RealSurf Surfers' Forum

Stayed out till 8pm the other night. Pitch black with a half moon lighting up the black waves. It was just me and Tahn out there. Plenty of waves to be had and good times. Got a missed call a couple of days later at 1am saying to come down, the points on. Apparently it was going orf.

What are your thoughts? Do you do it or what? Any stories?

Did try it once years ago out at green hills with a good mate, we stayed out till it was pitch black, all that we could see was a slight variation on the tone of the water when a wave was approaching. Quite a strange experience

Also a teacher of mine (Steve Thompson (ex dee why) - if you are out there get in touch) grew up at Avocca overlooking the point - he would often surf the point on a full moon.

Ive only done it a few times at the spots that are usually so ridiculously crowded, yet soo perfect. quite recently a few times out perfect Noosa during the cyclone swells in march, Crescent and the Superbank- although even that has a few people surfing it on a full moon.

Need a waterproof headtorch!

Used to do years back, probably early / mid eighties at Dee Why point ... full moon, clear night, pool lights on and we all wore white T-shirts so we could spot each other.
Pulling in behind suck up took some will-power and faith when you had no idea of what was happening on the other side. I remember it was pretty hairy when you got nailed in the dark, you didn't see what hit you and you could never time your last breath just right.
I remember a bunch of Queensie locals did it too back then.
I'd never do it now with my 40 year old eyesight, but would recomend it.

Yeah surfin39 we were out the dy point. The pool lights made it a bit easy but if you looked at them your eyes would go pin hole and you had to adapt again. There were a couple of Backdoor waves coming through and that yellowish brown foam out the back. The foam made it easier to detect incoming waves as the light would bounce off it and you could kinda make out the form.

You had to be on the ball though, you'd only get a couple of seconds from the time of seeing the wave until you were caught inside. Which happen on a couple of occasions.

Its a great way to beat the end of daylight savings. Go out anytime regardless of daylight.

Did it once but couldn't see a thing. Perhaps it was the wrong moon lighting. But it sucked thigh.

The best time to night surf is when the full moon is overhead from about midnight until dawn, when the wave face is better iluminated.
The last time I tried it was just after moonrise and it was difficult to judge when swells were going to break.

Breaupaires surf open at Cronulla with Occy was like Wednesday Night's Amco cup

Never headed out while its been dark but have stayed many a time after sunset till you couldn't see the waves until they started breaking so wasn't too succesful but I would like to try it on a full moon sometime to check it out but it is a bit more dicey over here I feel.

Stand ups do you do any moves tho? Cause when i night surf i cant see the lip properly which makes my timing go to the dogs :?

Used to do Cronulla Pt at midnight NYE. Tough to pick when it'll break unless phosphorescent algae about . Now only a certain Sydney Harbour beach shorebreak and then not every year (lots of bull sharks around).

Through summer do the pre dawn thing before work. Paddle out when its still dark 4:30 ish. There's enough ambient light in Manly to make it passable. Went out early one morning in heavy fog, could barely see the shore. That was a weird feeling

Royboys wrote:Breaupaires surf open at Cronulla with Occy was like Wednesday Night's Amco cup

I surfed on the shorey during that contest. I think I was still riding a foamie. Brings back memories.

Back in Europe I did it heaps, like theres no sharks in some places, so you can surf all night if theres enough moon light.

But here in Vicco.....umm I'd stay out at Torquay back beach all night, but the other spots like bells, juc reefs and especially point roadknight.....no fmarkling way !!!

Tried it a few times without success when I was a kid on beachies. Found that the sudden appearance of a wave out of the dark was unnerving.

Normally you can spot a lump from a distance gradually take shape as a wave and position yourself accordingly. Couldn't get used to it suddenly being on top of me like that, but maybe it's just practice.

Saw a group of girls around 25 in number not age attempting it down Cronulla way a year or so ago. I figured, darkness, no netting, 25 females aged under 30, and sharks like blood , 1 in 4 chance of shark bait?? There were a few cameras, creww etc so must have been for some promo thing.

Too much fun with the right conditions/light.
I do believe marcus was our resident pro-nightsurfer?
Think I remember him talking about a helmet light he built or something.

Coops@DY wrote:You had to be on the ball though, you'd only get a couple of seconds from the time of seeing the wave until you were caught inside. Which happen on a couple of occasions.

Too right! haha

EDIT: Just did a search of the forums and found these two interesting nightsurfing threads:
Don's: http://forum.realsurf.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1103
Marcus': http://forum.realsurf.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=128