Another Day Off

No contest in Brazil today.

Looking at the early morning (their time) webcast it looks like a good decision with howling side/offshore winds messing it up. With half the comp. done in the first two days there is still plenty of time to wait for decent waves.

Go to Work

Weather has backed off overnight but there is still a fair bit of rain and a strong wind warning. So has the swell but it is still around (over 4 metres at Naturaliste and just under 1 at the channel marker).

Now the ocean is just messy and gross.

Go to work or school and maybe look at a sickie later in the week !

Lay Day in Brazil

As expected, with two rounds down the contest organisers have called a lay day today.

Yesterday's predictions was for a new swell on Wednesday.

HANG LOOSE SANTA CATARINA PRO ROUND 3 MATCH-UPS:

Heat 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. Michel Bourez (PYF)
Heat 2: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Tim Boal (FRA)
Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Greg Emslie (ZAF)
Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Dustin Barca (HAW)
Heat 7: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) vs. Dean Morrison (AUS)
Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. Nathaniel Curran (USA)
Heat 10: Dayyan Neve (AUS) vs. Tim Reyes (USA)
Heat 11: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Ben Dunn (AUS)
Heat 12: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. Chris Davidson (AUS)
Heat 13: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Michael Picon (FRA)
Heat 14: Mick Campbell (AUS) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 15: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. Roy Powers (HAW)
Heat 16: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. Chris Ward (USA)

When Will It End

This weather seems never ending. Today was probably the worst and most sustained of the last few and it hasn't finished yet.

Needless to say that despite the huge swell there are no waves locally. The wind swung more west and was whipping spray off the top of the ocean.

Wednesday looks like the first respite and depending on what bank damage there is the weekend might be ok.

Rough Night

Got woken a few times last night by the howling, gale force winds and the odd bit of thunder. Apparently this is the strongest of the fronts for the last few days but might also be the end of the really bad weather.

Needless to say there is no surf, just more erosion.

Denmark looks ok on the surfcam !

Round 2 Done

Finally there are losers in the contest. Most heats when to plan with only the loss of Freddy P being close to an upset (but only just).

Slater won his way through. Apparently his boards didn't arrive for Round 1 but where here for round 2. He surfed an asymmetrical quad that he shaped himself.

Jordy had the highest heat total and is surfing really good. Nathanial Curren started with a big air to finally win a heat but Marlon Lipke continues his bad rookie season.

The waves were pretty good but started to back off with a drop in size and tide. With a week left in the waiting period it is expected that the contest will probably be on hold till Wednesday, when a new swell is expected.

Round 2 on Today

The call is that round two will start at 8.00 am Brazilian time (8.00 pm WA time). From the webcam it seems that the swell has hung around with head height-ish take offs and a light offshore.

Heats to watch -
Heat 3 - because its Kelly
Heat 5 - Jordy is trying harder this year and Bourgeois surfed ok in round 1
Heat 6 - Nathaniel Curren has to get through a heat sometime

Luckily I'll be in bed before heats 8 onwards start because there isn't a lot of interest there.

HANG LOOSE SANTA CATARINA PRO ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:

Heat 1: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. Guilherme Ferreira (BRA)
Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. Gustavo Fernandes (BRA)
Heat 3: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Bernardo Miranda (BRA)
Heat 4: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. Neco Padaratz (BRA)
Heat 5: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Ben Bourgeois (USA)
Heat 6: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. Nathaniel Curran (USA)
Heat 7: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Marlon Lipke (DEU)
Heat 8: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Phillip MacDonald (AUS)
Heat 9: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. Michael Picon (FRA)
Heat 10: Jay Thompson (AUS) vs. Greg Emslie (ZAF)
Heat 11: Dean Morrison (AUS) vs. Nic Muscroft (AUS)
Heat 12: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) vs. Roy Powers (HAW)
Heat 13: Jihad Khodr (BRA) vs. Ben Dunn (AUS)
Heat 14: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 15: Drew Courtney (AUS) vs. Dustin Barca (HAW)
Heat 16: Heitor Alves (BRA) vs. David Weare (ZAF)

Another Wall Video

Uploaded to YouTube a brief clip of some of the stand up and lay down action from the Wall today.

