After The Goldrush

[2nd Reef]

Didn't even bother surfing this morning. Was 6', offshore and still coming on hard, but I just couldn't be bothered. How about that? Shows what we can get used to, and bored of, after four weeks of non-stop swell. The epic becomes mundane and the bar has to be raised higher for the froth to stir.

Just looked at the virtual buoys though and they're doing a good impersonation of a heart rate monitor. Down, down, down, and by Monday.....flatline.

Too late for the Packer whackers, cos there aint much life left in this sucker.

Stuck at work anyway so I thought I'd do a quick stocktake of June 2007;

- 4 east coast lows (or was it 5?)
- 2 loooong range south swells
- 1 ship run aground
- 1 trip north
- 2 trips south
- Approx 50 busted boards (witnessed)
- 2 busted boards (personally)
- 1 fin ripped out
- 1 cut on my arse (lucky the fin ripped out or I'd have 2 arseholes)
- 1 crook neck, elbow and ankle from innumerable beatings
- 1 digital camera (lost in an ill-considered river crossing)
- 1 mobile phone (see above)

The stream of gold might be drying up for surfers but I think that all the dingfixers, shapers and physio's are about to cash in on this most special of months. And like NC said in another thread, I cant wait for the mags to come out!

[cs]

1 snapped board

1 fin broken(get board back this arvo)

Numerous cuts and grazes on feet from scurrying off rocks

2 snapped leggies

1 pissed off wife

[panaitan]

You always start some good posts 2nd reef. I obviously didn't charge as hard as you cause my gun is still in one piece - Just a snapped legrope for me, and that was just becasue I was too lazy to get the thicker legrope out of the back of the cupboard.

I actually think the swell has highlighted a real softness in the general Sydney surf population. I mean we have the most consistent run of over head high clean swell in many a moon and the crowds simply dissapeared.

I surfed an epic beachbreak on my own from dawn for an hour - in the middle of Australia's most populated city! (There's a picture of what looks like the same bank on the front page of coastalwatch today) Plenty of cars turned up, had a look and then left.

The week before I scored mirror image sessions at 2 different beaches on the other side of the harbour with the lowest of crowds.

I know I shouldn't complain but boy its a sad inditement.

[panaitan]

1 pissed off wife

Oh yea i forgot about that one!

[lovinglife]

I know I shouldn't complain but boy its a sad inditement.

Fair fucken dinkum!!! you all piss and moan about how many kooks there are in the water in Sydney (and as a quick refresher the accepted deffinition of a kook is someone who is unaware or unaccepting of thier level of skill) when the surf's shit and it doesnt count, and when its on, and it does count you've got it all to yourselves!!! Get over it.

I dont go out when it's over head high coz I know my limit, and apparently so do the rest of the city. Are you going to tell a bunch of three year old kids it's a bad indictment on them as human beings that they dont read as well as their 10 year old counterparts???

Just enjoy it and shut up.

[bojanglez]

sounds like someone is a bit keen for this swell to subside to get wet...?

It is a bit of a sad sentiment, but only due to the fact that when it's pumping, you want some crew there to watch getting barelled off their heads when your paddling back out, or someone to call you into one of the best waves of your life.

don't get me wrong, lack of crowds is farking great, but sometimes it's good to have a few around to share the joy with.

[Nick-W]

1 case of Bronchitis

2 sessions in the first swell

[FishStick]

I can't say I've had the same, I'm finding that work is really messing this run of swell up for me.

So I took yesterday off [cough cough] and thought I would get some nice waves only to find that almost everyone out is a bloody good surfer so it was hard to get lots of the quality that was coming through.

Usually when I'm out (before work, weekends, and after work in summer) there are a lot of beginners and kooks so i have a chance of getting a lot of waves, yesterday I had to deal with the pro bludgers who are paddle fit and can take off deeper than me.

I'm starting to think weekend surfs aren't that bad now.

[moreorless]

I can't say I've had the same, I'm finding that work is really messing this run of swell up for me.

Same problem here. Haven't even been able to organise a flex and leaving for work at sunup and not getting home until sundown tends to cut into your surfing time. Still have managed a couple of great sessions on the weekends, from way back when it all started with the Queen's birthday long weekend up to last weekend. Haven't noticed much of a reduction in the crowds on those days, though the overall standard did seem to be better and there were fewer overweight longboarders around. It's been pure hell knowing what has been going down this week and not being able to get into it. Sigh.

[BA]

I can't say I've had the same, I'm finding that work is really messing this run of swell up for me.

