In under 48 hours ago, while trawling the 'net for a cheap Hobie 14 I discovered a give-away project boat. Immediately I organised to see it (yesterday), and was astonished at how good it was. Not just a good wreck, the PO was in the middle of aits restoration and had bought a "Turbo kit", re-anodised trampoline fittings, and that type of thing. As it turns out, the PO lived right on the Lake (Macquarie) and had a boatshed overflowing with racing dinghies. (Think carbon fibre mast.) The Hobie was stored in pieces, in the shed ... and PO needs more space. I'm a tight-wad, but was so impressed I offered money!
So my plans are to create an "Expedition Hobie". One with storage for camping out and fishing, deep reefing main, ground tackle and row-able. I'll be checking off the Watertribe checklist for the Everglades Challenge! I mean sleeping on a cat trampoline is a no-brainer.
From there I'll be ready to hit the water at a moment's notice and will be inspired to take regular coastal, river and lake trips,
Friday, March 8, 2019
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Surf Report - week one, March 2019
Two surfs this week, at the same break Pogos. Storms last week had shaken up the sandy bottom providing new nreaks to try out. A chsnge is as good as a holiday, hey?
Well the break looled like two peaks 200 yards apart, not really like little triangles. More random with lefts stronger than the rights. Another bonus was the rip-channel through the middle that made the paddle out real easy. So after going left on the S Peak it was easier to jog along the shore and use the channel.
Used my 9'1" and caught small stuff until I dialled in, then got hungry for a few more stylish waves. Great stoke!
I even got a little pit! It was good enough for a thong wearing babe on the shorebreak to glance away from her own image reflected in the water and hive me a nod of recognition. Not that I need that shit anyhow.
SURFEST is getting warmed up at Merewether, so every kook on the hood will be out next week and the parking eill be even more horrendous, but I dont care. I'll be searching hard for holes in the facade and going surfing anyway.
Stay young at heart.
Well the break looled like two peaks 200 yards apart, not really like little triangles. More random with lefts stronger than the rights. Another bonus was the rip-channel through the middle that made the paddle out real easy. So after going left on the S Peak it was easier to jog along the shore and use the channel.
Used my 9'1" and caught small stuff until I dialled in, then got hungry for a few more stylish waves. Great stoke!
I even got a little pit! It was good enough for a thong wearing babe on the shorebreak to glance away from her own image reflected in the water and hive me a nod of recognition. Not that I need that shit anyhow.
SURFEST is getting warmed up at Merewether, so every kook on the hood will be out next week and the parking eill be even more horrendous, but I dont care. I'll be searching hard for holes in the facade and going surfing anyway.
Stay young at heart.
New Longboard
well the stoke from my return to surfing continues. four surf sessions so far this week, and another today at boomerang beach.
boomerang was on the way back from tuncurry where i picked up a "new to me" 9'1" mal by a shaper in nearby forster. althou the longboard looked and felt right i was cautious because I'd never heard of the shaper previously.
keen to wet its head,i headed for Boomerang Beach. the headland faces SE so the NE seabreeze was offshore. The swell was up, four feet with some five footers. luckily i spied a break away from the headland that was being a little starved of swell and had an occasional three footer peeling away, lefts and less frequent rights. the main break was crowded with thirty or so surfers while the lonely beach break further S had just the odd friend. just then i overheard someone expressing an interest in "my break"! time to own it!
i got to break out a new legrope (leash wtf?) and waxing up with a fairly new block, living the dream. ah the familiar but forgotten pleasures off jogging over rocky carpark, board under arm. there were three guys on my break. but hey, i had a 9 footer i could sit out wide and pick my waves. anyway with this new longboardi was trying to keep it simple, nothing too strenuous. haha! well at least for the first wave.
my first wave was a little insider, picked off easy, up on my feel quick and she felt good from the start. i went left, with the current in long flowing few arcs, then i cranked her up a little, i floated her off the lip and came down with great manners. thats when i knew she was a keeper ... better than my now second best Byrne's mal'. Stoked again after all these years!
boomerang was on the way back from tuncurry where i picked up a "new to me" 9'1" mal by a shaper in nearby forster. althou the longboard looked and felt right i was cautious because I'd never heard of the shaper previously.
keen to wet its head,i headed for Boomerang Beach. the headland faces SE so the NE seabreeze was offshore. The swell was up, four feet with some five footers. luckily i spied a break away from the headland that was being a little starved of swell and had an occasional three footer peeling away, lefts and less frequent rights. the main break was crowded with thirty or so surfers while the lonely beach break further S had just the odd friend. just then i overheard someone expressing an interest in "my break"! time to own it!
i got to break out a new legrope (leash wtf?) and waxing up with a fairly new block, living the dream. ah the familiar but forgotten pleasures off jogging over rocky carpark, board under arm. there were three guys on my break. but hey, i had a 9 footer i could sit out wide and pick my waves. anyway with this new longboardi was trying to keep it simple, nothing too strenuous. haha! well at least for the first wave.
my first wave was a little insider, picked off easy, up on my feel quick and she felt good from the start. i went left, with the current in long flowing few arcs, then i cranked her up a little, i floated her off the lip and came down with great manners. thats when i knew she was a keeper ... better than my now second best Byrne's mal'. Stoked again after all these years!
Saturday, February 23, 2019
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!
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!
Sunday, February 17, 2019
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
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
"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
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
Saturday, February 9, 2019
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!
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!
 |
| I Christen Thee BLUEY! |
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!
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