Where did you surf today ?

[Donweather]

Well you did way better than me Digger. Got up at 3:30am, got to me mates house, waited around for 15 minutes for his mate to arrive. Got to Palmy around 5:15am. Absolute poo. Wind had only recently swung offshore so it was lumpy, rippy and all over the place. Not to mention how fecked the Goldy banks are at the moment. Seriously Ului needs to smash them to pieces and hopefully then resurrect some life into them. They are seriously woeful. Sat on the beach and chewed the fat with my mate for 1.5-2hrs about life, 2011 surfari etc, watching the sunrise whilst my other mates surfed absolute junk.

Drove back to Brisbane, although got to Mt Gravatt and realised we'd forgotten to pull into Macca's Springwood and drop my mate off their (as that's where he left his car). Turned around and got back to Maccas Springwood, only to then realise that my mate couldn't find his car keys (the one who'd left his car at maccas Springwood). He then thought he'd look inside his car (the car that was left at Maccas Springwood) and to his surprise the keys were still in the ignition with all doors still unlocked (this was approximately 5hrs after he'd left his car there).

Only dilemma now was he'd left the radio on in the car hence a flat battery.

Quite an unusual morning indeed.

[alakaboo]

should've been there yesterday, from all reports.
bit further south too...

[mical]

Quite an unusual morning indeed.

Just ... wow.

Still, watching the sun rise over the ocean while shooting the breeze with a mate is a lot better than wasting that time in bed.

Life's too short for that.

[pridmore]

I surfed a point near home and it was pretty average lookin, easterly makin it a bit bumpy and uninviting lookin, but with only 6 or 7 guys out, and a new board, I was into it...was much more fun than I thought, got plenty of waves and had fun on the newy....3-4ft highish tide but fun with some sections doublin up and running, also crumbly lips to float and hit.....water is very warm atm.....

[marcus_h]

Noosa, its a love hate relationship I tell ya. Went down with fong at 6 and decided this time it would be a long long session. Went out to the pot, waited my turn and was patient, watch the drop ins, very funny and watching people get washed off the jump in zone. Wave height was not huge which was a dissapointment but scored some overhead waves, 4 hour session with about 6 waves and dropped in on someone really badly, but he paddled up the inside of me and sat 3 foot away, for goodness sake did he think I would just let him have the wave, p@#s off I say.

then took a walk to tea tree and surfed on the inside for another 2 hours, was patient and relaxed, caught a few, small than the pot but still fun.

Now home and totally surfed out, cant lift me arms, such a good feeling.

Jesus digger that is some serious patience you showed there. I think I got 6 waves in the first half an hour yesterday!

[diggerdickson]

did you say 4 hrs and 6 waves ???

I am no good at hassling for waves, in fact I cant be fu#$ed and generally aviod any crowded situation that I can. If I get into the mentality of got to get a wave then I just frustrate myself and dont enjoy at all. I generally dont drop in unless its warranted like the above case I mentioned, so put all that together then go out at noosa and try to get more than 6 waves ( can you tell Im the sorta person who doesnt feel comfortable in crowds ) And yes if I aint patient I just end up like last session out there.


If theres plenty of people on a peak I will try to sit elsewhere and be patient, hey it worked and I scored some good waves with no one dropping in and the board went excellent. The crowd at tea tree was full of gumpies so was more relaxing as if you looked like you were paddling hard for a wave they would just pull back.

Saw simon anderson out there, gosh he has aged from my memories of him, he can still surf though and I had to thank him for all the thrusters I have owned, the guy is a legend.

[smallhouse]

Noosa again. The first sets from the cyclone swell pushed in around 1pm.

derek hynd has a legrope on his channel bottom finless board, first time i've seen him wear one.
I got a few good ones at titree, but snagged an absolute cracker from behind the boiling pot through to the carpark. perfect wall the whole way. ps: the crowds are at record levels.

[Trev]

Just had a look at Noosa on the web cam and at 4.02pm there was a series of waves breaking from the outer edge of Nationals all the way through to the beach inside First Point. About 10 or 11 waves, one after the other, peeling, tubing and generally just going off.
Oh! And by the way, there was someone in every pocket.

