Dean’s Surfing Reports

One of the primary reasons for travelling around Australia was for Dean to surf as many beaches as possible.  The following is what he had to say about the waves he found.

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Yallingup

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Just north of Margaret River, you come to Yallingup – a nice quiet little seaside town.  We were there for just over a week and, although the surf had dropped back, there were a few waves to be ridden.

Yallingup reef is a very nice left-hand break and I did manage to get a few 3 to 4-foot waves that provided a good 150-metre ride.

I was just a little disappointed that it didn’t really turn on while I was there.  Another great spot for a surf all the same.

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Margaret River

Sunday, November 22, 2015

What can I say about this great Aussie surf destination – WOW I can now say I have surfed this iconic wave.

Spent five days here but when we first arrived it was only small – 2 to 3 foot and that was fun, but overnight the swell rolled in and the sets were up to 8 feet.  Now to me, that’s pretty big.

I did manage to catch a few and it did get the adrenalin flowing, but alas on my last day, I snapped my board when I had to bail off it to dive under a breaking wave.  Rather my board than my back.  And I wasn’t the only one, I saw a few get snapped while I was there, but it was definitely worth it.

EXCELLENT!!

Make sure you get to this spot – just bring a backup.

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Lights Beach

Tuesday, 17 November, 2015

Lights Beach, just south of Denmark in the Great Southern region of Western Australia is another nice stretch of beach with crystal clear water.

I was really surprised that everyone was in wetties.  I thought it was really nice to get out of it as the water was not too chilly at all and after a wait, I finally got on a wave.  Although it was only around 3 foot, it was a nice little 50-metre ride – well worth a look.

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CACTUS BEACH

Thursday, October 5, 2015

Cactus Beach is found at Point Sinclair on the Eyre Peninsula just west of Ceduna.  Head to Penong and turn left at the primary school, then after travelling along 21 kilometres of corrugated road, you will come to the Point Sinclair Camping Ground and what a fantastic place.

We stayed there for five days and had four days of surf on three of the four breaks all within a kilometre – Backdoor, Cactus, Castles and The Caves.

When you surf here you are surfing in a pristine location and it is a little eerie with the threat of an attack from a great white getting the adrenalin going.

Backdoor is a ten-minute walk around the cliff where the wave breaks 100 metres out onto a flat reef, and I spent an hour and a half surfing this right-hand overhead high break with another two surfers – it was scary.

I surfed the three to four-foot, left-hand break at Cactus with five guys and had some really nice long rides. Then surfed at Castles which is another left-hand along the reef into the channel.  Finally, The Caves – it breaks a few hundred meters off a rock groin, with waves well over six foot on a right-hander.

So to anyone who is down that way I urge you to take the drive down and you will have an absolute blast.  I hope to get back there again one day.

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Waitpinga Beach

Friday, October 2, 2015

Situated in South Australia, between Victor Harbour and Cape Jervis – arrived at this beach and there was no one around, yet a nice little three-foot left-hand break so I took the plunge and in I went.

I surfed here for about an hour on my own, really nice, then returned the next day when the conditions had picked up a little and there were about ten other guys out.

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Torquay

Friday, September 18, 2015

Arrived at Torquay, Victoria and spent a week there doing all the beach breaks in the area.  Torquay Point and Jan Juc were really small while I was there so I didn’t worry about getting in.

But that didn’t stop others, there were heaps of guys just sitting out there bobbin around.

Around at the iconic spots like Winky Pop, and Bells, and around at Southside, the waves were much better.  I did have a surf at Bell and managed to get myself a few nice 4-foot plus waves.  I didn’t get around to Southside where there is a nice left-hander which gets pretty big in a decent swell.

If you are down that way, do the big name breaks so at least you can say “Been there, done that!”

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My Winter Surfing Review

Saturday, September 4, 2015

Just spent the winter months surfing the Illawarra South Coast region of New South Wales, between Sussex Inlet and Ulladulla.

Although the water was a tad cool, around 16 degrees, the surf certainly made up for it. I had a few good swells come through, some days up to 8-foot, but most days the swell averaged around 3-foot.

