surf reporters...are they full of it?

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Would you say that surf reporters are in on a conspiracy to keep people who don't live so close to the beach out of the water?

yes
8
29%
no
12
43%
I am a surf reporter!
8
29%
 
Total votes: 28

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youngo
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Post by youngo » Thu Jan 15, 2004 5:21 pm

gimme a break man - i report on Manly; always 'crap, 1foot onshore' and not to mention CROWDED!

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youngo
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Post by youngo » Thu Jan 15, 2004 5:24 pm

PS At least we are more realistic than some other (more commercial) sites...

filthbarrel
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Re: surf reporters...are they full of it?

Post by filthbarrel » Thu Jan 15, 2004 6:26 pm

What if I told you Pipeline will be 25-30 Hawaiian ft tomorrow?

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whitey
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"Shakes head in dissapointment"

Post by whitey » Thu Jan 15, 2004 7:13 pm

The reports on this page are great and usually very accurate, I always Report the conditions as they are (from what I can see at Ascot AV) but I never lie about it. Every other report on the page I have read has been Accurate. Its not like we are sending subliminal messages saying not to surf a certain break (ACOVA FRUS T`NOD) . Whitey. :)

Innerview
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reports

Post by Innerview » Thu Jan 15, 2004 8:18 pm

I think one of the biggest misunderstandings is the actual size of waves. Some reports come in saying its solid 6ft and the next beach up says 3 to 4 feet. Who`s pullin` whose chain here.
Photo`s are the real way to understanding what`s really out there. And if you`re like me and only surf reef then its a different ball game altogether.
I have to study all the charts myself. Check the current wind direction, if any, then the period and work it out from there.
Like last Sunday, period interval reach the 10 second mark, so I jumped it the car and 20mins later , I`m pulling into 3 foot glassy reef barrels. It was worth it.
I view other reports then make my own, then if its any good, I`ll make the 6 minute drive to the desired location.
:)

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Longboarder
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Report

Post by Longboarder » Thu Jan 15, 2004 8:41 pm

I use to report for Surfcam.com.au on Burwood Beach Newcastle, the best thing about it was nobody knew who i was so the only complaints i got were by email.

The beach has some hardcore locals up at Leggys Point, a wave that breaks like Angourie and is not very well known and is hard to get to. So in a way i'm glad surfcam never asked me to provide a photo or profile.

Some of the emails i got were offensive but i understand everyone likes to keep there waves private and to themselves. I like the seclusion that you get at Burwood in a busy city like Newcastle.

I always gave the truth on the conditions so yeah, i feel i never hid the truth.

Rob

Post by Rob » Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:31 am

Hey Uther, if you don't like the reports, why keep coming back?

These guys do this work off their own bat for our benefit......Keep up the good work fellas!

collnarra
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full of it

Post by collnarra » Fri Jan 16, 2004 9:03 am

I always try to be accurate in my reports, but the reality is that the stretch of beach between collaroy and emerald street (one street before north narrabeen) is rarely good, and you have to get it on the right tide.

The reports are indicative - surfers should be able to read a bunch of them, figure that (like today) it's about waist high from the SE, the tide is low at such and such a time, there's not much wind and so beach X will probably be OK.

I don't think that dedicated surfers need hand holding, or to be told that beach X is a dead cert for good waves. All most people want is either a) an indication of what the conditions are like, so that they can think about cutting work, getting out for the late etc or b) an insight into what's going on, so that when they are sitting at work they can get a bit of joy.

anyway, that's my point of view. Can't speak for the other reporters.

vonie
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Post by vonie » Fri Jan 16, 2004 9:05 am

Keep up the good work fellers!

I often find that the surf is better than I expect from the reports, but you have to consider how quickly conditions change and remember one man's wave is another man's slop!

kneelo1

Post by kneelo1 » Fri Jan 16, 2004 9:06 am

The real sign is when they don't post a report. That means they paddled straight out! :lol:

Larry
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Post by Larry » Fri Jan 16, 2004 9:31 am

About a month ago north av was extremely special all morning - about 8' and banging all the way through the middle from lobsters - big wide open barrels and enough east in the swell to keep you (not me!) waiting for up to twenty minutes to get off the shelf

TC broke a couple boards in the session,and only a couple made it out for the reallygood stuff - and yours truly never mentioned it that morning

A bloke has to grease both the handle and the pan sometimes,capeche?

dicko

Post by dicko » Fri Jan 16, 2004 9:58 am

I reckon Larry's stories form the 60s are more accurate than the 2107s. there was something else but I can't remember.

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roscoediboscoe
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Post by roscoediboscoe » Fri Jan 16, 2004 11:12 am

Don't worry bout the local reports - has anyone compared the Bali Reports online - they are soooo varied it's a joke - all it is is the local tour operators trying to fill their lousy accommodation and boat trips up - I was there for 8 days over Christmas and although we surfed twice sometimes 3 times a day both sides of the island were pretty much blown out by lunchtime - Now I'm reading of offshore glassy conditions Kuta side???

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the kalakau kid
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Post by the kalakau kid » Fri Jan 16, 2004 11:51 am

surf reports: discuss from an ethical perspecctive.....

My experience is:

1)they vary as wildly as the people who write them
2)no one i know reads them before checking the surf in the morning
3) looking at the sky and knowing how to interpret it is more valuable than time on the net
4)Mid-day reports & photos are a great incentive to wrap things up quickly and get down to the water
5)like life, they are best not taken too seriously
6)a little bit of local/creative/humorous licence is to be enjoyed
7)anyone who feels ripped off should read a few snow reports this winter...and then look up " pecuniary interest" in the Macquarie
8)They function more as a social grapevine for an extended enjoyement of the surfing life than anything else...
9)Some things are better off kept secret. What you don't know won't hurt you
10 Walking down the street and just going for a surf or swim when you have time is usually better than stressing about conditions.

Innerview
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surf reports

Post by Innerview » Fri Jan 16, 2004 1:55 pm

real surfers will describe anything up to 20 foot as 'about 4 to 5 foot with a few bigger ones coming through').

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schnorky
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Post by schnorky » Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:30 pm

This is my test message. There doesnt seem to be much reward from surfreporting but if you know your beach and you surf often enough, you will begin to work out your surf reporter.

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marcus
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surf report accuracy

Post by marcus » Tue Jan 20, 2004 12:34 am

i report from a somewhat biased but truthfull viewpoint (if that makes sense)
i grew up surfing shark island, and now reside at north wollongong.
everyday shark island has a barrel, no matter what size, and the locals there will say its shit even if it is perfect by the standards of other reefs.
now that i am down in north wollongong i have to report on that, and i have surfed many world class waves, and this isnt one of them.
so how do i report on it without being too negative..

what i do is judge the face of the wave from the face as accuratly as i can, and watch to see who is surfing and what they are doing on the wave.
if the good guys are out and having fun, i will tend to say that in the report. as sometimes for me i have been totally pooed at the surf there, but the locals have been stoked, so i say exactly that.

i also watch the outer reefs and try to give any info for people waiting for the bomboras to work.
its really hard to be accurate when you see the report for cronulla and the pictures of eight ft island and north wollongong is hardly breaking.
so i just tell it how it is.
cheers
marcus
Oscar Wilde - "I am not young enough to know everything"

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