Surf

Going to the East Coast of Australia, and especially the sub tropic regions, in late December and early January was a gamble seeing it is not prime surf season, but what can you do when your significant other can't go at any other time? Prime surf season is March - May but any type of swell event can happen in the early summer generated from an early cyclone or a late southern hemi from the Tasman Sea. Well fortunately it all worked out pretty well with a bit of both.

The whole coast from the North Coast of New South Wales to the Sunshine Coast is effected by two main weather patterns during the summer and they both are heavily wind influenced. The first is the northerly. The northerly is a blasting wind from the north generated out of the Coral Sea that usually pushes the temps up to sweltering. A terrible wind direction for all but a few select places like the Spit. Everywhere else gets blown to bits especially the points that face north. The second is the southerly flow. Although an extremely stiff wind that is associated with cool moisture form the southern latitudes, many more places can handle a southerly flow. Snapper and Greenmount blow offshore as does Noosa. So, taking these main weather and swell patterns into account gives you a good background on the conditions that could be encountered.

Coolangatta

Coolie is home to 4 world class breaks. First you have Kirra Point which is really in Kirra but the line between Kirra and Coolangatta is blurred to the outsider. Facing east, Kirra is a top to bottom sucking barrel but needs a big east ground swell to work. Even when Snapper had 4-5' sets Kirra barely cracked. Rumor has it also that the sand pumping project has clogged up Kirra to the point that it only breaks when it's big. Next is Greenmount Point. What was once a lava cobble point is now buried under sand and is part of the infamous superbank. Super long, fast, and hollow. Facing north east Greenmount needs more swell than Snapper to break. Starts at the top of the mount and winds into what is now a shallow sandy bay. Last of the points is Snapper Rocks which is the workhorse of the three points. Facing directly north but on the tip of the headland, Snapper picks up more swell and bends and refracts even the smallest wind swell into a thing of rippability. Lava outcroppings split the point into distinct sections but since the sand pumping it can be pretty much one wave all the way to Greenmount. The last break in Coolie is Duranbah also known as D-bah. A beach break of board snapping proportions between Point Danger and the Tweed River Jetty.

December 25-27 The first three days in Coolie, to put it lightly, sucked. The northerly flow was in full effect making for beautiful sunny weather but completely blown out small conditions. Caught D-bah at about 1-2' when the wind was light in the morning kind of blowing side shore but at that size the minute the tide came in it turned to crap.

December 28 Luckily on our fourth day the swell hopped up out of the south with a southerly change bringing rain and offshore conditions with a small south ground swell. Snapper was a clean 2-3'+ and super rippable. Waves all the way from the jump off rocks to Marley Point.

December 29 Swell really filled in overnight but much more wind swell in the mix. 4-5' sets pushing through Snapper but a stiff sweep off the point making for difficult returns to the top of the point. After catching a few good ones at Snapper got swept down to Greenmount which was cleaner and really rippable with some open tubes. Now this is what I'm talking about.

December 30 Swell was on the decline but a super low tide creating some suck out conditions. Caught a few good ones off the rocks but got swept down to Greenmount which was starting to shut down when the tide rose. Walked back up to Snapper and drifted out into the lineup and caught a set that swung wide all the way to Greenmount. If I went home after not getting any more surf I would have been happy with that one.

Noosa Heads

Noosa's five points take a pretty good swell to get working with a north swell being optimal. North swells, unfortunately, are only generated by tropical events such as a depression or a cyclone. Noosa will break on an east but it needs to be big to do a 90 degree wrap. It's what you would call a rare bird. Not El Capitan rare but pretty damn fickle. Noosa can be flat for weeks at a stretch no problem. Oh when it does break tough it is a thing of beauty. Rumors of a cyclone swell circulating through town when I get there.

December 31 Hike to Hell's Gate at the top of the Noosa Headland and basically get the grand tour of the points. Surprise! There is actually inconsistent three footers rolling through Tea Tree Bay. Tea Tree is a huge granite cobble point with a sandy little beach at the foot of the bay. An all time setup. At 1-3' it was barely cracking but some good little roundhouse sections popping up.

New Year's Day More surprises. No heavy partying the night before had me up at dawn hoping the surf had come up and everyone was in bed. One out of two ain 't bad. Surf had significantly jumped up over night. The little point in town, Johnson's, was starting to work but I had bigger fish to fry. Head to Tea Tree and paddle out with 20 of my closest dawn patrolling friends. Surf was good. About 4-6' and walling up across the bay for some big cutties and huge roundies. Some waves reforming and going all the way through the point. Pretty damn good. Get back to the room and have some brekky with the wife while I convince her to go to the beach because on the way back Johnson's is looking like 1st Point Malibu. Nuclear crowd is all I can say. All the yaboos who don't want to hike to Nationals or Tea Tree hassle at this perfectly spinning wave. It's one of those waves that holds size all the way through. A pure rippable wave. Love to see this wave on a huge swell. Probably kegs like mad. After frying ourselves on the beach for awhile we go home for some lunch and I'm ready for round three but think of going back to Tea Tree because I think the swell is peaking. Tide is coming back in and Tea Tree is firing and the southerlies have laid down for glassy perfection. Imagine surfing a wave shaped like Swami's but four times as long. Insane. Of course I'm a big dummy and forgot the camera.

January 2 Are headed to Byron Bay so have a quick surf at Johnson's. Pretty fun still but silly crowded. Luckily manage to catch a few good ones.

Byron Bay

Byron has a couple classic breaks in town - The Wreck and The Pass. The Pass is at the tip of Byron Bay and faces directly north so once again another good south wind spot. Prefers a north swell but picks up anything as long as its big enough to wrap in. On big east or south swells the sweep is incredible. You have to go through "The Pass," literally a small break in the headland of the point that brings you from the bay to the top of the point. A bit sketchy paddling through the shore pound when big but it gets in you position. The wave itself can be a nice wall or a super sucky barrel depending on the tide. East or South swells peter out in the channel while I'm assuming North swells are epic as they probably wrap into the Bay. Can't tell you much about The Wreck because it was blown to bits the whole time I was there.

January 3 Head down to the Pass. Can't park at the top parking lot so head to the one further in the bay. Looks kind of mushy but I'm far away. The cyclone swell is supposedly peaking. Have to walk up to the top of the bay. Get to the top and it's pumping but messy. The only thing saving it is that the waves have had to wrap around the headland, which has cleaned it up a bit but it is still big, wobbly, and chunky. Looks like I can paddle out form the top of the cove. Big mistake. The sweep was a river current and I quickly missed my chance of catching any waves and had to start over again this time attempting"The Pass." Pretty sketchy trying to paddle out here with the swell big and sloppy. A shore pound has to be negotiated between two piles of rocks. I bust through but miss a couple waves and am swept out of position. This goes on for awhile until I finally catch I decent one. Wave selection is super important here because if you choose the wrong one it is either a death dredger or a complete mush burger. Frustrating.

January 4 After cruising around a bit I give the Pass another go. Smaller, cleaner and more in control and plus its glassy. Hop out at the pass which isn't so intimidating when smaller. Glide into position and catch a beauty. Manage to pull down quite few good ones but get my share of stinkers and misses where you get to start all over again. Caught a screaming, heaving bomb to go in. Pretty good. Would like to see this place on a clean swell.