So I took yesterday off [cough cough] and thought I would get some nice waves only to find that almost everyone out is a bloody good surfer so it was hard to get lots of the quality that was coming through.

Usually when I'm out (before work, weekends, and after work in summer) there are a lot of beginners and kooks so i have a chance of getting a lot of waves, yesterday I had to deal with the pro bludgers who are paddle fit and can take off deeper than me.

I'm starting to think weekend surfs aren't that bad now.

Plenty of truth in that Fishstick. I think the weekday surfs are becoming tougher. Especially when it's good or overhead. Plenty of kooks around on the weekend whereas the quality of surfer during the week is pretty high. I've found the early (I mean real early) is getting pretty hectic as well.

[bombora]

Try eight friggin weeks dry cause of a rooted back and the doc warning I may need full on fusing surgery if the keyhole surgery due for two weeks time doesn't work. Insert crow noises here. Sick of sitting watching it go off while stuck in a bloody brace. Ignored the doc and had one surf during this amazing run of swell and felt 105 years old etc etc,. But it's all good cause am gonna beat this bugger. I'll also add to the observations of many many empty waves around, expecially early, in this city of 4 million.

[Nick Carroll]

I dont go out when it's over head high coz I know my limit, and apparently so do the rest of the city. Are you going to tell a bunch of three year old kids it's a bad indictment on them as human beings that they dont read as well as their 10 year old counterparts???

Just enjoy it and shut up.

I've had two three-year-olds and they didn't listen to a goddam word I said. 'Cause they didn't understand the word "respect".

Most of the really good surfs I had in June were in the company of five or less pretty good surfers. Not all of 'em did I know by name but I felt more at home in the presence of those few guys and all that gorgeous moving ocean than you could possibly imagine. We didn't waste time talking too much, planning where we'd have breakfast, or checking each other's latest surfboard purchase. Just went back to that surfer headspace of alertness, energised confidence, exchanging stoked glances on the drop and bottom turn, hooting occasionally, a coupla "how good's THIS?" or "f**k, got in the right place then didn't ya!" Didn't paddle out together, didn't come in together (mostly). Just surfed -- out there -- with a lot of stoke and respect for each other's stoke.

By the time my three year olds turned 10 we were having some of the best conversations I can remember. Until then, with respect, at least on the subject of full on surfing the way it's done by people who're fully into it and committed to it as a big part of their lives, how about you shut up.

(oooooo!)

[lovinglife]

(oooooo!)

Oh man, you put words together so elequantly...you sure know how to tell a story. And god knows we all know how you rip, but ffs that was lame!

I'm not gonna suck up and say sorry for what I said, infact I stand by it. You completely missed the point of my post. I think you just want a blue, maybe you're just trying to impress KK, it seems he's bored.

I cant compete with your superior linguistic skills, so I'll express myself through the medium of dance....the dance of the Red Chested Boobie... Nah, fcuk that I just dont give a toss what you think.

[Beerfan]

I'd love to be able to say i've been enjoying the big surf, but i'd be lying. My fitness level, skill level, and ball size is not up to these big waves. I snuck in 2 surfs in between the big swells, but, even though the waves were around head high, both surfs i just seemed to be paddling against rips ( it was still stormy ) etc, so i didn't last long in both. I also left my steamer at the beach, cannot believe it, i was freezing, so i jumped out of it, then jumped in the car to get dressed. I must've just drove off, faaaarken spewing. So, now, i either have to stop saving for a board, and buy a wettie, or keep saving for a board, and keep using my springy.

Not being able to surf has sucked, but, watching guys get some serious barrels yesterday eases the pain a bit. Couldn't believe how fast they were going, was unreal. Just waiting for some normal waves to return, so i can actually get out and surf. Wish i wasn't such a kook hahaha

[Mr_momo_32]

I'll express myself through the medium of dance.....

try harder?

[Nick Carroll]

I cant compete with your superior linguistic skills, so I'll express myself through the medium of dance....

Surely you mean "interpretive" dance.

hope ya get some good waves anyway off the back of this mad swell event.

[puurri]

(oooooo!)

Oh man, you put words together so elequantly...you sure know how to tell a story. And god knows we all know how you rip, but ffs that was lame!

I cant compete with your superior linguistic skills, so I'll express myself through the medium of dance....the dance of the Red Chested Boobie... Nah, fcuk that I just dont give a toss what you think.

Onya lifer!!

I'm going to a contemporary dance performance today (Board member; no puns). Be there or be square.