Round 1 Done but Who Cares ?

The pointless non-elimination round 1 of the Hangloose Pro has been done and now the actual contest can start. World Championship front runners Taj, Mick and Parko both made it direct to round 3 whilst Kelly, Jordy and a host of others get a second go in round two.

This format is boring. There is no point getting excited in the first round when no one loses. It even seems that when someone gets in front early the two others don't bother trying to hard to get back into it. In fact some heats are better to lose or come third as they can give you a better run through out the rest of the contest. Bring back the 'one and done' format and make some of these lower seeds work for their money.

Kelly wasn't meant to be coming to this event but proved or the critics wrong. I didn't see his heat but it was pretty low scoring. His next heat would be considered pretty safe for most top seeds. Mick Fanning was on fire in round one and living up to his "white lightning" nick-name.

The webcast is a bit on the rough and ready side, no replays, lots of missed waves and a single commentator, for a 'CT but lets hope it improves when the proper heats start.

Still Stormy

Overnight was windy and it still is. The ocean is a washing machine like yesterday (and the day before) and the showers are meant to get more frequent this afternoon. Swell in the channel topped 2 metres for the first time this year and the Naturaliste bouy hit six.

The only waves are at the Wall and it is pretty crowded for the quality. There was about 20 out at 9.30 and plenty of drop ins and people run over. There was the odd wave though.

The clubbies have wimped out and taken the IRB exams to the inlet and maybe they bash out towards the Cut. The water levels are really high and lapping over the lower parts.

WCT in Brazil Starts Now

Stop 4 on the ASP World Championship Tour is Brazil.

Round one has started in the old 'CT format with the non-elimination three man first round. Waves are a couple of feet and the water as brown as Bunbury.

Doesn't look like g-string weather there either as everyone is rugged up and in steamers.

The webcast can be found via the ASP web-site.

Danger Will Robinson

Only one word to describe it - HUGE.



We have been in between fronts for most of the day but with another severe weather warning just released the next bashing is not far away.

The ocean is a monster with waves peaking and breaking further out than you are likely to see the other 364 days a year.





This morning saw two guys out at the Wall. It was very messy and the peak shifted everywhere. The only got two each in about 30 minutes of paddling and duck diving. It was too bad for the Saturday board board crew who, despite being suited up, walked, looked and walked back. They didn't go back dry as the waves were breaking over the rockwall and spraying the footpath (and it was raining).

Looks as bad tomorrow. Hopefully Fuel TV is back to the Sunday Session and not Ultimate Fighter.

Severe Weather Warning

The good news is that the current severe weather warning indicates that the winds will calm later tomorrow before a stronger front on Saturday night.

Check out the satellite picture. Hows that for a straight edged front ???

Might be a good few days to stay inside. Don't try anything stupid like surfing in Bunbury.

And the Thunder Rolls

Usually when I can hear the ocean from my bed its one of those super still summer nights and the waves are mini-zippers cracking on the shore.

Last night was different. Last night it was the deep resonance of a big swell pounding away.

Feedback from yesterday was that the swell is super thick and pinned my friend to the bottom as he tried to duck dive. Big horror drops and poundings were the name of the game.

Surfalert are calling 12 =- 15 ' at Marges on Sunday !

250 ks

Can give you details of everywhere because it feels like I have been there today.

The wind is howling down south. There is swell all the way to Dunsborough but the wind is chopping it to pieces. The Farm, Rockies and PK are a mess. The only people out are two kooks at the Dunsborough Boat Ramp.

The other side is HUGE. Windmills is breaking way out past the rocks and Sandpatches is solid and massive. The wind wasn't quite as bad but the waves weren't surfable.

On the way back we checked Capel and there is lots of swell getting in but the wind has messed it up.

The best surf is at ............the Surf Club !

Big, brown and with the odd face. Not many out but watched one get smashed on a sucky take off.

And it is cold and raining.

Looks like the bad weather has set in for another week but if you keep an eye on it you might just score.