I did spend most of my time at Mollymook Golf Coarse Reef which I really enjoyed, and to spend time on a good break where 20 surfers were considered a crowd was a pleasure.

There are so many good spots along this part of the coast, and I don’t know if it was the water temp that kept a lot of guys out of the water, but it’s definitely worthwhile spending a few weeks in this area over winter where you’re sure to get a wave.

Here are some photos that were taken on August 31, my last surf session before we left this part of the country.

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Mollymook

Friday, June 12, 2015

While staying at Basin View I drove down to Mollymook and what a nice spot.

I had a surf at the golf course reef and it was great. A nice easy way out off the flat rock shelf, easy paddle around the break and into the line up where you are met with an easy-to-catch wave.

Some of the sets would have been five foot plus and the ride was 100 metres plus and heaps of fun. As we will be at Basin View for a few months, fingers crossed that I’ll get a few more days like that. If you’re heading past, call in, you’ll be glad you did.

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Cudmirrah Beach

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Finally arrived back on the mainland and headed straight up to Jervis Bay and had my first surf in a couple of weeks. There is a heap of places to surf and my first was at Cudmirrah Beach, and how nice it was to be back in warm water – a beautiful 19 degrees.

Okay, the waves were great. Five foot and rolling in one after the other. You can either surf a right-hand break off the reef which was barrelling pretty good, or the left-hand beach break that was a much longer ride. Either way, I think I will be having a lot of fun while I’m here.

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Clifton Beach

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Arriving in Hobart, it was nice to know there are a few surfing spots down at South Arm.

I did have a surf at Clifton Beach. The waves were only small but it was fun and man oh man it was cold. The water temp was 13 degrees so I only spent about an hour in the water.

There were a few guys out and even though they had all the cold water gear on, they still looked cold. All in all, I had to get in since it will be as far south as we are going.

There are quite a lot of spots around the area and they all have waves so make sure you bring a warm suit and booties with you.

If travelling down the east coast of Tassie, you can find a thousand places to catch a wave with no crowds. I have had an absolute blast while on the East coast so if you want to plan a surf trip come to Tasmania.

We are heading up to the west coast next and I don’t know how that is going to be, but I’m looking forward to it.

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Port Arthur

Monday, May 4, 2015

Heading further south, down at Port Arthur there is a nice little spot at the Remarkable Cave. It’s a tourist spot and even though there were a few nice little waves rolling in, there was no one out.

To get to the waves though, you’d have to paddle out through the cave. I didn’t get in while I was there, but if you’re passing by, drop in and have a look.

Ship Stern Bluff

I don’t have to say anything about this place that surfers don’t already know, but let me tell you it’s about a 2½ hours walk from the car park, on a skinny bush track, and carrying boards, wetties, towels and anything else you need, would make it tough going.

So if you’re keen enough it’s well worth it, even if it’s just for the view.

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Dark Hollow

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Who would have thought that the East Coast of Tassie would have good surf spots?

I have surfed most days since arriving on the east coast although it takes a bit of courage to take the plunge. Being from Queensland where the water barely gets below 22 degrees, here it’s just above 16.

But I have been surfing at a break called Dark Hollow. Sounds creeping but it is a nice little reef break with most days riding waves around 3 foot. It’s about 8ks south of St Helens, so drop in a share a wave with a few locals. Around here it’s crowded when there are 10 guys out.

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Scamander

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Finally swell has arrived! It’s been a while, but some nice waves hit the beach in Tassie at Scamander just south of St Helens on the East coast.

Although the water is a little chilly, the waves made up for it with a 3 to 4-foot left-hand break off the reef. Nice and glassy with a ride of 100 to 200 metres.

Hopefully, it will hang around for a few days, so if you’re ever down that way, bring your wettie and jump in.

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Swimcart Beach

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Boy, has it been a while since my last wave, found a top little spot in Tassie on the East coast, just north of St Helens at swim cart beach in the bay of fires. This top spot had a few waves but only small. I can’t wait till l it get some swell. There will be some great surf fingers crossed.

