Where did you surf today ?

[Beanpole]

I only vaguely knew that Bondi existed when I was 16.
However when you are at the beach after a surf and the weather is warm, crowds aren't there and as darkness falls you have that little sense that the rest of the world is whirling away somewhere else. It's magic.

[Trev]

I only vaguely knew that Bondi existed when I was 16.
However when you are at the beach after a surf and the weather is warm, crowds aren't there and as darkness falls you have that little sense that the rest of the world is whirling away somewhere else. It's magic.

I remember that feeling.
Waaaaaaaaaay back before Superbank, about 2 or 3 times a year you'd get a massive south swell and we'd ride home from school, get our boards and ride back to Snapper (in the teeth of the roaring southerly wind), paddle out, catch a wave into about halfway between Greenmount and Coolangatta, run back over the headland, across Rainbow Bay and paddle out again.
If you were lucky you got three waves.
The last walk back, over Greenmount Hill in the dark and the ride home (with the southerly behind your back) was just the greatest feeling.

[Beerfan]

I only vaguely knew that Bondi existed when I was 16.
However when you are at the beach after a surf and the weather is warm, crowds aren't there and as darkness falls you have that little sense that the rest of the world is whirling away somewhere else. It's magic.

Much more magic at the end of the day. 99% of the time I'm a dawn patroller but I have dropped by after a 12 hour day shift and had a few quick waves. Everything looks different, the sun is on the wave face etc. Great feeling.

I have to say though, I'm an early riser and getting a dawno in first up sets me up for the day. I'm ready for action, don't care if works shit, just happy, calm and content the rest of the day. And if it was a good surf I usually drift back to it during the day. Hopefully not when someone's trying to explain a problem I need to solve, though it does happen. I've been looking at hydraulic drawings, and had saltwater drip onto them haha.

[marauding mullet]

Best I've seen my local beachie this morning, found a peak to myself without any trouble. Usual close outs nowhere to be seen.
Solid size and rolling in like an Indo reef till the S/westerly broke it up into lumpy sections, but even then it was good.

[Beanpole]

Yeah I hate going into surf shops. It's okay if I can sneak in and look at the boards but unless I'm buying wax or leggies or something it's a rare day I get any good advice. Nth side surf shops are definitely better.

Most east side ones assume if your older you are either a kook who has just got off a softie or you are going to ride a 5'6" Al Merric biscuit. This was actually suggested to me a couple of years ago. I find it funny when they have a range of expensive mid length boards for sale that they don't try to sell them to the people they are obviously designed for.

Pretty over my current groveller. It works pretty good when it's actually shite but as soon as its offshore with a bit of draw up the face it wants to float around up there and not get down.

[purple pyramids]

spent two hours in the water...weak but clean waves that weren't closing out for once. i've slipped back to being bit of a rail grabber while popping up of late, so used the easy conditions to focus on using the deck for pop-ups and break my bad habit.

[PeepeelaPew]

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[swvic]

I'm a rail grabber for the popup. Always have been and I don't think it impedes anything. Watching the pros, many seem to be one hand grabbing the rail and the other pushing from the deck

Back to thread topic. Haven't surfed a real lot lately, but got good waves at a nearby swell magnet yesterday and today. Yesterday was 3-4 ft sandy reef with not much sand on the inside. Double ups were sucking harder than Gail Moss. Very unruly in the pit though. Pulled into heaps and made it out of none. Three other guys in the water surfing it forehand were making a few

Went back this morning and surfed a left bank next to the sandy reef. Had to pick the right one, but fcuk it was fun. Didn't get to work until lunchtime. I am wrecked

[PeepeelaPew]

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[swvic]

I've never really paid it enough attention, but am wondering if the rail hand changes depending on whether it's forehand or backhand. Do you switch accordingly?

[PeepeelaPew]

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[purple pyramids]

well, that's no help. i don't have a backhand...or a forehand.

[swvic]

pp, pretty sure Legion is equating the hand with the foot. So, if you're a goofy, left hand grabs the rail and right hand on the deck. Makes sense for the rotation and for grabbing rail on backhand drops into barrels

[purple pyramids]

pp, pretty sure Legion is equating the hand with the foot. So, if you're a goofy, left hand grabs the rail and right hand on the deck. Makes sense for the rotation and for grabbing rail on backhand drops into barrels

i would be a goofy... if i wasn't a kneebaorder.
given i'm not even getting to my feet, maybe i should be able to pop up without using any hands, that would solve this whole problem.

[swvic]

Just found out you were a kneelo from Carroll's thread. To keep the topic mixed between the two, I'm like mentone madness - never really thought of it possibly being detrimental. If I can train my brain, I might try not holding the rails. Probably too hard-wired by now though

[purple pyramids]

i imagine that in more powerful waves, especially the monsters you get down sw victoria, it wouldn't matter a hoot. perhaps in piss weak waves, where it's touch and go getting on, hands on the rail might be enough to collapse the wave or slow you down just that fraction needed to get going. i will continue my research on the matter this morning in the gutless waves on offer.

[swvic]

Ah, I don't surf the monsters we get down here. Double overhead is close to my limit these days. Bit bigger if it's not too heavy

A little while back I went to a renowned big wave venue and watched some guys paddling into some 8-10 foot waves. Was starting to think I'd have a crack if I had the right board and then a monster set arrived and cleaned all but one of them up. I was actually fearing for the life of another guy when he hadn't resurfaced as the 2nd of the set was upon him. When he did pop up, he had less than a second to grab a breath. He got another really long hold down. His ~ 9'6" board tomb-stoned for 20 seconds. Twice. Fcuk that

[marauding mullet]

I'm pretty much the same swvic. I'll take off on an 8' wave, but I'm not paddling out on an 8' day if you know what I mean. I'm just not up for that kind of punishment anymore. Maybe on a clean day at a good reef break with a defined channel to paddle out.