The Early

[RickyG]

Half your luck Salty!

I'm often up at that or a similar hour - but not by choice unfortunately (the pitter patter of little feet). An early surf for me would be about 8.00 at the absolute earliest these days; soft I know No matter how early I get to bed I can't seem to get enough sleep so I can't see things changing for a while.

Maybe in middle age my body clock will change and I'll be one of those old blokes up at the crack of dawn every day?

[bonusbeats]

9.30 is an early for me -- even when i'm camping on the beach.

i know i'm missing out on waves, but i can't do it.

[Grooter]

How early is too early for you?

Like this morning. I was up at 430am to check the charts while downing a coffee. Looks like the best day of the week, so I'll be in the water at about 520. Non-surfers think I'm nuts, but the world's a beautiful place this time of the day... so peaceful.

If there's no surf or it's crap, I'll just hit work about 700. Got a really good boss who's happy to let me go home at 330-400 if I'm in early, which is pretty cool considering I work in a professional office environment where most ppl do 900-600.

Can't surf during the week as work is too far from home.

But a 530, 600am wake up on a Sunday is no problem. The world is indeed a beautiful place at that time of the day.

[Partypooper]

same as you today salty, up at 5, in the water by 6(even though i work till 11pm)

had it all to myself was quite fun too.....

on weekends i get up at 4 to escape the crowds and travel for a surf, even if it is only 3ft

[Beerfan]

My body clock wakes me up at 430 or so once the sun starts getting up early, like this time of year. I havent surfed after 830 am for a very long time. Im happy to be at the beach at 5 if its before work ( 12 hours )or even when im off, i feel great at work unitl around 3 or 4 then i get tired. You're right though, its great to be in the water early.

[TMC]

There are waves at 5:30 and there are waves at 8:30

So i dont understand why I have to wake up at 4:30 and go for a surf.

[cs]

Woke up just before 5 this morning, the baby and Mrs cs still sleeping, so slipped out and surfed a popular northern beaches break.
Came in about 7.30, bought the Mrs and I a coffee on my way home and caught the 8.15 bus to work.
Caught plenty of waves, all quite small and I reckon I was the happiest person on the bus.

[rightbrainpositive]

In the peak of a QLD summer without daylight saving, means that there's light peering through your blinds wayyyy before 5am. It makes it easier to wake up early...

[cs]

Since having a baby 3 months ago, I'm always up at sparrows fart. Crashed in bed by 9pm. No more sitting up on the cans or the goon. And getting heaps more surfs in...

[don.weather]

In the peak of a QLD summer without daylight saving, means that there's light peering through your blinds wayyyy before 5am. It makes it easier to wake up early...

In the middle of summer the sun is up at 4:40am in Qld (I have no idea why we don't have daylight saving, but that's another debate on it's own) and so one can actually be in the water as early as 4:15am in Qld summer.

I can remember in my younger day, getting up at 2:30am in Brisvegas, picking up all the lads, driving down the coast and paddling across the seaway at 4am in the morning.....all in the name of being across at TOS first....although many a time we weren't the first!!! Then having to go to work for the day......that was a LONG day.

Can't do it anymore, so usually just try and get down there for a 5am start.

[Nick Carroll]

I usually HATE surfing early, it feels too much like work.

Don't mind training then 'cause it f**ken is work.

My favourite time to surf is around 10am. Physically alert, brain fully operational, day's rhythm set.

[Shaunm]

The early's about to disappear for a while folks with DST appearing for the school hols.
I prefer day break when warmer weather arrives, & 7:30 winter

[Spoon]

Love the feel of the early and especially camping down the coast. You also get out feeling like you've had a great start to the day. Also don't mind it around 9am mid week when all the workers are gone and the kids are at school.

[flow]

i love ealry moring surfs, its just getting out of bed and travling to the beach which holds me back... when i get ther its just amazing, espically up north coast wher u will have it all to your self...
probs for me aroud 730- 8

[bombora]

Absolutely addicted to backlit waves so love the cracka surf. Something about that coke bottle green (thank jeebus mags have, mostly, gone beyond every friggin pic being frontlit, go SUrfing WOrld!!). Helps to have a mate who habitually awakes about an hour before the first hint of light no matter what (he's often tucked up by 9.30pm!) and who has a key to my place. Can't hit him like I can the snooze button.

[2nd Reef]

^^^ Good point Bommie.

I'm a fucken wombat myself so will sleep through anything. But lucky for me I've got a good mate that is a keenbert frother. He's a straight up red cordial swilling ADD kiddie stuck in a mans body. The prick doesn't need any sleep but he needs someone to talk in the surf so he's my alarm clock.

God love the fidgety, jumpy, hyperactive bastard.

[FishStick]

In the water by 6:15 is the best I can do. And I don't do it as much as I want to as the neighbours don't make it easy to get to bed early.

But saying that I love Daylight Savings nothing quite like washing the office out of you in the surf after hours. Makes it feel like you were never there. Ending the day on a high

[Trev]

My body clock has never changed. When I first started surfing (1962 on a proper surfboard - that's a mal ) we lived on the beachfront at Bilinga so it was across the road at first light then off to school. On the weekends up just a little earlier so I could be first or second in the water at Kirra or Snapper. I also did a bit of shift work earlier in my working life so got used to being able to get going early. Same driving rally cars - all night stuff and drive home into the dawn light. Love that time of day. Once I got back into surfing (1985/6) it was always convenient to go the early. Up at sometimes 2.30am to be ready for first light at Currumbin (paddled out right on 4am from mid December to mid January) Then in Sydney I lived at Castle Hill so it was much the same deal except an hour later with daylight saving - often first out at the Bower.
Now, back in Qld I am having this running battle with a couple of other guys as to who's first out each day. Whether I'm first or fifth, the first wave is always a buzz.
I surf later in the day and in the late arvo sometimes but it's not quite the same.
I've also noticed there can be quite a crowd (maybe up to 20 ) towards the end of the first hour then it backs off as people head off to work or school and you get your pick of the waves for another hour or so before the next shift arrives.
On a really good day I love seeing off the second wave of surfers as well before I head in for breakfast (and a nap )