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Eden

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

My last surf location in New South Wales was in the nice little town called Eden, just north of the Victorian border.

We stayed at the van park just over the road from Aslings Beach. The beach itself is 2 kilometres long and although the surf was not that big, maybe a tad over 2 ft, I did have a few surfs with the long board and it was a nice little left and right beach break.

I think it might get a good wave there if it gets a decent swell come through, nice place to spend a few days.

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Dolphin Point

Saturday, February 7, 2015

We pulled into Dolphin Point Tourist Park just south of Ulladulla and I was down the beach checking out the waves when I saw this guy carrying his board around the point.

So I grabbed mine and tagged along after him, headed around a few points and low and behold there was this left-hand reef break, 4 to 5 foot and a ride of about 100 metres plus. Excellent, and it was crowded – there were at least 10 guys.

Saturday was just as good maybe a little smaller, and still, only 12 guys out, had a good 3 hours of solid surf.

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Seven Mile Beach

Friday, February 6, 2015

While staying at Seven Mile Holiday Park at the North end of Seven Mile Beach there wasn’t that much swell, but I did get a few surfs in. It was only small so I had to use the longboard and did manage to get a few around waist-high.

Also had a surf at Werri Beach on the last day and it did pick up a little. It was about 3 foot on a right-hand point break, nice wave. On a good day, I suppose you might get a good long ride out of it.

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Windang Beach

Sunday, February 1, 2015

If you’re ever driving past Lake Illawarra and you want to bet a barrel, drop into Windang Beach. Spent four days there when a decent swell was on and it was an absolute barrel fest at the entrance to Lake Illawarra.

It was a good 6 – 8′ with a few bombs rolling through. So if you get the chance and the swell is on, I highly recommend it.

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Redhead Beach

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Surfed Redhead Beach a few times in January. Most crowded 200 metres of surfing real estate I’ve ever seen and the waves weren’t that good.

If you’re driving past, keep driving.

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Corindi Beach

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Wonderful surf – a top session. Just me and one other guy in the water catching 3-foot fun waves. They were excellent left-hand breaks and I was in the water for 3 hours.

(Click the image to see a larger size.)

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Arrawarra

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Surfed the north side of the Arrawarra Headland on Sunday, the waves were perhaps 3 – 4 foot and I was riding my longboard, but the surf was really good. I was in the water on my own for about 15 minutes which was really great until 10 other guys got in the water.

I surfed for about 4 hours. Highly recommend both Corindi and Arrawarra so long as the surf is up.

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Corindi Beach

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Have had a few average surfs here at Corindi. Winds and surf are both out of the north and swell has only been 2 foot.

This means the surf had only been small, but l’ve had a few fun days. I’d like to be here when the surf goes off.

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Angourie

Saturday, November 22, 2014

Surfed at the Angourie Surf Reserve this morning. The waves were not the best while I was there, but I’m sure there are plenty of days when the waves are good.

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Yamba

Friday, November 21, 2014

I’ve been surfing at Pippi Beach early in the morning for the last four days. Waves have been excellent. 4-foot left-hand breaks with dolphins cruising past, so close you can almost touch them.

Anyone going past should stop in at Pippi Beach for a surf.

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Ballina

Monday, November 17, 2014

I only surfed the north wall as the conditions at Ballina were really windy. On the few occasions when the wind died down, the waves were 1 – 2 foot, glassy, left and right-hand breaks.

Once again I was in the water with dolphins and I actually surfed one wave with a dolphin. It was really cool.

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Hastings Point

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The surf has been great as there is a nice little left-hand wave on the south side of the headland.

Surfed on Tuesday with a dozen dolphins in the water playing in and around the waves. They were that close I could have touched them – how cool was that?

The waves were 3 foot and glassy and there were only a few other guys in the water.

I hope to get another few good surfs in before we leave on Friday.

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Dicky Beach

Friday, November 7, 2014

I had my last surf at Dicky Beach this morning.

There were nice little two-foot waves, the water was glassy and I had fun for a couple of hours out in the water all by myself early on.

This is most likely the last time I’ll surf a wave in Queensland.