Little known metro spots that rarely work

Can't find the right forum, then post your general surf-related remarks here!

Moderators: jimmy, collnarra, PeepeelaPew, Butts, beach_defender, Shari, Forum Moderators

Larry
barnacle
Posts: 1890
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2002 10:45 am
Location: hang on and I'll ask someone

Little known metro spots that rarely work

Post by Larry » Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:17 pm

There's been plenty of debate about whether ANY information on what's left of the few ' secret spots ' around sydney should ever be published.

Most blokes reckon that there aren't any anyway .. others know of a couple that might only throw up a rideable wave a coupla times a year at best.

So my questions are, particularly when I've been burnt a couple of times in these forums on this same subject - :

When is it ok to publish details of any of these places ?
Who gets the ok to publish any detail ?


(and I'm not referring to rp's or cw or anything in the harbour - this one's closer to home)

Larry
barnacle
Posts: 1890
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2002 10:45 am
Location: hang on and I'll ask someone

Post by Larry » Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:39 pm

I'm not thinking about reporting anything - someone else already has in a local giveway magazine - I just want to know who's untouchable around here

Larry
barnacle
Posts: 1890
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2002 10:45 am
Location: hang on and I'll ask someone

Post by Larry » Mon Jun 06, 2005 1:58 pm

and you can join in any time stretch -

collnarra
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2327
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:57 am

Post by collnarra » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:39 pm

oh, that place! Yes, ***** is certainly fickle. Gotta love it though. One of the best waves in Sydney...

by the way, I'm retiring from reporting. I'll spend the same amount of time in these forums, and keep an eye on things in general, but I just don't get enough time to look at the ocean these days. Not that any of you will miss me too much, but the time has come to give up my slot to someone else.

I'll still maintain moderator rights here. So watch it, you guys! :P


Col.

collnarra
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2327
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:57 am

Post by collnarra » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:44 pm

wanto wrote:well let just see if he is reading this NC .. he's written one about a certain quality left and to my knowlege gotten away with it
It's also harder for the hot heads to get their abuse printed in a newspaper - even if it is a freebie rag. Here on the intermanet, all they've gotta do is bang a keyboard and ... presto!

Col/

Johnno
Harry the Hat
Posts: 3045
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2005 1:19 pm
Location: Mid North Coast

Post by Johnno » Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:21 pm

wanto wrote:the only thing i think you could be talking about is ****? or is it one of the **** breaks .. either way, i'm not sure why you'd want to report on it at all .. best bragged about at the pub
Got to agree with you wanto it must be that they are wimps and don't have the balls to surf alone.

Or they think it might boost there hero status if they blab..........as if.

Not real surfers in my book a real wanker's act to the first degree.

Johnno
Harry the Hat
Posts: 3045
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2005 1:19 pm
Location: Mid North Coast

Post by Johnno » Mon Jun 06, 2005 3:23 pm

Hi collnarra I'll miss your reports .

collnarra
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2327
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:57 am

Post by collnarra » Mon Jun 06, 2005 4:12 pm

wanto wrote:hey col, i think you spell it *** *******.
Are you sure wanto? I thought it was **** ** ******!?

Anyway, I was just being a tool. I've barely got time to surf the local, let alone go looking for mysto spots. I guess that's the bargain you make when you buy a house on the 'beaches - spend all your time working to pay for it. Whinge whinge.

And Johnno, thanks for the kinds words.

Nick Carroll
Huey's Right Hand
Posts: 26515
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2005 9:29 am
Location: Newport Beach

Post by Nick Carroll » Mon Jun 06, 2005 4:28 pm

On a professional level, I reckon you should either be up front about a spot or not mention it at all. That coy approach -- "Oooooo! Spot X!" -- is just embarrassing, not to mention insulting to the reader.

You should also be clear as to whether or not you're misleading people. For instance, most of the remaining "secret spots" around Sydney are challenging, fickle, dangerous waves, rarely suited to the average surfer.

Fortunately, most surfers are sensible people who can see the dangers involved and won't just leap into an eight foot double sucking rock reef break.

On a personal level, I think it's important to listen to your own surfer's radar and give credit where it's due to the best local surfers who are committed to a spot. Nobody owns a surf spot but some people belong to a spot more than others, if you get my meaning -- it's not Terra Nullius and it shouldn't be represented that way.

User avatar
One Mile Point
Snowy McAllister
Posts: 5643
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2004 5:44 pm

Post by One Mile Point » Mon Jun 06, 2005 4:31 pm

there could be heaps of places like that one in hawaii that breaks once a decade even twice a yr could be heaps of spots

Johnno
Harry the Hat
Posts: 3045
Joined: Thu Feb 24, 2005 1:19 pm
Location: Mid North Coast

Post by Johnno » Mon Jun 06, 2005 4:37 pm

Hi One Mile Point I know of a dozen up here to start with and one that hasn't worked for ten years................still waiting..... maybe next week :wink:

BB

Post by BB » Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:16 am

The ethics of surf reporting in all its forms are still under development but to my mind the essential principle is to leave something to the imagination of the reader or listener. The sort of reports that state "There is a really good bank 100 metres north of Avalon surf club that will be best just after low tide" or " Point X is cranking right now, get out there!" are the ones that cause problems. Much better to state the prevailing conditions and some of the possible locations and leave it at that.......all of which makes Don about the worst offender of the regular reporters here.

The crowds at Dee Why are increasing enormously, certainly beyond the increase in population and I suspect Real Surf plays a big part in that since as soon as there is anything resembling a wave anywhere between The Point and Long Reef, it's top of the board.

As far as less well known spots go they shouldn't be mentioned in reports, nor should those sort of freak perfect banks that a lot of beaches throw up from time to time, word of mouth usually gives the locals a few days to enjoy them before the crowd catches up, promoting them in surf reports reduces that time lapse to zero.

admin
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 415
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2002 12:10 pm
Location: Collaroy Plateau, NSW
Contact:

Post by admin » Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:56 am

I can't resist jumping in here!

First, I have never been able to discern any effect of reports on the crowd levels at DY - either positive or negative.

I've lost count of the number of times that I've wandered down to the point at a leisurely time, hours after filing a report that mentions the point specifically and which of course includes pictures of it, only to find myself having fun with maybe a dozen other people all up. This is not a freak event. It happens to me all the time. Last time I surfed out there was about a week or so ago, and sets were head high at around 1100 with roughly 4-5 of us in rotation just inside of the suck and another 8-10 spread out between there and first rock.

Generally speaking this happens mostly on weekdays (which is what you'd expect), but I've experienced it on weekends too. Like last Saturday arvo I was out at Long Reef on the bombies where I shared a useful peak with 4 other guys for an hour and a half. Go figure. But like I say, it happens to me all the time.

One other point I frequently make to folks when this topic comes up is this: if RealSurf is going to be credited with creating crowds at this or that spot, then we equally should get credit for luring those crowds away from other spots. Fair's fair.

:D

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 72 guests