Waves for Surfing

[Hallam]

Time for a thread about surfing. I'm a kneeboarder who has enjoyed thousands of waves on our southern coast from with occasional trips as far noeth as Noosa in QLD and west as Port Lincoln area, South OZ. Mostly though my playground has been where the long swells of the southern ocean meet land's edge on the Bass Strait coastline of Central Southern Victoria. My boys and daughter all surf. Waves are majestic, cavorting, pent up power with the potential for delivering some of the most exhilarating moments of life where time seems to stand still yet all around there is an explosion of energy.

Here is a little clip form Sydney area NSW.

[Hallam]

Re: Waves for Surfing

This wave is just down the road from where i live and only works when the ground swell is around 3 meters and well defined with a timing of 16 sec between waves.
It's called Number 16. Not great pics in this one but it gives an idea. My son Josh and a few mates are the surfers.

[RFNK]

Re: Waves for Surfing

The break they now call Deadman's used to be called Winkipop - same name as one of the breaks at Bells. I tore the cartilage in my knee out at Winkipop on a fairly big day, many years ago. I lived at Manly and was a regular at Fairy Bower until we moved to the Mid-North Coast. I still surf but infrequently. When we were young surfers, our generation had it to ourselves but now all the generations are out there and it's more crowded than ever. I think it's harder for the kids now - not only are there more young people surfing but now they have to contend with a plague of old farts on long boards as well!

[Jim Mahan]

Re: Waves for Surfing

In case anyone appreciating this thread on surfing waves hasn't seen this classic documentary from 1966:

[Breakaway]

Re: Waves for Surfing

Some local skeggers. Too big for me, anymore. Now, I am just into mellow cruising on my longboard.

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Kevin

[David G]

Re: Waves for Surfing

Always happy to see a surfing thread. Growing up at the Oregon coast... I surfed a lot. All longboard. Mostly small waves. We only had one wave that was bigger. When the conditions were just right - there was a shore break on the North side of Tillamook Head that went 10-25'. I rode it when it was there. I still remember the fear & adrenaline... first time dropping into it... as a fall meant into shallow water/rocks/barnacles/mussels. Wiping out meant getting torn up but good.

Here's a break at the edge of my normal route - typical Oregon wave --

[Ted Hoppe]

Re: Waves for Surfing

Wetsuits changed the sport. I was raised in the endless summer and always thought that surfers who used wetsuits could not be soul surfers. It was only after I moved to San Francisco and surfed Ocean beach and Santa Cruz that I understood.

In San Diego this past week; the water was 66 degree. I surfed the mornings on 2 to 4s on a 9.6 nose rider while in a long sleeve surf guard. It was so nice. I used muscles i forgot I had. It became Advil afternoons. I am still so sore.

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[Jim Mahan]

Re: Waves for Surfing

Waves break, and wash up on the beach. And when you aren't looking, they deposit billions of tiny hard grains of sand, the left-overs of erosion on the continent and coast and crap stirred up off the bottom by currents and storms.

So waves that collapse while you aren't watching them turn into particles. The ocean is quantum mechanical.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Re: Waves for Surfing

Endless winter

[David G]

Re: Waves for Surfing

P.I.S.N. -- That IS a beautiful wave. If it's always an offshore wind like that, it really help hold the wave up and keep that lovely shape/tube.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

Re: Waves for Surfing

The wind varies in both direction and strength.....

Anyone else surf standing waves?is is Skookumchuck in Canada - but Scotland and Wales have similar tide races.

[Stiletto]

Re: Waves for Surfing

This is the break local to me.

[David G]

Re: Waves for Surfing

Stiletto - now THAT is beautifimous!! Does that break have a name?

[Stiletto]

Re: Waves for Surfing

Shipwreck Bay Ahipara, referred to as shippies by my son and his pals.

I've seen a guy start at that outer break and ride all the way in to the shore!

[Hallam]

Re: Waves for Surfing

That's a great lineup. We have one similar but at Black Nose Point in Portland. Not great pics but gives you an idea of the size and i've seen bigger days.