Hello Friends,

I’ve got an hour to kill waiting for the big bus to California, so I’ve had a quick squizz at the buoy data for Sydney. Not a pretty picture it has to be said. Swell’s out of the E by ENE at about 8 seconds apart. Average size at sea is a paltry metre – and the trend appears to be heading downward. Probably the best thing to do at this point is to head off to Vicco. Looks like they’re going to be getting some serious swell over the next couple days. Sydney’s looking decidedly ordinary on the other hand.

Ah well… if it makes you feel any better, I’ve just looked at the conditions where I’m heading and it’s not looking too likely that I’ll have anything to crow about. In fact it looks just as uninteresting in southern California as it does here. So it goes.

Have yourself a great day and if you must get wet, I’d be taking the biggest, floatiest object in the quiver.

Weather Situation
A high pressure system over the southwestern Tasman Sea is slowly moving east. A weak southerly change is expected on the south coast today, gradually extending to the north coast by Thursday night. Winds are expected to freshen from the west to southwest on Friday ahead of another southerly change over the weekend.

Forecast for Wednesday until midnight
Winds: Northeast to northwesterly 10 to 15 knots. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly about 1 metre. Isolated thunderstorms this afternoon and evening.

Forecast for Thursday
Winds: West to northwesterly 10 to 15 knots tending southwest to southeasterly during the afternoon. Winds tending northeasterly overnight. Seas: Below 1 metre. Swell: Southeasterly about 1 metre. Isolated thunderstorms in the morning.

Forecast for Friday
Winds: Westerly 10 to 15 knots tending west to southwesterly 10 to 20 knots during the morning. Seas: Below 1 metre increasing up to 1.5 metres during the morning. Swell: Southerly about 0.5 metres.

Sadly, not looking too encouraging this morning.

Up just ahead of the sun, grabbed a quick snap… and then the computer fell over. Ah, technology… as Matt and PB have noted, we’re not looking too flash. No one in the water at Dee Why when I took the pic and turning to the latest info from the MHL buoy, one can see why. The windswell has gone around to the ENE from yesterday morning’s SSE. Size is still averaging around the 1-1.5m mark, but the all important period setting slumped to 6 seconds last night and has just crept back up to a touch under 8 sec. (it was near 9 yesterday). Pretty marginal settings you’d have to say.

Consequences at Dee Why look pretty dire to me. I’m pretty sure you couldn’t surf down the southern end of the beach with anything less than a SUP.

I’m therefore not optimistic that a loop around the beaches south of Dee Why will reveal much. However, I shall do my self-appointed duty. (Besides, it gives me an excuse to be out picture taking!)

Might try to do one of my live broadcast things too…

More later!

Hello Friends,

My usual late start for Sunday. Swell has gone around to the NE at about a metre. The power setting has dropped from close to 10 sec yesterday morning to about 8 sec now. Weak NE windswell is not generally too good for Dee Why, so it’s not that surprising that the water is relatively unoccupied on what is an otherwise picture perfect Sunday morning.

I plan to return later today with some thoughts about the current surf outlook.

In the meantime, here’s the Bureau’s call:

Sydney Coastal Waters, Broken Bay to Port Hacking and 60nm seawards:
Sunday until midnight: Wind: NW 8/13 knots inshore and 13/18 knots offshore at first, turning W/SW 10/15 knots throughout

0845: bodyboarder snags a set wave as the rubber ducky zooms out on another practice run.

during the morning and SE 10/15 knots in the afternoon.Sea: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: NE 1 to 1.5 metres. Chance of afternoon thunderstorms.
Monday: Wind: SW/SE 10/15 knots. Sea: 1 to 1.5 metres. Swell: E/NE 1 to 1.5 metres, turning SE later.
Tuesday: Wind: SW/SE 10/15 knots.