June 18th 2024: Calibration

This past weekend's east swell tied most surfers in knots. The forecast was full of promise at times and despair at others. It was bouncing around like a yoyo – swinging from good to bad and back again. Being an optimist I only looked at the favourable reports and prepared for a weekend of dreamy waves.

The swell arrived on cue, but was a wonky, wobbly, short-period ocean maze. I managed to slither down the hill in the rain to the point break I chose, only to be met by a very complicated lineup. The heat of the swell was pushing wide and the runners among the reforms were tough to select. Add to that a constant sweep that matched my top paddle speed and it was always going to be a battle.

I don't particularly like the wave we targeted, but Keo loves it. He and his mates paddled and surfed for five hours straight on that first day. I rekindled my dislike for this wave.

By Sunday the swell had less tempest and was slightly more organised. The menacing sweep kept the crowds under control and everyone managed to find a few runners under the cliff. The groms had a field day of course. They made it look much better than it felt. I decided to keep an open mind and actually found a few fun ones out there – a couple even from right out the back to the beach.

The first time I surfed this wave, it was breaking like Jefferies Bay, so my expectations have always been understandably high. Still, it's always good to snag a wave or two in the lineup here.

See you at the beach ... Derek

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