I've spent a bit of time chasing waves on other Aussie coasts the last couple of years. Generally travelling to coasts that are further south and west of Sydney and that are a lot more consistent for swell, especially through the winter months. A feature of these coasts, besides the consistent swell, is the consistency of the swell direction. Go and have a look at Buoyweather for the swell direction the next couple of days for south west WA, west coast SA, west coast Tassie and all of Vicco. Except for a couple of variations of WSW and SSW the predominant direction on all those coasts, on all the forecast days, is SW. And it's like that the vast majority of the time on those coasts.
Now I go to those places because of the consistency of swell but I cant help but think that they miss out on something that surfers here in Sydney (and all the East Coast) have, and that is swell coming from a variety of directions. More than just the fact the swell is coming from a different point on the compass, these swells signify something to Sydney surfers. Any non-surfing punter can know that summers coming by the weather getting warmer, and Vic and WA surfers know just cause the swells get smaller and less frequent, but east coast surfers see the change in season by the arrival of the first north swells running down the banks and lighting up forgotten points and corners. The same goes for big straight south swells marching up the coast in autumn and sparking up those deep water reefs that have lain dormant all summer. East coast surfers know that the crowds will soon dissappear and the real surf season is beginning.
But, for mine, one thing that is even better than the what those swells represent is what they do to different breaks. On the east coast we can receive swells from the north, east and south (and every point in between) and this means swells can hit breaks from up to approx 135 degrees. The huge difference in direction can turn that fat burger we drive past all winter into a triple sucking death slab when a summer north swell hit it square on, or vice versa.
Every keen surfer I know has their favourite south swell reef, or knows where to go in a big east. Swell direction is a BIG DEAL on this coast, especially when you want to get the best waves a swell event can provide. Add that knowledge to tides, winds, swell period, and you have a complex mix. But I, for one, am thankful for the variety and cant wait for the first big clean north and a super low tide to surf one of my favourite waves. Been too long....
Swell Direction
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couldnot agree more second reef
I think that the fact that the swell directions vary so much on the east coat makes it possible for switched on surfers to find the best wave on offer with the given swell direction, while everyone else just ignorantly surfs there local. this in a way counteracts the crowds of the east coast compared to the other coasts of aus.
I dont know bout your north swell lighting up your break though, im still waiting to see my first one. people seem to call anything with a degree of north in it North swell when in fact the only true north swell we get here is 4 second windcrop. correct me if I'm wrong.
I think that the fact that the swell directions vary so much on the east coat makes it possible for switched on surfers to find the best wave on offer with the given swell direction, while everyone else just ignorantly surfs there local. this in a way counteracts the crowds of the east coast compared to the other coasts of aus.
I dont know bout your north swell lighting up your break though, im still waiting to see my first one. people seem to call anything with a degree of north in it North swell when in fact the only true north swell we get here is 4 second windcrop. correct me if I'm wrong.
That was well written 2nd reef.
You have identified something that we have that we should learn to love more about the east coast...VARIETY!
So many different styles of waves. for example:
3 hours+ North you have some of the best right hand points, fun summer holiday family loving beachies and longboarding paradise.
2-3+ south you have some of Australias meatiest examples of reefs as well as bombies, sik beachies and some points.
In Sydney we have a great versatile mix of reefs, wedges and beachys which makes it so much more interesting for us....even if it is crowded we still have many different places to go.
And also i dont know many places other than the northern beaches- that you can find a good beachy on its day, with a point break off the headland (PALMY, AV, BILGOLA, NEWY, BUNGAN, MONA, WARRIEWOOD kind of... NORTHY, LONGY, DEE WHY and MANLY.) and even a lagoon/ rivermouth at some of these places!
Without the people it would be a surfers paradise 150 days of the year
You have identified something that we have that we should learn to love more about the east coast...VARIETY!
So many different styles of waves. for example:
3 hours+ North you have some of the best right hand points, fun summer holiday family loving beachies and longboarding paradise.
2-3+ south you have some of Australias meatiest examples of reefs as well as bombies, sik beachies and some points.
