Surfing the winter storm swell under the Winter sun
With a huge low pressure system sitting off Australia’s east coast, temperatures plummeted, rain poured down and the ocean swell jacked up to a massive 6 metres. Daily weather warnings advised everyone to stay away from the water as the conditions reached seriously dangerous levels. Then after a week of horror conditions, the weather finally died away and returned Sydney to her usual sunny winter weather.
Three hardy Team Fat Paddlers geared up to see what remnants of the storm were left, arriving to Grotto Point as huge 2 metre rollers jacked up and crashed over the rocky point. We lined up to surf if but a messy southerly wind chopped up the face of the waves, and after buzzing around, decided there probably wasn’t much to be had.
Of course that didn’t stop Midshipman Mike Stelzer who’d not really enjoyed kayak surfing before, and clearly knew not what he was getting into! As he paddled into the break zone, a nice 5 footer rolled in behind picking him up, and I watched as his mad paddling pushed him over the lip before he surfed wildly down the face, his trademark grin from ear to ear.
Midshipman Mike, stoked at catching his first wave. Woohoo!
Of course, I had a funny feeling of what was to come, and Mike didn’t let me down. I watched as his boat started to broach, twisting to the right to take a new route towards the rocks of the point. As Mike tried desperately to keep the boat straight, the curling wave broke into his face and suddenly he was flipped upside down and tumbled into the froth.
Once I stopped laughing, I knew I’d better go in and help. I raced into the break zone and pushed his boat out of the path of the breakers before towing Mike, by now holding onto my stern, out of the wave zone and into Middle Harbour. Once there, we emptied his boat and performed an assisted rescue to get Mike back in, but one of his rudder cables had come loose and he needed urgent repairs, so we took off for a beach a little further into Hunters Bay.
This bay has some interesting rock formations that never see swell, so I moved in quickly to run a small gauntlet. But the big storm swell was still making its way into this part of Middle Harbour, and I was hit broadside by a wave that suddenly reared up and broke as it hit shallow water. I dropped my shoulder and let the wave pick me up and smash me arse-first into the cliff, before rolling down the cliff face and into the water head first.
Smashed into the cliff - fortunately managed to get the hull between me and the rocks
The last thing I saw before going under
Fortunately I managed to roll straight back up and after bracing agains the rock face as the next wave rolled in, I was able to paddle out of the little gauntlet to join the others at the nearby beach. Of course I also managed to get hit broadside as I came into the beach and again got to practice my side surfing, before being deposited up on the beach.
Side surfing again. A very wet day behind the paddle today!
Even funnier of course was launching back into the waves, as the beach formation had created a nice wave convergence that made what would be an easy surf take-over quite difficult. We managed to get back out and took off to another point where the surf was surging through some rocks and create nice small rideable waves. We all spent some time catching waves before Mike was finally tipped out of his kayak (again), marking the right time for us all to head home.
Surfing Chinamans on a beautiful Winter's day
We all had a great day surfing and playing today, but there were also a few spills and it was a good reminder on how important it is to paddle with friends. Mike’s first surf could have been a disaster without mates to quickly tow him out of danger – but then that’s what Team Fat Paddler is about – fun (and safety) with friends. I for one can’t wait to do it again, although maybe next time in my new boat! Cheers – FP
FPs new Liquidlogic Remix XP10 looking forward to some wild water
FP, it sounds as though you and your mates had some good fun and looked out for each other.
I’d like to make one comment: you let yourself get “caught from behind.” It’s one thing for your midshipman who has little surfing experience to mess up, but YOU should have looked a little longer before heading into the clff. This is the key line: “I moved in quickly to run a small gauntlet.” I wasn’t there, but it probably would have been better had you watched a good-sized set go through the guantlet, then moved in decisively when the timing was right. However, that being said, I loved the pictures! It made me feel like I was right there with you.
I’ve got to go–reading to be done–in fact, I have a new book to read–THE FAT PADDLER. I’d better get on it.
FP, some real action stuff there!
Great to see that you are using a GP for the rough water and around rocks. Whoever said that GPs are for calm water only obviously has not seen FP 🙂
Team Fat Paddler has gone from vanilla (glassy) outings to spicy events.
I like it.
You tell a good story mate !! I updated my Blog on our surfing fun also….
By the way – didn’t you only get your new Liquidlogic boat on Wednesday night? That picture above looks suspiciously “wet” !! You dont muck about do you? When did you find the time?
More importantly – How did you go? Is it everything you hoped for?
Mike.
I cooincidently read Mike’s write up before I read this one. Isn’t it funny how the dumpee doesn’t tend to spend as much time explaining the intricate details of the dumping as his “mates” do.
That’s the Aussie way !!
Love it.
Hahahahaha! Yes, well, admittedly we both got dumped that day!
Mike’s write up: http://mykayakpursuit.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/thrills-spills-amongst-the-surf-rocks/
Oh, and Mike? Yes, I’ve been sneaking off in the new boat to test it out. I have a fair bit more testing to go but I can say that so far I love it. 🙂
Mate, I wish I’d known you were at the boat show. I went to look around and only saw Nelo as a kayak stand.. the xp10 looks great… RRP and weight?
I really loved the “last thing I saw” shot, FP, but I loved your new book even more. Ride ’em Fatboy! Woooohoooo! New boat looks like it would be a blast in surf. Listen to Papa Eric when he tells you how not to catch the biscuit. Sausages!
Haha, thanks Moulton! Chris, I’ll send you an email with some details on the Remix, as for other kayaks at the Boat Show, most were of the fishing kind.
Enjoyed the writings about your XP10.
I’m looking at one myself, for rivers, creeks, lakes and surf.
Questions: What kind of skirt do you use? I’m in the same ballpark as you when it comes to mass. I see a few different paddles in your pics. Whats your suggestion for best all around (if that exists)?