Sunday

Lots of swell yesterday but the surf was interesting. The wind was strong and both had lots of south, which isn't ideal. 

But if you were patient you might have got one or two in your session to make it worthwhile. Apparently the Ryan Hardy bodyboard clinic at sidewash got a few which is good.

I eventually chose a handplane session at Barnacles. It was probably the best session of the summer so far and definitely the best of the year. 

The swell seems to have stayed around but with the Super Bowl one of my annual must sees I afraid to check out the beach as see if I'm going to miss something. 

Dawn

Some swell hanging around on a decent tide and glassy conditions. If you can get out soon you should jag the odd one at Juniors and very rare one off the reef. Barnacles is super sucky on the take off but running through to the beach due to some recent sand movement. All you groms on school holidays should try there.

Magic sunrise this morning with the ocean pink and the other side bright yellow.

0.37 @ 12

Runs

The best run of swell that I can remember in ages. Its dropping now but could still be ok tomorrow. Not only was the swell strong but it was warm and mostly offshore as well. The only problem was the crowds and their lack of understanding of surfing etiquette, especially "one surfer per wave". At 6.30 this morning there was 15 out at BP Reef and at 4.30 this arvo the whole BP carpark was full, with a steady 30 in the water. When one got out another got in. And it has been like that for every daylight minute since Saturday morning.

This has kept me out of the water a bit over the period but I had to get wet this afternoon. Despite sitting deep and dangerous on the reef at Juniors I caught six waves and got drop in on twice. To rub it in both failed to make the drop (they never were going to make it), causing me to straighten out straight at the rocks. And it wasn't a case of us being next to each other, I had been up and riding and about to hit their section when they paddled in. One was actually trying to go left while I was riding at him ???? To rub it in one booger sat inside me and called me out of a wave he was too deep for and then stopped paddling !!!!

The proper take offs for the three breaks are shallow, sucky and very small. You can't straighten out because the reef in front of you is less than fin deep. The drop in kooks are safe on the shoulder. If I didn't care about my boards I would just run them over.

Unlike a couple of older guys at BP Reef who hog every wave despite not being greatly skilled, I only catch a small number of waves. I'm picky on which one I want and like to day generally let the first wave of the set go through. If you've waited your turn regardless of how long since my last wave, the next set is yours (just don't screw it up). The guys dropping in on me today probably got 25 waves each in the time I got 6 but still they wanted the ones I was on. I love surfing but just can't deal with this lack of awareness and manners.

My simple message -

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SKILL TO SIT INSIDE, GET OUT OF THE WAY OF THOSE WHO DO

0.49 @ 13 and dropping

Go now !

Lots of waves around. BP Reef and Barnacles are cranking with a solid swell and strong offshore winds. Nice tide but some shallow takes offs. It's too big for Juniors and the beachies are just shore dumpers.

0.67 @ 13

Barnacles and belly boards

Not much in the way of surf today. However there was the odd period for micro-groms and desperadoes. The wind came in early from the south but was gusty and swung around a little.

I had a late morning belly board session at Barnacles. As usually it was dry sucking but I got a couple of fun rides. The water was crystal clear and warm and the sky blue.

A few had a frustrating session late this afternoon. There was a foot of swell but the direction was all wrong. It did look like you could get a wall or two but didn't pan out that way.

0.29 @ 11

Day Seven 29/12/12

Bump in the swell but the period is huge. There are two guys out at BP reef sharing the single wave sets that are coming in ever 15 to 20 minutes. The waves are small and short but clean.

I chose Barnacles again. It was about the same size as yesterday but you waited for ever for shorter waves.

Day 7 - 30/12/12 (2.00 pm)

Waves : knee height eventually

Wind : E - 11 kph gusting to 17 kph

Swell : 0.40 @ 14

Quality : 3.8 out of 10

Day Six Part Two

Had to get wet so took the handplane to Barnacles. The tide has helped just a tiny bit but it was minute and not suitable for stand ups.

It might have been small but it was enough to break my handplane. It looks like it just needs to be re-glued which is no big deal. That rail gets most of the work and flex so if it was going to fail it would be there.

Day 6 - 29/12/12 (2.00 pm)

Waves : Just knee height

Wind : W - 11 kph gusting to 15 kph

Swell : 0.28 @ 12

Quality : 2 out of 10

Bang

Lots of swell coming in last night. I was down just as the sun was coming up this morning to see a solid lump of swell close out from Barnacles across Juniors and past the reef. The wind was trying to be offshore but was more side shore. Half an hour later I went past again and the push was still around but the maccas were fairly scarce. Nothing surfable of course.

The temp was weird. It was like there was a line at the BP carpark. On the ocean side it was southerly and  18 degrees, on the harbour side it was cold easterly and around 11. You could almost find the spot where one side of you would be warm and the other cold.

