Forums > Windsurfing   New South Wales

Gerroa - January 23 - Still some swell around

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Created by stehsegler > 9 months ago, 23 Jan 2011
stehsegler
WA, 3549 posts
23 Jan 2011 6:39AM
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It's not quite as big as it has been the last couple of days but there is still some swell around. Probably about shoulder high in the bigger sets. It's supposed to drop off this afternoon as the tight swings around from mid to low tide.

Wind is currently around 10 to 15 knts. and it's supposed to get up to about 25 knts by the afternoon. There aren't any clouds out West but I wouldn't be surprised if we'd see another storm brewing there this afternoon. Other than that there is some high level cloud around which hopefully will clear.

Update (9:30am):
Couldn't be bother to wait around so just took a very quick snap of a smaller set. It's nearing high tide and the swell has dropped quite a bit. That said there are still some nice waves coming through.

dan berry
WA, 2562 posts
23 Jan 2011 7:16AM
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If you driving down from Sydney watch the cops. Theyre everywhere.

stehsegler
WA, 3549 posts
23 Jan 2011 7:31AM
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dan berry said...

If you driving down from Sydney watch the cops. Theyre everywhere.


Second that... especially watch out for unmarked lime green, dark blue blue or bright orange Holden Commodores. They must be hard up for money because I have recently heard from a number of people being pulled over and fined for very minor things such as forgetting to use an indicator.

tomp
NSW, 690 posts
23 Jan 2011 10:40AM
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Gerroa getting back to more normal conditions but I'm stuck in Sydney.

Make sure if you get stopped by highway patrol police you say "revenue raising" or something similar to incur another fine!

Mobydisc
NSW, 9029 posts
23 Jan 2011 11:07AM
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stehsegler said...

dan berry said...

If you driving down from Sydney watch the cops. Theyre everywhere.


Second that... especially watch out for unmarked lime green, dark blue blue or bright orange Holden Commodores. They must be hard up for money because I have recently heard from a number of people being pulled over and fined for very minor things such as forgetting to use an indicator.


About time people are pulled up for that. Most NSW drivers seem to believe other drivers can read their mind or they are too plain lazy to move their fingers and push the indicator stalk up or down. Better to give them a stern warning than just a fine that gives people the sh!ts.

Looks like a fine summer day today.



DavMen
NSW, 1509 posts
23 Jan 2011 11:11AM
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stehsegler said...

dan berry said...

If you driving down from Sydney watch the cops. Theyre everywhere.


Second that... especially watch out for unmarked lime green, dark blue blue or bright orange Holden Commodores. They must be hard up for money because I have recently heard from a number of people being pulled over and fined for very minor things such as forgetting to use an indicator.


I don't think people 'forget' to use indicators, rather they just chose not to.

adrien2035
NSW, 178 posts
23 Jan 2011 10:18PM
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How good was this week end mates, soo sick!!!!!!too bad we have no pics

tomp
NSW, 690 posts
24 Jan 2011 11:50AM
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Sounds like I missed a classic Gerroa yesterday (working at the SCG watching the flags fluttering with the NE). I reckon Wanda was probably good with the south swell. Any pics?

This Sunday COULD be on again with an actual southerly forecast for Friday.

CJW, did you get out yesterday?

CJW
NSW, 1729 posts
24 Jan 2011 7:08PM
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Yeah I sailed in the Gong on Sunday, had sailed Gerroa Fri/Sat. Ended up the right decision because it was pretty solid 25kts later on in the day and the surf was sweet, some great sections. The surf dropped off towards the end of the day but probably one of the best sessions of the year for sure. If my friggen GoPro didn't keep fogging over i'd have some sweet video; i've ordered some of those anti fog thingos

tomp
NSW, 690 posts
24 Jan 2011 8:52PM
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CJW, what sort of swell works for Windang in a southerly wind. Obviously it's a great southerly spot although from what I've seen it can close-out a bit. Are the banks OK there ATM?

Friday looks like a steady 20 knots for most of the day

CJW
NSW, 1729 posts
24 Jan 2011 9:49PM
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I rarely sail Windang these days due to the walls, although in the right conditions it can still be good; I have no idea on the banks. Swell direction wise, once again i'm no expert on the spot but I imagine it works pretty well in all directions, probably best in an E-SE swell? Someone else might be able to chime in. I usually sail Peggies in a southerly as it's a lot closer to me and there is super flat water on the inside of the reef, perfect for freestyle when there is no swell...IE most of this season.

Ian K
WA, 4157 posts
24 Jan 2011 7:20PM
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Well you missed it this evening. Low tide and all! So did I. Not forecast to hit Pt Perp until 9.00! Missed Pt Perp, and Ulladaulla, but recorded at Kiama at 6pm! Bellambi at 6.30. You gotta watch those arrows! Went elsewhere, 2 kiters out as I swung by at dusk.

Mobydisc
NSW, 9029 posts
24 Jan 2011 10:30PM
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CJW said...

I rarely sail Windang these days due to the walls, although in the right conditions it can still be good; I have no idea on the banks. Swell direction wise, once again i'm no expert on the spot but I imagine it works pretty well in all directions, probably best in an E-SE swell? Someone else might be able to chime in. I usually sail Peggies in a southerly as it's a lot closer to me and there is super flat water on the inside of the reef, perfect for freestyle when there is no swell...IE most of this season.


I used to live at Warilla and windsurfed on the north and south side of Windang Island regularly. This was in the mid nineties. The lake entrance was on the north side of the island. Inside there was an old concrete wall that went along down towards the bridge. It was a top windsurfing spot if the wind was either a NE er or southerly. I left Wollongong in 1996 and did not return until 2006.

