March 31, 2010

Favourite



This is my pick of the month, saved the best till last I guess. Empty waves seem to capture the imagination. Makes me wonder - where would I be, what would I do? And how on Earth did it slip through unridden? Mid morning early March. 

Blue & Yellow



Nothing much more to say on that... I watched a cool mini surf movie yesterday, if you're killing time check it out here.

March 30, 2010

Buckets



Buckets of spray being thrown on a recent late afternoon session.

March 29, 2010

Improvising



Spontaneous sliding on a paddle board, same nor'east afternoon as yesterday's post.

March 28, 2010

Northern Corner



Finding shelter from a late summer nor'easter.

March 27, 2010

March 26, 2010

Stoked



It's great seeing people really enjoy themselves and not be so cool they can't wear a big grin, even while sliding on a tiny summer peeler. There's plenty of stoked people around here at the moment. The dumping of the HMAS Adelaide will not go ahead as planned tomorrow. The noship crew have succeeded in earning the right for the proposed ship dumping to be properly scrutinised in court. Find all the details and how you can help at noship.com.au

March 25, 2010

Chunky



Chunky old mal being ridden at Copa a few weeks ago. Turns looked like hard work, but I imagine the challenge is half the attraction.

March 24, 2010

So



So much fun on this morning last week. Small but clean with great shape and uncrowded too. Jake and Harris on the left surfed for ages. I took some photos and joined them and a handful of others for a few hours myself. 

March 23, 2010

Left & Right



Swell in January, a bit blowy but everyone was frothing after an extended run of below waist high conditions.

March 22, 2010

Jealous



I'm often jealous of surfers who grew up at the beach. Many posses seemingly innate abilities in the water, effortlessly making sections and linking turns with graceful arcs. Makes me keen to make up for lost time and follow the groms' example - surf, surf and surf some more. This is Nik at Copa.

March 21, 2010

Longboards



I dig longboards. Here are a few slides from last week on some longer surfcraft.

March 20, 2010

MMM



Magic March morning.

March 19, 2010

Ace



Adrian 'Ace' Buchan, a surfer joe just like the rest of us. But unlike most of us he's currently competing on the ASP world surfing tour. I know my best backhand turns aren't a patch on this one captured at Ace's home beach last week. 

Like many local surfers and beach users Adrian has raised his voice in opposition to the proposed ship dumping next Saturday. Peter Garret our Federal Environment Minister has yet to sign the sea dumping permit the NSW government needs to legally scuttle the ship. 
Please email your opposition ASAP  
Learn more at noship.com.au

Post script: I've since learned that it's not actually Ace pictured above but yet another local ripper Beau Atchison... another surfer joe who no doubt cares deeply about protecting the ocean environment.

March 18, 2010

Sand



Avoca has a number of well formed, often quite shallow sand banks at the moment. Plenty of small but really fun waves have been ridden this week. We don't want to corrupt the natural sand movements that create these banks by letting the Government discard a 4000 tonne warship on the beach. And we don't want to be subject to all the known and as yet unknown health hazards that dumping this ship will cause. Understand more at noship.com.au and make some noise.

March 17, 2010

Go Fish



Brett with some fast fishing in front of the pines last week.

March 16, 2010

Copa Point



Classic day at Copa Point last April.

March 15, 2010

Moments



A few moments from last week. Enjoy all the ones this week presents you with.

March 14, 2010

Elements



When all the elements come together. Sand, swell, wind and sky. September last year. It's been a blowy start to Autumn, let's hope those trademark offshores are just around the corner. 

March 13, 2010

March 12, 2010

Surfer's Season



"The majority of real surfers hang out for the onset of Autumn. Crowds disperse, early morning offshores become more regular, sand banks tend to take shape, and of course there is generally more swell activity. All this and the water remains warm"
So said Ben Horvath on Coastalwatch. Yep Autumn rocks. Here's a recent small but fun morning around here.

March 11, 2010

Morning Moods



Early yesterday before the wind arrived. The clouds were moving in making for some moody morning light.
Hey if you're killing time check this cool video.

March 10, 2010

Fishing



Brett fishing for a cover-up yesterday morning.

March 9, 2010

South Coast Early



Years ago I camped on my own behind the dunes of this South Coast beach around Easter time. After taking this early morning photo I spent 10 hrs in the water, stopping only for a tinned spaghetti sandwich. My arms felt like spaghetti that night but it was a satisfying sleep.

March 7, 2010

No Ship



Like the placard says - Someone forgot to ask Avoca
Saturday's rally was well attended and informative
Please find out more at noship.com.au 
Raise your voice

Swooping



Katherine swooping down the line in the early morn.

March 6, 2010

Azza Fishing



Azza out at Copa recently. Riding his trusty self-made keel finned fish.

March 5, 2010

Rally Tomorrow



10am at the Shark Tower
Wear red
noship.com.au

Many Moons



Many moons ago. Had a great weekend at this much loved back beach in The Great Lakes region.

March 4, 2010

Outside Peak



Outside peak on a January morning. I'm a bit tired of all these grey onshore afternoon photos, I'm sure some classic Autumn conditions aren't far away though.

March 3, 2010

Groms



Still grey and howling onshore, but the groms are always frothing. Energy and enthusiasm to burn. 

March 2, 2010

No Boat



Nothing spectacular about this photo, a failed aerial. But the type on the board's bottom 'No Boat' is the talk of the beach, and rightly so. The government is planning on dumping a 4000 tonne ex naval warship 1700 metres off the beach.

There's a public rally on this Sat (6th March) 
10am at the Shark Tower, wear red
Get the low down at www.noship.com.au

Timing



Yesterday was grey, windy and wet. Still waves though. And if you managed to time your surf before the wind picked up it might have looked something like the top two photos. A little later and it was pretty messy, didn't deter the groms after school though.

March 1, 2010

Friday Arvo



Another peek at the after work surf on Friday. Even when it's busy there's generally a pretty good vibe on a Friday arvo surf.