New Board

It has finally arrived - my new 6'9" Yahoo dhu-fish. This is the first time in about 6 years that I've had a board under 7' and I'm amping.

These boards are killer and suit both my "style" and the crap waves that I usually ride. They are perfect for the late 30 (okay 40) surfer who is the wrong side of the perfect BMI but likes to burn and spray grommets.

The board comes with a new fin box that allows a bit of movement of FCS fins and Hillzee tells me it surfs great as a twin fin.

The only problems is that it will only look this pristine and perfect until I wax and ride it.

Frack its Cold and Rainy !

The temperature struggled to get to double digits today and the rain has been fairly constant.

A really northerly swell has been hitting all day, with waves running at 45 degrees to the beach. Wind has been fairly light but in the last two hours has started to pick up dramatically.

Few out at the back beach. Days like this can be brilliant but they can also be extremely frustrating as waves fatten out or don't break.

Rain for as far as the forecast can see. A couple of early offshores so you need to be on it to get wet.

Frack its Cold

2.5 at 1.30 am when I put the dogs out. 1.9 when I got up at 5.50 and 1.4 when I went to work at 6.30. No wonder there was ice on my windscreen.

However the day was clear and nice. As the sun came up there were two early birds out at the surfclub in waves that looked like Scotland or Alaska.

Locked in the office all day but there were still waves in the arvo. The back beach looked nice but a bit crowded and there were people at the closeout Clam and Hungry's.

Hoping for a belated International Surfing Day bash down south on Wednesday so decided to keep the wettie and new board dry.

Nicer Than Expected

Another front moved through last night but the morning dawned fine with light winds. However it was cold again.

Surf-wise there was some swell and the wind was southerly side shore. The Bay was the only place that was worth the paddle and the body board groms were all over it.

There was enough swell for Capel or Binningup but the tide was pretty high.

Didn't look all that desirable so I stayed out of the choc milk.

Tomorrow looks okay. The forecast keeps changing a little but next week doesn't look that great.

International Surfing Day Today

The 20th June each year is International Surfing Day but it looks like there won't be much surfing in Bunbury.

ISD is an invention of Surfing magazine in the US along with the Surfrider Foundation. As well as surfing it is a day for doing beach related environmental projects.

Even though it is too rough to surf you can still get in the spirit by doing something "green" for the beach. Have a look at the waves and pick up three pieces of rubbish. Its amazing what that can do for the environment.

Keep Out of the Water

No waves today. The ocean is wild and while it doesn't look that massive there is truckloads of water moving around.

There is nothing to be gained by trying to get out as one grom found yesterday when he nearly drowned.

Swell Related Stress Disorder

I read somewhere how with the advent of the net every swell was becoming an event that couldn't be missed. Conversations were now about swells not waves or spots.

Now that we can see possible swell events days out and track them endlessly it seems that we are getting stressed either trying to catch it or because we miss out on something that we will never have the chance to ride again.

Before the net there were the same number of swells and you missed the same number of decent waves, you just didn't know it. Ignorance reduces stress levels.

As I type this the start of the week's second cold front is dumping on the roof. The forecast is for possible destructive winds and a swell peaking at 6 metres. I know that three of my favourite spots will be firing about lunch time tomorrow but there is no way I can get there. There will still be waves on Saturday but they will be packed out and I'm still busy. Yet I have been keeping an eye on the system for three days and I'm antsy as anything. Plus I picked up my new board and my custom wax yesterday.

Sometimes it is just better not to know.

Fronts on the Way

Should be a couple of decent fronts over the next few day.

Today was pretty marginal with a solid but not huge north west swell starting to run through. A few guys were braving the waves around Fawlty Towers and a couple of boogers were taking on very small waves at the wall.

This side of the Cape might be okay tomorrow but expect crowds.

Batten down.

It raining rain

Lots of rain in Dunsborough but not much surf around. Bunbury is lumpy and a few are trying the Surf Club and Bay but not really successfully.

Down south there are some messy waves at Rocky Point but the wind is picking up and it really isn't worth the hassle.

Capel is all over the shop and a no goer.

By the looks of the dark clouds and what was dumping on me when I was in Dunsborough we should get a decent drop in the next few hours.

