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!