sunset

Post by **Nick Carroll** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:00 am

philw wrote:don't know too much about sunset but i remember seeing some awesome pics of bonga perkins out there. it looks like a wave that flatters good longboard skills - more so than other approaches..?

Small days on the point and ragged north swells for sure.

Re comparable waves, not really, the whole vibe and feel of the tropical north Pacific and the type and angle of swell, the wind, the lava-laid reef, it's just entirely different to Oz.

Post by **Chong** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:27 pm

The thing I want to know about Sunset is wtf do you do if you are caught squarely inside by a rogue voluminous west peak? Do you try and duck dive or just pray jump off and accept the large haldron collider style atomisation?
Surely sunset must have been the location of some of surfings heaviest floggings (as 2nd reef & NC will have surely sampled).

Post by **2nd Reef** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:23 pm

You never really duckdive there Chong.

The boards you've gotta ride are just too long. And also the waves are too, as you said, voluminous. They are thick and the turbulence penetrates very deep. Duckdiving them is useless.

Wear a good long leggy and make sure no-ones behind you.

Even when the wave hasn't yet broken it's often safer to bail. Compared to East Coast Oz a far greater percentage of the wave becomes lip, so if you're trying to duckdive as it's pitching there's a good chance you won't make it through. Just bail. The offshores may even blow your board over the back so your leggy doesn't get tested.

As for the West Peak; it pays to be alert and try and paddle wide and around the danger zone. But at some stage you're gonna pay the piper, everyone does, so just suck em in and prepare for the beating.

Don't undersetimate the value of a good beating though. When you realise you can survive worse situations than you thought possible the confidence starts clicking in. Get past that stage and everything is a breeze......for a while.

Post by **gibber** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:21 pm

My fave pic of sunset would have to be one where tc is duck diving an 8'+ board under a heaving pitching lip...farken classic!

Post by **Freestyler** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 5:40 pm

Surfed Sunset in my early 20s, now 51, on a single fin Hot Buttered.
Had surfed Calif/Baja coast for months, so was fit and cocky.
Paddled out in the channel with dry hair.
Sat in the channel for 30-40 minutes, heart in mouth, watching and listening to thundering offshore monsters break. In my measurement, solid 10', don't care what Hawaiians call it, it was big.
Finally, said to myself there's only one way in and paddled into take off zone. Luckily dodged the clean-up sets and score a couple of blind take-offs, max speed drops and long bottom turns into the inside section.
By the end of some 2 hrs, with adrenalin flowin through my young veins, if the crowd had parted, I thought at the time, I would have taken on a set, which by that time were well over 10' and in hindsight way beyond my ability.
I've never had a surf like it since. I sat on the warm bonnet of the hire car afterwards, my chest thumping with adrenalin, my body exhausted, drinking a cold beer and watching Sunset.

Post by **Lucky Al** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:53 pm

i've posted this before but i don't care - it's the best surf shot ever!

Post by **mustkillmulloway** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 4:43 pm

Coops@DY wrote:. Its got the image of a proving ground type place. ?

moffets on a good day

Post by **rightbrainpositive** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:16 pm

mustkillmulloway wrote:moffets on a good day

Don't say the "M" word with Trev around!!

Post by **Trev** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:47 pm

mustkillmulloway wrote:

moffets on a good day

I can just picture Fong's Reef a little off to the left.

Post by **gibber** » Fri Sep 19, 2008 11:16 pm

TrevG wrote:
mustkillmulloway wrote:

moffets on a good day
I can just picture Fong's Reef a little off to the left.

I've always thougt of moffs as baby sunset..

Post by **mustkillmulloway** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:58 pm

i got one today

just one decent one after a hour huntin

big drop...big wall...big bowl

i'm happy with one

and it's cold....like your not having fun till ya freezing

what is about big waves

that drives me too them

and better still....whats the best booties for surfing in

Post by **2nd Reef** » Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:26 pm

^^^Where the bloody hell are ya Fong? NZ??

Booties?
Big waves?
Other side of the Tasman?

Post by **rightbrainpositive** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:42 am

I surfed with Fongy on Sunday. It was blowing NE and basically dribble. The type of surf where you do more chit-chat than paddling.

During that hour and a bit, I couldn't get it out of him. I tried all sorts of strategies (humouring him, then asking 'the' question etc.) but he's definitely keeping it too himself.

South Coast past Burrill Lake I reckon... and the booties are probably more for foot protection rather than insulation (but then again, he's been living in QLD for a while now).

The other clue I have is this: I know he's only got a week off work and I'm pretty sure he's driving to his spot... so we can count WA out

Post by **2nd Reef** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:46 am

But look at his 'favourite spot' RBP ' the other side of the Tasman Sea'.

NZ is currently getting smashed up. You need booties. He's a goofy. He's in Raglan.

I think...

Let's all play 'Where's Fongy?'

Post by **rightbrainpositive** » Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:15 am

Hmmm, you could right...

I do remember a convo I had with him about un-rated surf destinations and he put NZ as first on his list. He's had a few surf trips there in his younger days and has even considered moving over...

2ndReef, I think you're onto something

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