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

Friday's rock

I've said it before - there can't be a bad Friday afternoon surf. Today was no exception.

I deliberately ignored the beach first up this morning because I was pretty sure it would have been ok and I had to start work early. At lunch time I had to drive past and there was swell and offshore-ish winds. I wasn't betting on it still being ok when I finished work as the wind looked like it wanted to swing.

But by five-ish when I took the Kelvinator and the belly board to BP it was still offshore, the water was crystal clear and there was only a SUP and a couple of body boarders out. I started at Juniors but it wasn't really doing it so I paddled across to the reef.

The waves were good if very inconsistent. I caught a few wally lefts and nearly killed myself going for a floater on the end section which was dumping onto nearly bare rocks. Not only did the water disappear but my board turning into a slide, fins up ! Luckily no damage to me or more importantly the board.

After my fill I took my DIY belly board out for a couple of insiders at Juniors and it slid like a champ !

The water was clear, the temperature just right and the sun out. The perfect way to wash away a work week, especially when I have next week off.

Cyclone Swell ?

Coastalwatch.com are talking up a northerly swell from TC Narelle for this afternoon but it does seem to be showing on the buoys. There is apparently a decent south swell as well and they are counteracting each other.

The Naturaliste buoy is 2.9 but coming down and the harbour buoy is 0.46 at 12 seconds with seas from the west at 0.55.

I'm taking the Kelvinator and the belly board to get wet anyway. Its 29 degrees and 74% humidity so any wave is just a bonus. I looked 20 minutes ago and there isn't much.

Click here to see the Coastwatch TC Narelle forecast.

And while you're there click here to see Taj at North Point

Sticky

What a weird day. At 6.30am I was tossing up whether to go for a body surf, at 7.30 am I was walking to work in a swirling gale and just beating the rain. Lunch time was stinking hot, the walk home even worse. Then at about 6.00 pm I was paddling around under sleet grey skies in dribble.

The biggest surprise was that there was a crowd. There were no waves but there was a crowd !

I took my latest contraption for its maiden voyage. Made from a shelf from a wardrobe we threw out, ply and cedar. The waves were gutless but I got enough to be positive. The downside was that some of the glue didn't hold but nothing that can't be quickly fixed.

0.34 @ 11