In Sydney we have a great versatile mix of reefs, wedges and beachys which makes it so much more interesting for us....even if it is crowded we still have many different places to go.
And also i dont know many places other than the northern beaches- that you can find a good beachy on its day, with a point break off the headland (PALMY, AV, BILGOLA, NEWY, BUNGAN, MONA, WARRIEWOOD kind of... NORTHY, LONGY, DEE WHY and MANLY.) and even a lagoon/ rivermouth at some of these places!
Without the people it would be a surfers paradise 150 days of the year
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andycumo
- Local
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a bit lacking in the meaty slabs department but.Without the people it would be a surfers paradise 150 days of the year
personally i think the northern beaches are a shit hole for surfing
firstly the crowds - which excluded i still wouldnt rate the stretch!
there are some good breaks but very far apart.
theres a place i go down south that has 4 meaty slabs, 2 long point/rivermouth type waves and 3 classic beaches all within 5 mins drive of each other. one of the places in particular can handle East winds and still be clean, whilst another 2 can handle the strongest southerlies and biggest swells and turn on beautifully.
whilst the beachbreak is known as the most consistent on the east coast.
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Nick Carroll
- Huey's Right Hand
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phil osofer
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- Location: north coast
Swell direction.
A good peeling wave is all about the angle the swell line hits the reef.
How many degrees past east [ 0 degrees ] is the average northeast swell?
How many degrees past east are southeast and south swells?
Obviously a NE swell is not hitting an east facing beach at a 45 degree angle.
I reckon a NE swell hits an east facing beach at about a 7 degree angle.
A SE swell 7 degrees south of east, and a south swell 14 degrees south of east.
Which means there can be a 21 degree range of swell directions.
Take Angourie as an example.
Faces east.
East swell, wave peel angle 45 degrees.
On this direction wave characteristics are, long workable walls and some hollow sections.
Northeast swell, 45 degrees minus 7 degrees =38 degrees,more acute peel angle. Faster, hollower,more powerfull wave.
Southeast swell, 45+7=52 less acute peel angle, nice long workable
walls, cutbacks possible, less hollow.
South swell, 45+14=59 degree peel angle, a fat shouldery wave,no workable wall,just cutbacks.
Imagine if Angourie was situated where Duranbah beach is.
The sand build up out offthe Tweed Rivermouth[SE of D'bah] refracts south swells by up to 21 degrees.
So Angourie reef break could then work good on all directions.
just cut backs.
How many degrees past east [ 0 degrees ] is the average northeast swell?
How many degrees past east are southeast and south swells?
Obviously a NE swell is not hitting an east facing beach at a 45 degree angle.
I reckon a NE swell hits an east facing beach at about a 7 degree angle.
A SE swell 7 degrees south of east, and a south swell 14 degrees south of east.
Which means there can be a 21 degree range of swell directions.
Take Angourie as an example.
Faces east.
East swell, wave peel angle 45 degrees.
On this direction wave characteristics are, long workable walls and some hollow sections.
Northeast swell, 45 degrees minus 7 degrees =38 degrees,more acute peel angle. Faster, hollower,more powerfull wave.
Southeast swell, 45+7=52 less acute peel angle, nice long workable
walls, cutbacks possible, less hollow.
South swell, 45+14=59 degree peel angle, a fat shouldery wave,no workable wall,just cutbacks.
Imagine if Angourie was situated where Duranbah beach is.
The sand build up out offthe Tweed Rivermouth[SE of D'bah] refracts south swells by up to 21 degrees.
So Angourie reef break could then work good on all directions.
just cut backs.
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phil osofer
- regular
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- Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:54 pm
- Location: north coast
Swell direction.
If you take into account swell refraction, the east coast has surfbreaks that work on a swell range of 225 degrees.
There are two stages of swell refraction.
Offshore refraction and Nearshore refraction.
OFFSHORE REFRACTION.
At some distance off our coastline a south swell from its true direction 90 degrees. east is 0 degrees.
And like I was saying in the Angourie example, when the swell line get to Angourie it approaches at an angle of 14 degrees, so further offshore its angle of approach has altered by 76 degrees[90-14].
