Seal Rocks

Seal Rocks is an unusual "little" place because its a village within a National Park. Not a village surrounded by National Park, but the village is part of the Myall Lakes NP. It was an old fishing port on rhe shores of the Pacific Ocean,probably initially it was a whaling port, then a little village where fishermen launched little,open boats into the surf each day before returning to their little humpies to rest. Little changed over the years except the humpies became more substantial and the land around the village was declared National Park. This had the effect of seizing the place away from greedy developer's and maintaining its tiny proportions, little houses clinging to steep hillocks on a rocky shore. Its geography is quite special in that either aide of a rocky promontory capped by a lighthouse, are a series of surfing beaches that are alternatively protected from prevailing winds and swell. To the south Yagon and Treachery beaches will work in NE conditions, with that wind blowing offshore making for smooth waves. Similarly, to the N or more properly the NW, are a pair of beaches protected from southerly storms.

   When I arrived there today, the beaches to the north  of Sugarloaf Point were being pounded by a heavy swell and the wind was offshore. As this beach was only one of few beaches on the east coast that handles these conditions, it was crowded. But there were plenty of waves to share, and after a week of plying myself with painkillers (toothache followed by tooth extraction), I was just happy to  be amongst the action. With my surfing I learned again of the need to temper my energy with that of the waves. When the swell is building powerfully, you must surf more off the backfoot and cruise along. Only when the ocean is weak and waning, can one surf with high energy. Live and learn!

Surfing Report - week ending 17 Feb 2019

The ocean in very much a Summer Mood of a little NE swell, after seabreezes (NE) and swollen sand banks. This means that the point breaks at Merewether are not working and all beach breaks are tending to close out.
   Along the Merewether to Pogo's stretch on Thursday and Friday the surf was unattractive at all tides. And whe there were some off decent waves breaking, the surf-starved Kooks were in abundance.
   Saturday I made a virgin pilgrimage to One Mile Beach, 80 k and an easy 1 hr. Drive. The e-forecasts iddntified tge ESE swell as being ok for OMB.
   The beach looked a picture and being Saturday was very crowded with: surfboard hiring thrashers, backpackers (chicks in thongs riding mals is very distracting), grommies and dads pushing kids on waves. At the S end the kids being shoved onto was were gobbling up 2' waves that were very hard to pickup.
   I then paddled over to the first beach break N of the flagged area. The beach here was picking up more swell (3') but many were close outs. In fact, sll tge set waves did close out thunderously and it was amusing watching two older kooks on softies taking these and planning what to do if they "broke [their] necks". By ptocess of elimination I decided that the smallest waves were the go. But by picking and chosing, the wave count wS low and I managed less that 10 waves. The manoeuvre of the day was a very short noseride.
   Overall, a very pleasant experience to be splashing about in such an atmoshere with great "scenery". Next time I think larger swell (S point break) and a weekday should improve prospects if a decent surf. Nearby Birubi, on a weekday, may also be worth a look.

Hobie Adventure Island Anyone?

Organisers of the Everglades Challenge destail its aims as :-
"The Watertribe Organization's mantra is to encourage the development of boats, equipment, skills and human athletic performance for safe and efficient coastal cruising using minimal impact human and wind powered watercraft such as sea kayaks, canoes and small sailboats."
As a disillusioned trailer sailer sailor, I resent its need of a fuel guzzling 4wd to launch and retrieve, docility under sail and really cramoed living quarters. The sailing espoused by The Watertribe comes to me as a breath of fresh air.

   Yes my little Mirror dinghy Tilman could sail along the coast, but I'm contemplating many more exciting sailing including blasting along the coast and shooting the surf ashore as I discover a camp for the night.

   Selling "Misty" would fund the purchase of a Hobie Adventure Island trimaran. Basically a sailing kayak with folding amas. Being a Hobie it's typically rugged and user friendly, with sparkling performance.

   One TI set speed

records during the EC and several come up for sail on my local Gumtree.
 
   Mmmm, just me, sitting facing forward, shooting along on the water, fearlessly negotiating shoals, peaking waves or dwindling breezes. Carrying minimalist camping gear off to remote, secluded shores, to sit by  campfire, eating seafood in the nude! Hehe :))

SPECIFICATIONS *
Crew: 1-2
Length: 18' 6" / 5.64 m
Beam (Amas Folded In): 4' / 1.22 m
Beam (Amas Out): 10' / 3.05 m
Capacity: 600 lbs / 272 kg *
Fitted Hull Weight: 130 lbs / 59 kg *
Fully Rigged Weight: 240 lbs / 109 kg *
Mast Length: 18' / 5.49 m
Sail Area: 90 ft² / 8.4 m²
Hull Construction: Rotomolded Polyethylene

A New (to me) 9'1" Malibu

Picked up a bigger mal' from a retiri g surfer in s little surfside town up the coast. He wanted to clean his garage and everything he no longer used had to go. His loss was my gain!

I Christen Thee BLUEY!

   But, although it looked right, she was shaped by someone unknown to me. There's only one way to know for sure .... i took the last parking space at Boomerang Beach. The headlsnd was pumping out some fairly cranky 5 footers that looked way too gnarly for a mal', but there was a bank down the beach a ways.
   Well, long story short; right from the get-go she felt nice. I rode a few lefts, nice cutbacks, reos and the odd controlled floater. As my confidence grew I began picking off larger waves and really cranking heavy cutbacks on my firehand,
. This board stuck like glue and I foubd no trouble  cruising high on steep walls, speeding through fast sections. The Stoke was back better than it has been in years!