Gross Winters Day

Early start this morning and it was gross and wintery. It is starting to fine up now but there isn't much chance of a surf.

There is swell with the Port buoy showing over a metre but the wind is nor-west and destroying it.

To bad for those who have a RDO but ok for us that missed out on the weekend and have to work today.

Owen Wright wins in a killer

19 year old Australian Owen Wright has beaten US surfer Pat Gudauskas in an extremely high scoring final. Although Wright only won by 0.30 Pat needed a 9.23 to win despite scoring his second perfect 10 of the contest.

Wright has a 9.83 on his third wave and 9.4 whilst Pat G an 8.93 and then pulled out a 10.

Huge snaps and airs were the name of the game from the semis with Pat G pulling off two rodeo clowns, believed to be the first ever in an ASP contest.

Expect to see both on the WCT next year.

Its worth while checking out the video highlights on the contest site.

Looking for a Surf Fix

Not much chance of a wave so if your looking for something to get your surf juices flowing perhaps watching the WQS contest from the Maldives will do it. Quarters start later this arvo with streaming highlights before hand.

There are three Aussies, two Yanks, a couple of Brazilians and a Frenchman left. Quarter final three looks a ripper with Owen Wright, fresh from his junior tour win in the classic waves of Triggs Point against another Aussie and WCT tour vet Dan Ross.

The waves at Pasta Point have been small all week but still running along the reef. Would seem to suit Wright's aerial attack but Ross will have contest experience on his side.

Pat Gudauskas should advance in the first semi and there is a rumour that he may score an injury wildcard in the Brazil WCT coming up in a few weeks. The last semi between Austin Ware and Australian Leigh Sedley could also be a ripper. Both have solid 'QS form over the last year or so.

The webcast is at http://live.coastalwatch.com/sl_default.aspx?eid=15790 . Its not at the WCT standard and is a little bit choppy but its better than nothing.

Blah

Up for the early despite the cold to find the swell is very small and the wind from the north. Swell period is way up.

After an hour of walking and watching we called it off.

The Bay has waves for boogers but thats about it. They are wedging both off the south and north walls and the sidewards waves look better than those coming inwards. Lots of weed though.

The Surf Club has its learner IRB drivers out again so this is a good place to avoid.

Lots of black clouds on the horizon and one swell forecast has it at 8'+ at Marges by late this arvo. We'll see.

Another Hectic Saturday

Swell dropped a little overnight but there were the odd clean little waves for those who weren't driving down south to collect a board that wasn't finished.

Lunch-time saw the wind start to swing onshore. There was a tow crew at BP, towing behind a boat !!!!!

But my hopes for a LAGO were dashed and it was little and onshore. There were a few groms out in front of the surf club and at the Bay but not getting anything worthwhile.

Decided to keep the wetsuit dry and hope that the 3 degree minimum will keep everyone away from the dawn patrol tomorrow.

It Will be Ready on Saturday

Apparently "your board will be ready Saturday" means the sander will be doing the final sand on Saturday not drive for an hour, find out its not finished and then drive straight home !

Mash-ups

The wind has left nice little chunks of swell. There are decent waves up and down the Bunbury coastline with a heap out a BP reef and the Bay. The wind has been light all day and is only just swinging side/onshore southerly.

Hopefully the waves will hang around for the weekend. The harbour buoy isn't dropping away to fast but these short period windswells don't always hang around long.

The weather maps seem to show us starting to get into a seven day winter cycle. Monday fine, start of a front Tuesday, bigger front Wednesday, end of a front Thursday, fining up for Friday and the weekend before starting again.

One of the best winters in my memory (and it was ages ago) had a great 7 day cycle with massive fronts every Wednesday and Thursday and great conditions on either side. Biggest caused an 11 metre swell on the Naturaliste Buoy and every week had at least one 6. We can only hope.

Hurray for Rain

Its finally raining properly. The swell is up and with the downpours is glassy and what wind there is is trying to be offshore.

However the waves are really for the desperate because nowhere is that great. Maybe Binningup or Capel might have waves but I haven't checked.

