Weather
NORTH COAST SURF REPORT 03-07-09How does it happen? The Pacific Ocean is a massive warter expanse yet every now and again it is flat as a lake!
Today on the North Coast is one of those days, as our pictures of Little Beach at Scotts Head demonstrates. One mal rider optomistically paddles out then looks forlornley seaward as what swell there is passes by, with the help of a howling nor-westerly wind. His swimming companion also struggled to body surf the tiny breakers.
Theory has it you need strong winds blowing over a certian distance for a certain length of time to create one metre of swell, surely thats not too much to ask of Huey?
Cheers, noel.
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“SHOULD HAVE BEEN HERE YESTERDAY”, a quote from the ledgendary surf flick Endless Summer seems appropriate for today’s report.
When the travelling Americans arrived at Bells Beach in Victoria to find perfect one foot peelers rolling in the locals came up with the phrase “should’a been here yesterday!”
Our scenes today at Park Beach and Gallows in Coffs Harbour, just on high tide show a lackluster half-metre swell struggling to break. At Parky, one surfer is sitting on his board looking patiently seaward while another, standing on his paddle boardoard tries in vain to attract the attention of the small swell. The only guy out at Gallows gave up and paddled to shore.
Yesterday it seems was a completely different story, with tales emerging of epic sessions at many of our north coast beaches. With near perfect Autumn weather and one-metre plus waves on offer combining with good sand formations making perfect ingredients for classic surfing adventures.
I dont really know why, but surfers derive great pleasure telling their mates about that great surf session they missed out on. So can I say,”you should have been there yesterday!”
cheers, noel.
SWELL MAGNET, is a term used widely amoung surfers but what does it mean?
Some swell magnets are beaches that face the direction of oncoming swells, others can be beaches that have a sand bank that creates surfable waves whatever the swell size.
Checking my local this morning I was greeted with a two foot swell struggling to break on the high tide. I know there are good banks there but the swell was missing the mark.
With a spectacular sunrise over perfect surf conditions this morning, I decided to check a few other spots and hit the jackpot. This bank in our pictures today was collecting all the swell around and coughing up some cracking shories for the early morning cew on hand.
I’m sorry more specific location details cannot be given but maybe if you make the effort and have a scout around you will uncover your own swell magnet.
For the record, there was a clean half metre ESE swell with a light offshore breeze and warm water to boot. If the swell picks up, as is predicted, it should be a great weekend for surfing.
Cheers, Noel.