I went back to look at the lake entrance. The difference was unbelievable and horrific. What was a great spot for windsurfing had been ruined by huge rock walls. The carpark was pushed back. What had been beautiful sandbars are now rockwalls.

The other sad thing was there used to be a regular and large crew of windsurfers down there. The Micks and co. Nowdays doesn't seem to be anyone windsurfing there.

I think the work at the entrance was basically useless. Lake Illawarra looks like its more silted and weedy than ever. The water is stale and stinks. When I was at the entrance I did not see any boat travel in or out of it. Any boat of a reasonable draught would not be able to use the entrance due to the large number of sandbars further up river. No yachts could use the entrance due to the Windang bridge.

Can anyone explain why the work was done on Lake Illawarra entrance?



tomp
NSW, 690 posts
24 Jan 2011 10:57PM
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Thanks for the comprehensive update. Often 'forward' beach thinking and intervention if the interest of safety/science produces detrimental and long lasting effects. Tweed River mouth is a great example of this.

Sorry for being out of town but which beach is Peggies. Sandon Pt area?

dan berry
WA, 2562 posts
24 Jan 2011 8:01PM
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Winding is actually better than it has ever been. Needs at least a 3-4mtr swell now though.

Mobydisc
NSW, 9029 posts
24 Jan 2011 11:08PM
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dan berry said...

Winding is actually better than it has ever been. Needs at least a 3-4mtr swell now though.


You reckon? Windang used to be sweet in a southerly. You'd catch a wave out at at the island and could ride it all the way into the entrance and then gybe in smooth water and get some sweet jumps on the way out of the entrance. Plus there was no need for big swell to do this.

Before I moved down there the locals told me the entrance used to be on the southern side and they'd get massive runs off the beach on the south side of the island and then into the entrance in a NE seabreeze. Tons of fun but it will never be possible again.

CJW
NSW, 1729 posts
25 Jan 2011 12:54AM
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Ian K said...

Well you missed it this evening. Low tide and all! So did I. Not forecast to hit Pt Perp until 9.00! Missed Pt Perp, and Ulladaulla, but recorded at Kiama at 6pm! Bellambi at 6.30. You gotta watch those arrows! Went elsewhere, 2 kiters out as I swung by at dusk.


Yeah I saw it coming Ian but since I broke my uni on Sunday i'm out of action, plus I thought i'd better not ghetto something together or i'll break something else before I leave for WA on Sat :D Sat it out...looked like a cracker though.

And Dan is right, with a big swell Windang can still be really good as it breaks out past the walls...but you need a pretty massive swell, I haven't sailed it like this for a long time, probably 18 months plus...and it can get sketchy :D

Tomp, Peggies is the rock/reef break a few hundred meters to the south of Sandon point, doesn't always work that well but it can get really good.

qwerty
NSW, 807 posts
25 Jan 2011 10:25AM
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Mobydisc said...

Can anyone explain why the work was done on Lake Illawarra entrance?



Because some redneck who was probably too lazy to tow his tinny to the boat ramp (no it wasn't Whyner this time) complained to some other redneck (who unfortunately was employed by the local government and probably handed a budget to blow on something that year), who then in all their wisdom thought it would be a great idea to dump a ****load of rocks at the entrance to force it to stay open. The official reason was that it would improve the quality of the water by having the ocean continually flow into into it.
Well it has neither improved the water quality, and the entrance struggles to stay open to any significant degree. Their official report even stated that they expected to have to get in there and dredge it every so often.

Dan is right in saying that on its day it throws up conditions that probably never happened before. Probably the only bonus that has come of it. But the trade-off is that its not as often. You need more swell and stronger wind.

Before the walls, you could sail in any southerly direction, the surf would usually be pretty good, if not awesome. And the wave rides would be very long.
Also, that spot was great in a strong NW. Perfect cross-off, and long smooth rides on the other tack. Unfortunately it was right where the walls are now.

I do remember seeing the entrance switching between the north and south side. It seemed to work on its own just fine. Trust the good old "we-know-best" brigade to come in and phuck it up.


gesper
NSW, 518 posts
25 Jan 2011 11:07AM
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Windang used to be a sensational windsurfing spot.I still remember when the entrance was open to both sides of the island. In strong westerlys we would sail from the brambles tower at Warilla riding waves into the entrance and then jumping going back out windang side,turn around at Windang surfclub and ride waves back in again,and jumping going out the southern entrance.That was a lot of fun.
The rock wall has put a big wind shadow where you take off from the beach,once out past the wall the wind is fairly clean then ,which is where the waves break when its 3m+ like Dan pointed out. Out going tide can also chop it up a bit. Strong SSW to SSE is best
Just after Mambo 2009 there were quite a few windsurfers that got it good then.

stehsegler
WA, 3549 posts
25 Jan 2011 10:50AM
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can second that... sailed there a few times last winter. The main problem due to the break wall is that you have two options in regards to launching...

1) rig 0.5 to 1 sqm bigger than what you really need, that way you can launch South of the surf club near the break wall while a gust comes through.

2) rig the right size and launch North of the surf club. The problem with that option is that you will be facing a rather large and gnarly shore break.

Once you make it out though every thing should be fine as long as you don't stay well clear of the break wall once you get on a wave...

dan berry
WA, 2562 posts
25 Jan 2011 2:40PM
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In the sswesters just wait for a good gust, take off on a broad reach and comit. Generally you make it thru. Otherwise you get smashed. Part of the game.



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"Gerroa - January 23 - Still some swell around" started by stehsegler