Islands, Japan and Israel will be competing with some of Australia’s best surfers across the week long event

Locals Dominate Macca’s Ocean & Earth Teenage Rampage

Rory Jenkins (Cronulla, NSW) rode the barrel all the way to the winners podium. Photo: Michael Tyrpenou/Surfing NSW

Cronulla, NSW – Rory Jenkins (Cronulla, NSW) and April Charles (Cronulla, NSW) dominated all and sundry today at North Cronulla, claiming Macca’s Ocean & Earth Teenage Rampage in great conditions.

Greeted with a marked increase in swell overnight, local luminary Charles and Jenkins proved to be too good for their counterparts, taking the blue ribbon events in style.

Exercising local knowledge and a silky repertoire of attacking manoeuvres, Jenkins was in a league of his own accruing an impressive 14.90 (out of a possible 20) to take the crown.

“I’m so stoked, “ he said with the broadest of grins.

“To win against such good competition and in front of family and friends is awesome,” Jenkins continued.

Defeating Cory Robertson (Cronulla, NSW), Jarrod Campbell (Cronulla, NSW) and Troy Langendoen (Oak Flats, NSW), who finished second, third and fourth respectively, Jenkins had his rivals pleading for mercy.

Opening up with an impressive seven-point ride (out of a possible 20), Jenkins quickly backed that up with a near-excellent 7.90, leaving his counterparts in a combination situation (needing a combination of two scores to dethrone him).

“The conditions were really fun,” he said of the rising, metre-and-a-half easterly swell.

“I was just able to get the right waves at the right times,” a modest champion admitted.

In the corresponding girls division, April Charles reigned supreme.

For Charles her victory today at Macca’s Ocean & Earth Teenage Rampage heralded her as one to watch in the future, after finishing in second place in this event last year.

“I’m really happy with my performance,” Charles stated.

“The conditions were tough out there, with the bigger surf, but I feel that the bigger surf suits me a lot better.”

Edging out Renae Savas (Carringbah, NSW), Ruby Jinks (North Bondi, NSW) and Seaneen Wallace, in a tightly contested final, Charles has no ambitions, just yet, to attack the competitive scene.

“I just love surfing,” she proclaimed.

“Competition is fun, but I prefer just to free surf, relax and enjoy myself.”

Unlike other surfing competitions, Macca’s Ocean & Earth Teenage Rampage allows competitors (16 years and under) to surf three heats each without elimination instead of the traditional cutthroat format – something that Charles applauds.

“This is such a fun event – I love competing in it every year.”

“To get a few chances at surfing with your friends is the best aspect of surfing event’s like this,” Charles said.

Joshua Szele (Warilla, NSW) was the standout of the 13 years division and rightfully was awarded the crown, displaying skills well above his age.

Szele out pointed fellow finalists Harrison Martin (Cronulla, NSW), Jack Donovan (Carringbah, NSW) and Jackson Gilles (Matraville, NSW) to lift the trophy.

Whilst in the girls division it was Veronica Charles (Cronulla, NSW) who kept it in the family, matching her big sister’s feat with a victory in the 13 years division. 

Running in line with Macca’s Ocean & Earth Teenage Rampage was the Down In The Park music festival – a Youth Week festival at Dunningham Park, presented by the Sutherland Shire Council in conjunction with National Youth Week and Lifeline NSW, as a part of National Youth Week.

With the aim of increasing awareness of youth mental health issues in the Sutherland Shire community and to assist in promoting mental health support services and programs available to local young people, the Down in the Park festival attracted a large crowd of 18 – 24 year olds.

Headlining the day were Melbourne indie-rock band, British India, with indie-pop-techno band Amy Meredith as local Sydney metal band, Buried in Verona, young Sydney hard-core band Hand of Mercy and Newcastle rock group Light Noise ably supported the popular Melbourne rockers.

For all Ocean & Earth Teenage Rampage news please be sure to log onto www.oceanearth.com andwww.surfingnsw.com.au for more information.

Avalon to Narrabeen Rpt

Fat, windblown & messy

South change world

Hello Friends,

The Bureau was absolutely right about the south change coming through before daybreak. Yesterday evening there was still a bit of size going on, but the offerings this morning are much more modest. If you want to compare and contrast, just click the link to yesterday’s pics under the daily gallery.

You can see when the southerly hit on the MHL buoy data for Sydney because the average direction starts moving rapidly away from the east. More dramatic though is the power setting. In the space of an hour, the average period went from 10 sec to eight.

Even though the average size of the swell at sea has only dropped marginally to a touch under 2 metres, that decrease in period has seen wave faces at a spot like Dee Why now half what they were yesterday. The southerly is blasting along at 20-30 kts and the Bureau says the cloudy skies could drop the odd spot of rain.

Here’s the latest synopsis from the Bureau:

Sydney Coastal Waters, Broken Bay to Port Hacking and 60nm seawards:
Strong Wind Warning.
Monday until midnight: Wind: S’ly 20/30 knots, easing to S/SE 15/20 knots late in the day.Sea: 2 to 3 metres, abating to 1 to 2 metres late.Swell: E 2 metres, tending S/SE 2 to 2.5 metres.
Tuesday: Wind: SW/SE 10/20 knots. Sea: 1 to 2 metres. Swell: S/SE 2 metres.
Wednesday: Wind: S/SE 10/20 knots.

From the look of the Batemans Bay buoy, we can probably expect the average height of waves at south exposed spots to start ramping up in the next few hours. Naturally we’ll be keeping a close eye on it all.

Go well with your day!

Southerly blowing hard outside at 0640.

C C

Mild, breezy and dry on the Central Coast this Monday morning.  The swell is still here at 2 – 3 feet + a little inconsistent though from the east.  There is a light to moderate south southeast breeze.  High tide 0530 and low tide around 1205.  Local barometer 1018hpa, 94% humidity, 18 degrees C.  Have a great week.