Sorry

Been really slack keeping the blog up to date in the last few months. I've found Twitter and it is so much more convenient for those quick updates. I won't lie and say that I'll try harder to post but rest assured I haven't abandoned the blog.

I hope you were nice to your mother today because there could be some waves tomorrow. The blow earlier in the week has pushed some sand around and there looks to be the odd gutter here and there. BP Groyne has some of the summer sand washed away and there was just the glimmer of a shape there this afternoon.

The water will probably still be brown and there is plenty of weed around as well. I had a SUP at Fraggles this afternoon, catching a couple of waves to make a very inconsistent and difficult session worth it. However the short dump was pretty ferocious and thick with weed. Needless to say I had to duck under a triple up and came out looking like something from a horror movies. There were even things swimming in the water left in the hand well of my SUP !

The swell is dropping but is still around 0.55. It might not be big tomorrow but its a bit hard to tell how much the onshore today was blowing down the waves.

Two days late

But it was two years ago on the 31st January that Bunbury got the classic Cyclone Bianca swell. I still thing the Iggy swell was better locally but down south Bianca uncovered a gem near Inji, which has been willed into life every time there is some north in the swell.

 Here are some reminder videos and pics.


 

Storm cometh

Very dark down south with a fair bit of lightning. The wind would be pushing it our way so it might be  a wet start to the day.

No swell showing at BP.

0.29 @ 13

Harness the wind

Nice strong sea breeze this afternoon. BP seems to have become the venue of choice for a small group of kite boarders and the odd windsurfer. No surprises there - have to be better than running up and down the Leschenault inlet.

Harbour buoy is offline

Day Four - 27/12/12

Even worse than yesterday. The tide is so low that I was able to walk out to the far edge of the reef without getting my knees wet.

There has been a little kick in the swell on the buoys but not necessarily in the water due to the direction. It could reach 2 metres at Naturaliste overnight but is forecast to drop out pretty quickly.

Day 4 - 27/12/12 (6.00 am)

Waves : Ironing board

Wind : SSE - 9 kph gusting to 15 kph

Swell : 0.15 @ 12 (@ 6.00 pm 0.25 m)

Quality : 0 out of 10

Day Three - 26/12/12

No good news today. Even flatter than yesterday and when the overnight wind wobble disappears it will be flatter again.

The tide is super low but on the plus side there is some nice looking banks hanging around. The sand is quickly filling in around the groyne and is nearing the tip.

Day 3 - 26/12/12 (6.00 am)

Waves : Ant sets

Wind : S - 11 kph gusting to 17 kph

Swell : 0.15 @ 11

Quality : 0.2 out of 10

Day Two - 25/12/12

All I want for Christmas is a bit of swell.

I must have been naughty because it was flat this morning although the conditions were nice for a swim  or micro groms to paddle their Chrissie presents.

I chose to take the SUP out after a very big breakie with the family and the wind had swung. Still mastering it so ended in the drink a couple of times.

Merry and safe Christmas to you and your family.



Day 2 - 25/12/12 (11.00 am)
Waves : Foot slappers
Wind : WSW - 15 kph gusting to 20 kph
Swell : 0.22 @ 11
Quality : 1 out of 10

7 Waves in 7 Day 2012

I end every year by taking a photographic record of seven days in the life of Juniors and BP (click here for previous years). It was an idea I stole from an Australian Surfing Life video. Today is day one.

The surf is a little disappointing. The wind is offshore and quite strong and tide is good but the swell that was around in the poor weekend conditions has disappeared. It might be worth keeping an eye on but probably not.

Day 1 - 24/12/12 (6.30 am)
Waves : Ankle slappers
Wind : E - 11 kph gusting to 20 kph
Swell : 0.41 @ 11
Quality : 3 out of 10

Almost Summer

Nice weather and still a little swell.

The tide is filling in and Juniors is starting to show a little shape. The beachies at BP on the other hand have disappeared after showing some form early.

The wind is still offshore and probably will be for most of the day. If you have nothing to do it might be worth a float around.

0.35 @ 12

Update

Some pics from now.

Drop everything

BP is pumping.

0.52 @ 12 seconds

Sand

The storm has scoured out more sand than winter could achieve. While that has meant there are plenty of rocks around it has resulted in some decent looking banks at BP.

The swell isn't huge and the wind is southerly and strengthening but it would be worth a quick session if your looking to get wet.

0.47 @ 12

Saturdays

Clean long period swell in the water but the tide is a smidge low. Coastalwatch are calling 6 - 8 foot down south.

There is an offshore wind with a strong wind warning for southerlies this afternoon.

Keep an eye on it is the best I can recommend.

0.61 @ 14

Pushers

A few little waves dribbling in along the beachies. The swell is pretty small but the conditions are nice.

There isn't much power anywhere but if you have something with length or volume you will get a few clean faces. Body boarders should head for the Bay where the wedge should be working.

Doesn't matter where you go because there are peaks of some kind everywhere between Hungry Hollow and the BP Groyne.

0.31 @ nearly 12

Fat

There is some waves again at BP and Juniors. They are a bit ruffled and full but sucking on the shallow insides. The wind is light with a little bit of an onshore feel due to the north in it.

Not perfect but if you want to get wet do it soon. Personally I'd go the beachies or the groyne but there is something for everyone and every type of board.

0.52 @ 11 seconds

Touchy

There's some brown waves around with no wind. At BP/Juniors there looks to be some surfable corners here and there. If you pick the right ones you could get a ride or two. The forecast is for south/south west winds so the window will be pretty short.

The wind of the last few days have moved some sand around so its a bit hard to pick some of the rocks so be a little careful.

Long weekend and the start of the school holidays are nearly here (at least for the groms and those who don't have to work). The forecast has potential to be good but an equal potential to be crappy.

Work calling.

0.77 @ 11

Dropped

The swell has dropped a little but there are a few waves at BP. Its pretty cold, the wind is calm and the water brown.

The rips or the groyne are the go but I wouldn't wait to long. There is another front due this evening and the wind should be swinging into the north west by mid morning.

Judging by what I saw yesterday there should be a few corners at Back Beach into the gutters.

Looks onshore until Saturday morning at this stage.

0.79 @ 12

Thick

There are some reasonable but chunky waves at the groyne and out of a rip at BP.  It looks like hard work as there is a lot of water moving around and the rips go out a long way. Not for the newbies.

0.87 @ 12

Lumpy

Fair bit of swell floating around and glassy conditions.

The tide and the reef and the banks are really shallow so the size is wasted. Not that it really matters because when the wind comes in it will be southerly anyway.

The Smith's webcam shows plenty of swell down south but the wind is already into it.

Big 0.91 @ 13 locally. Naturaliste 3.26 @ 12

Careful

Out of desperation I tried to get a surf at Juniors. I did get a short sharp marginal handplane session but nothing great.

What I did notice is that there has been a lot of sand movement both in and out from the last set of fronts. Juniors is ridiculously shallow everywhere. Its less than knee deep almost to the line up. Looking back from the the take off all you see is boils and bubbles and rocks popping up.

Further down the beach, where I hand planed, its a super shallow sand bank just off the beach. This just makes backwash a problem.

Still shallow banks are better than none.