Saturday and Sunday are looking good this far out.

Anticipation = Disapointment

Went to sleep to the sound of waves and was woken very early by the sound of rain and a decent wind. My hope was for the weather to smash in all day so I could sneak down south tomorrow to test out the new malibu. But when I got out of bed the day was just dawning sunny and with light winds.

As the day wore on the swell has stayed low and barely registered on any of the buoys but the seas are up a little. A few desperate groms were out in front of the surf club after school and the waves had a bit of face but weren't worth the effort.

The Wall was just breaking very late this arvo but not with much quality. If it had been earlier it would have been worth a novelty surf and you could have dropped in turn or two. At least it wasn't cold.

Meant to be another front later tonight but not much sign of it yet. I will reserve my decision on whether to do a hit and run mission to my favourite left point till the last moment but I suspect that with the super high tide it will be a hair cut, some shopping and early to work.

New board should be ready Saturday !!!!

Surprise Sunday Surf

Love those wave you get when you least expect it.

After a desperation search locally I decided to roll the dice and paddle out into what looked to be just breaking waves. Turned out that the little waist height zippers were fun and a great way to end the weekend.

I'm not going to tell you where it was as I think it might be my spot for the next couple of days. For those who want to seek it out I will give you these hints -

• its in the 6230 post code
• its a right hander
• I kicked my foot on a rock

Beautiful Day

If only there was some surf. Picture perfect blue skys, light breeze, clear water and dolphins frolicking. But no waves.

The Bay has a handful of body boarders taking on a rebound wedge in the corner. It's only about knee height max but they seem to be having a bit of fun. Nothing for the standup though.

Wind has a bit of north in it as the new high starts to move in. Looks like a couple more freezing mornings and no swell till at least mid week. Hopefully I'm wrong.

Sunrise Check

7 am surf check reveals that the swell has backed off again. Perfect conditions with a light offshore and a full tide but what swell there is is just cracking onshore.

There is enough around Hungry Hollow to keep the Saturday body board groms happyish.

Might be the fact that I want to get wet but I'm sure there is something somewhere close.

Update

Mid-morning and the breeze is in but has a lot of south. Only the Bay is surfable.



It is small but there is the odd little wave. No one out when I checked.


Dark clouds moving in and it looks like it raining in Busso.


2009 XXL Awards on ESPN at the moment so that may be my surfing fix for the day.

Morning Sickness

The fog is burning off to reveal a little bit of small chopped up wind swell. BP reef looks like it has the odd little left but with it nearly being high tide a lot of the swell is just rolling over the reefs and banks to close out as a shorebreak.

Winds are light and offshore but the weather forecast is for SW.

Stil Autumn

As they say if you don't like the weather come back in five minutes. The only constant today was the onshore wind. Tomorrow seems similar but lighter.

Underneath the wind waves there seems to be some ground swell so there may be some waves when the wind changes over the weekend.

I need my new board !

Autumn

Autumn weather is definitely here. Fog, rain, thunder, calm winds, strong winds and sun - all within 10 hours. The ocean looked like it was on fire this morning, with the "steam rising" from the warm water. It seemed like there were lines and lines stacked to the horizon but it was a bit of an optical illusion.

By late this afternoon the dark clouds had moved in and the southerly cranked up. The swell has stayed around and there were a couple of groms out in front of the surf club.

The Bay was blown out but at least the weed might get cleared out. The Wall was tubing (if you are a surfing mouse !).

Forecast for tomorrow is onshore but not much else. Weekend might be okay.

Second Day of Winter

Weird Autumn like weather again today. Cold, overcast, then clear, then drops of rain, then clear and finally clear and warmish. Winds were calm or light all day. Even the bobtail at BP was confused as to where to go to get warm.

Didn't get down the beach until 4ish but there was still a little swell but BP was not much chop. I'm sure it would have been okay around lunchtime.

Tommorrow looks a little messy but there really isn't any decent weather due this week, with the weekend looking fine at this stage.

It is so uninviting that I have decided to go to work rather than head to the beach. Will have to make do with the new Pacific Longboard magazine and the anticipation of my new board.