The swell has hung around although it has dropped from over a metre to just over 0.8. The wind has been wrong all day. Tomorrow looks like a carbon copy of today with winds and temps the same. Although WSW is forecast their might just be the slightest window very early but I wouldn't bet my house on it.

Sheeple

Still a little swell around but the tide is killing it. But that hasn't stopped a pile of people heading out this morning.

Now my whinge. Most days Barnacles just roles through minding its own business without any even looking at it. Its tricky and short and usually results in you losing a fin or two.

There are probably five people who regularly surf Barnacles and they usually do it to get away from the crowds at Juniors or off the reef. Eden is one of those and he went out this morning. There is one wave sets maybe every ten minutes and they are only just rideable on the tide. Fifteen minutes later there are four booogers and a short board paddling out to sit on him. If he wasn't out they would have been with the other five on the reef or at Juniors but being sheeple they feel a natural need to paddle out and ruin the surf of the guy by himself.

Hint - the guy by himself is usually giving up quality for no crowds and is probably a better surfer than you. LEAVE THEM ALONE AND SURF SOMEWHERE ELSE.

Sorry but it need to be said.

Waves : 1' inconsistent
Winds : just swinging NNW
Swell : 0.60 @ 13 and blipping upwards slightly
Desperation level : zen master as it is frustrating as hell
Recommendation : monitor

Still swell

Still swell kicking around even if the banks aren't really coping. Yesterday kicked over 0.7 but the direction kept it small here.

This morning it had rapidly dropped to the 0.4 mark and with the high tide just wasn't consistent enough to be fun.

Still there was perfect glassy conditions late this arvo and a couple out at Juniors in mainly close outs.

I took the 9 footer to Barnacles for a few fin scrappers. With oily grey water, no one else out and birds dive bombing bait fish the thought of sharks did cross my mind once or twice.

The swell has come off its midday high and should be dropping over the weekend. The winds start to go to crap anyway but I wouldn't totally write the weekend off just yet.

Nice day

The quickest way to describe the surf is yesterday with less sets and more crowds. The incoming tide is stopping most waves breaking and the sets are coming with one wave or the very rare second one. There was 15 out when I left about a couple of hours ago.

Luckily for me there was only three while I was out and a couple on the reef. A goofy footer with a goatee was cleaning up, getting every set from way deep, shooting the second and smashing a nice bottom top turn combo.

I got tired of waiting so swapped boards and hit Barnacles. It funny how having your fins scrape the bottom on take off can make one footers bring a smile to your face.

The water and air temp were ideal. Still in boardies and a wetsuit vest although everyone else seems to have been tricked into bringing out the winter rubber.

The onshore is in but still light. The forecast is for showers from Marges south and there is clouds on the horizon. For us just enjoy the fine weather.

0.59 @ 11 seconds. Tide 1.1 metres (predicted as 0.85)

Fooling

Don't be fooled by the crowd there aren't any waves. It is still hot and there is a little swell but it is too inconsistent to ride.

I settled for a hand plane session at Barnacles to cool down.

Size : coming every now and then
Quality : nice if they were consistent
Wind : SSE
Swell : 0.42 at 13 seconds
Desperation level : 34 degrees
Recommendation : swim or air con

Dolphins

Watching a pod of dolphins doing their best shark impressions at Barnacles.

Surf wise it is frustratingly small. The wind is light SSE but the waves are only thigh height. The lulls are huge and the ones that might be mal surfable are weird and crossed up.

Add to the low tide and I should have stayed in bed !

Size : 7"
Wind : light SSE
Quality : looks nice
Desperation level : fun day for learner when it warms up
Recommendation : bring the kids

Windows

It was offshore this morning with some small swell but by lunch time the wind had swung southerly and got stronger. There was a small window just as the wind was changing where the rip bowl at Juniors started to throw up some fun waves for the two guys out.

BP reef almost came to life and there were a couple of bombs that near the old outside take off point. People who have surfed around here a long time will remember the days when the ride at the reef was twice as long because the wave broke on the outside ledge. In those days you wouldn't bother paddling out if it was only breaking in the currents spot. No one seems to know why the wave has stopped but there doesn't seem to be as much sand movement as in the past. Perhaps we are wearing the consequences of construction and dune stabilisation around Dallyellup.

I just missed the window so went for a hand plane session at Barnacles on version two. I got a few fun lefts but the rip and the drift were pretty bad so I found myself getting washed to the edge of Juniors a couple of times. Still worth the effort.

The forecast for tomorrow is moderate easterlies before a SSE change. More importantly Bathurst is on and it is the one day a year where I sit on my fat arse and watch sport. Go Skaffie (or any Holden).

Handplane Three

Had an unexpected day off today but there was no surf. I have all but finished hand plane three. All I need to do is add the strap.