So there has been 76 degrees of offshore refraction.
NEARSHORE REFRACTION.
When swells get close to shore and start to feel the seabed they start to slow down and if travelling across a sloping gradient[at an angle to the swell line] change direction.
That is nearshore refraction.
An example is what occurs at Duranbah.
Out off the D'bah tweed rivermouth area is amassive build up of sand that extends out for a few kilometres. It's at its shallowest off the rivermouth and slopes to the east and to the north across D'bah.
Remember most beaches just have a gradient that slopes from the shoreline out to sea.
When a south swell approaches the nearshore zone and has done its offshore refracting its angle is 14 degrees south of east.
It then starts to feel the south to north sloping gradient, the southern end slows first then gradually north along the swell as it moves shoreward, during this process its angle changes.
In this nearshore zone its angle changes 21 degrees, so that south swell ,just before breaking appear to be coming from a northeast direction.
The south swell has gone through two refracting stages and its angle has altered by 97 degrees.
Also this type of extreme nearshore refraction causes the wave to peak and peel left and right.
There are two stages of swell refraction.
Offshore refraction and Nearshore refraction.
OFFSHORE REFRACTION.
At some distance off our coastline a south swell from its true direction 90 degrees. east is 0 degrees.
And like I was saying in the Angourie example, when the swell line get to Angourie it approaches at an angle of 14 degrees, so further offshore its angle of approach has altered by 76 degrees[90-14].
So there has been 76 degrees of offshore refraction.
NEARSHORE REFRACTION.
When swells get close to shore and start to feel the seabed they start to slow down and if travelling across a sloping gradient[at an angle to the swell line] change direction.
That is nearshore refraction.
An example is what occurs at Duranbah.
Out off the D'bah tweed rivermouth area is amassive build up of sand that extends out for a few kilometres. It's at its shallowest off the rivermouth and slopes to the east and to the north across D'bah.
Remember most beaches just have a gradient that slopes from the shoreline out to sea.
When a south swell approaches the nearshore zone and has done its offshore refracting its angle is 14 degrees south of east.
It then starts to feel the south to north sloping gradient, the southern end slows first then gradually north along the swell as it moves shoreward, during this process its angle changes.
In this nearshore zone its angle changes 21 degrees, so that south swell ,just before breaking appear to be coming from a northeast direction.
The south swell has gone through two refracting stages and its angle has altered by 97 degrees.
Also this type of extreme nearshore refraction causes the wave to peak and peel left and right.
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phil osofer
- regular
- Posts: 127
- Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 9:54 pm
- Location: north coast
Swell direction.
Back to Angourie.
Angourie has no nearshore refraction,why? because just out past the wave breaking zone it drops away rapidly into deep water.
Crescent Head similar, deep water off back of point, south swell,2 feet on point and 8ft one kilometre up the beach.
Guards deleted post was pretty spot on when he said swells at Blackrock appear to come from a south west direction.
Checked out Airview [google].This is a service by the Lands Department showing aerial photographs of our coastline.
Map shows that Blackrock does face south west so south swells must be refracting 45 degrees to hit reef straight on.
At the oppossite end of the east coasts swell refraction direction spectrum is the Pass at Byron Bay.
The Pass faces north and swells here appear to come from the north.
These swells start out as northeast [45 degrees past east] and refract 45 degrees.
North round to south west 225 degrees.
Angourie has no nearshore refraction,why? because just out past the wave breaking zone it drops away rapidly into deep water.
Crescent Head similar, deep water off back of point, south swell,2 feet on point and 8ft one kilometre up the beach.
Guards deleted post was pretty spot on when he said swells at Blackrock appear to come from a south west direction.
Checked out Airview [google].This is a service by the Lands Department showing aerial photographs of our coastline.
Map shows that Blackrock does face south west so south swells must be refracting 45 degrees to hit reef straight on.
At the oppossite end of the east coasts swell refraction direction spectrum is the Pass at Byron Bay.
The Pass faces north and swells here appear to come from the north.
These swells start out as northeast [45 degrees past east] and refract 45 degrees.
North round to south west 225 degrees.
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