[diggerdickson]

I dont mean to change the topic, but it would be intersting to know this. Without sounding like a softcock who else on the forum really struggles with crowds of people. I get anxiety and really struggle at big parties, I use to get blind drunk to cover my uncomfortablness if thats a word.

When in the surf for me 10 people is a fair few and I will try to find another peak if possible. It does effect me, it changes how I feel and I tend to normally get aggressive and surf like a kook, the surf has to be special for me to go out in a crowd thats why I love my 4.30 surfs in the morning and I get out at 5.45 or 6.30 and go home most of the time. It is extremely rare that I can enjoy myself in crowded surf and luckly today was one of those days.

When younger I got right into bigger surf and travelled a lot to get it, main reason, less crowds. Not because of the thrill, or thought I was a hellman, but less crowds.

When I lived in SA it was fantastic, you could just go to a rivermouth, forget about the sharks if possible and go for a solo session for hours, loved it.

[smallhouse]

Digger, I hate the crowds , and struggle to get waves. But here today noosa is the best wave around by a long shot. So i repeatedly throw myself into the maelstrom. It helps to sit nice and deep, and learn to take off on 1/2 a seconds notice. And stay very aware of everything because a board to the head is only the next set away.

[Trev]

I too, hate the crowds and generally go to pieces as far as wave selection is concerned in direct relationship to the increase in numbers.
Once in a while I seem to click and become dominant in such conditions but its rare (although very satisfying). One of those was the day you and I went out at Ti Tree. And I remember one at South Curly which is a break I hate with a passion but this day was (fairly) big and I got some great waves consistently.
Like you, I prefer the early and am lucky that my local doesn't seem to get too crowded, probably as there are plenty of good beach breaks just a little way up the beach.
I fully accept that, to handle the crowds you have to take charge as Iggy says, but most of the time I can't be bothered (old age???), however I don't find myself needing to do so often. It would be worse if I had to surf up your end of the coast regularly.

[tiger]

One thing Digger is try to time your surfs with lower tides at the points. High tides are generally poo at Noosa. Sure sometimes there are less crew in the water, but fcuk all waves are gunna break too.

Lower portions of the tide allow for more varied take off spots. You can sit out and get a bomb, or sit wide and get one that catch's everyone inside. There's more sneaky inside double ups too.

I surfed T Tree early and there was loads of waves. Crowd was as you mention, mostly made up of gawkers flopping around on the shoulder. Caught a dozen waves and was in by 7am. Actually I drifted across Eno's and lucked into a nice set behind the Pot, and hopped out at the stairs.

You're right about frame of mind affecting wave count. Go out thinking it's gunna be a hassle, and I hate crowds, and you're guaranteed to have a prick of a time. You've gotta go out there with the right attitude, and it's not neccessarily being a cnut. It's more backing yourself, and putting yourself in the spot.

[steve shearer]

So, how big on the Points today?

[Donweather]

Digger, I too loath crowds and they seriously affect my surfing ability as well. Too busy thinking about the cocks around you to actually concentrate on catching the wave. 9 times out of 10 I will always choose a lesser quality uncrowded peak over a perfect crowded peak.

Didn't have to worry about the crowds today as the surf was fecking poo down the Goldy beachies!!!

Hey Trev, how are you replying on this forum? I thought you and fong were in transit today?

[smallhouse]

So, how big on the Points today?

maybe head and a half high . except for a few intermittent bomb sets from the new swell .

[Donweather]

That's a few on the ground reports stating a new swell in the water this afternoon.

Strangely the wave buoys aren't showing any new swell (please don't get me wrong, I'm not doubting you blokes on the ground....merely pointing out it's sneaking under the radar of the wave buoys).

[Trev]

Digger, I too loath crowds and they seriously affect my surfing ability as well. Too busy thinking about the cocks around you to actually concentrate on catching the wave. 9 times out of 10 I will always choose a lesser quality uncrowded peak over a perfect crowded peak.

Didn't have to worry about the crowds today as the surf was fecking poo down the Goldy beachies!!!

Hey Trev, how are you replying on this forum? I thought you and fong were in transit today?

4.30am tomorrow!
Slight delay at work for on eof us.

[marcus_h]

Dont worry about crowds I just keep dominating