I have kept it flat across the bottom with no concave or v and the only rocker is in the nose entry. I'm hoping that will give it extra speed and the stinger design with a fairly straight outline will put a bit extra rail in the water for control. More than likely is the fin will act as a brake.

It's 100% recycled material but I have some concern about the strength due to the age of the glue and lack of proper clamps.

Now all I need is to wait for a clean day and for the sand around Barnacles to move onto summer configuration.

Autumn afternoons

The swell had grown slightly this afternoon and although the wind was onshore it wad really light and having no effect on the waves. And there were a few little waves.

Three young guys were out on the beachie at Juniors and two at BP Reef. The wait was long but they all caught enough good ones to make it worth the paddle.

I took hand plane 2.0 out at Barnacles. This was the ultimate test of this shape because I haven't been won over so far. I love the look of the shape but it just wasn't convincing me. But I hadn't tested it at Barnacles, the place where I know how it should do and could compare it to how the other surfed. The result - I caught two of the best waves I have ever got there.

The board still feel "dead" but the more I thought about it the less this seemed to be a problem. I think the problem is not with 2.0 but with version 1 and the Hydro. Both of those were bigger, with a longer straighter rail line so they tended to chatter and bounce over chop and bumps. 2.0 doesn't seem to do this, in fact the rides felt slower but I beat more sections and went further. It is actually heavier than the other hand planes but with it's rounded shape feels lighter and you can swim with it. I'm happier now.

I'm sure tomorrow morning will see the Bay packed full of groms. Might still be some little closeouts to keep them happy.

Hoax

0.45 when I got up this morning but it is flater than yesterday. In the last couple of hours it has dropped to 0.35 and looks like it is heading straight down.

Despite the lack of swell and an ocean full of jelly fish I went out with 1.1 at Barnacles. Being so small it was breaking on the dry suck. My first "wave" saw me out of position and taking off late. I got smashed, the hand board got ripped off my hand and the strap torn off the bolts, my head collided with a rock followed shortly by my shoulder. Luckily it was only about six inches heigh so other than the strap there was no real damage. If it had been bigger I wouldn't have been taking off there anyway.

Treaded water for ages for two more dribblers and gave up.

Like I said earlier this week the hand plane has kept me sane during the worst summer I can remember. If you don't body surf you should try it and see what you are missing. If you start now and do it every day until you die you might be half as good as Mark Cunningham (who features in this trailer for a new Malloys film). One of my surfing aims is to be able to body surf underwater and be dragged along like a seal (but not eaten by a shark !).

Come Hell or High Water Trailer from Woodshed Films on Vimeo.

Where is it ????

The swell has been over 0.4 for a week and that is usually more than enough for at least a mal wave locally. But it is not so at the moment.

Its nice in the water but what swell there is has a huge period and isn't really breaking that well. I probably spent an hour in the water with my hand plane split between the BP Reef and Barnacles for five short waves.

The swell is on its way down and doing it pretty rapidly.

Good start

Another of those classic Autumn mornings. The wind is light and offshore, the air has a ting of coldness and the water is warmer than the air. It is so quiet that the only noise on the beach is the wind and breaking waves.

Or should that be closing out waves. There is still swell around the 0.4 mark (Naturaliste is touching 3 metres) but no banks. Juniors is fairly crowded and every wave has three people taking off and not an inch of face. There are about six out at the reef which has the odd smaller wall but its hardly classic.

Barnacles on the other hand threw me up a classic hand plane session. Crystal clear water, sucky take offs and some nice clean walls. The 1.1 went well in the cleaner conditions and I was able to keep a higher line that I would usually get on the Hydro plane. The water was so nice it was like swimming in your bath !!

I can't see the conditions improving to much today. Maybe the higher tide might move the take off at the reef a little further out and there could be some waves there. However I wouldn't hold your breath.

Nearly

Day off and headed to Juniors early on the rumour of a swell. The harbour buoy was showing 0.4 and Naturaliste over two and going up. The winds are light and offshore and despite the little chill in the air the water is still warm.

There was swell and the tide was low (Barnacles had rocks sticking out of the water everywhere. But it was a bees dick away from being surfable. The swells were coming in, shaping nicely on some shallow bits on the reef and the filling back up to close out on the shore.

It was too nice not to get wet so I took hand plane 1.1 for a quick run. Got a couple of short slides and a cover up in before deciding that from the water some of the waves look makeable on a board. The changes seemed to have fixed the dolphin problem but it feels a little light and harder to catch waves. Stay tuned.

Back to the car and out on the dhu-fish. Despite some promising looking waves they weren't breaking or were closing out.

By 8.30 the sea breeze had started and it looks like it will be blowing hard this afternoon. Maybe a wind wave later ?