Shew, we've been having quite a run of swell of late. No one's complaining. Ok, well maybe we'll have a good moan about the crappy wind directions that have sometimes ruined potentially stellar days.

That's the price we pay though for being on the wrong side of the bay I suppose. Everywhere else in the country loves the morning land-breezes, that are offshore everywhere other than PE! For us the land breeze is the devil wind, chopping up the waves into itsy bitsy pieces and driving us all bedonderd. Can't tell you how many times I wake up and look out the window to see good swell - that's completely trashed by the NW.

It's worse in winter because of the cold. Basically how it works is that the sea-breeze, the SW, will only kick in once the land has heated up sufficiently causing the hotter air to rise, thus letting the cooler sea air rush inland. Hiccup is in winter the bliming land doesn't heat up enough, so the cold inland air keeps the land breeze (the NW) as the predominant wind.

PE does sometimes seem cursed that waves and wind don't always play nice. Last week saw Friday and Saturdays stomping swells get ruined by a howling gale. So close, yet so far....

Later this week sees a bit more swell arrive (again with the wind!), and then long range charts show Monday being fun - provided the wind plays ball.

Let's hope the winter swells keep rolling in, although damn, can't say I'd moan about getting the odd bit of sunshine to warm things up a bit....

Ok, so who to believe? There's a pretty hefty low lurking around SE of the country, that looks to be spewing some proper east ground swell our way. But is it? 

My trusty Surfline charts seem to be showing JBay going off it's pip in 10-15ft 12 sec SE swell starting late Thursday arvie, and yet PE seems to dribble in at 2ft. Doesn't make sense as our bay is perfectly positioned to gobble up every bit of SE swell it can lay it's greedy paws on, so why are our charts so disappointing? Just popped an email off to Surfline to ask why!! Let's wait to see what they say...maybe there's a gremlin in the system? Let's hope so - would rather have 4-6ft than 1-2ft!!

In the meantime, I reckon we should expect some solid swell in the bay despite the surf report saying different (and let's hope I don't end up with egg on my face for sticking my neck out). A decent period east groundswell lights up the whole bay like a flipping Christmas tree, so take your pick of the spots. Just a pity the tides are nearing neaps, which'll dampen the swell a bit - no spring low to send Avo's, Pier and Hummies into orbit. But hey, we'll take what we can get. Let's just hope the stupid wind plays ball....

Holding thumbs....

As they say in the classics, a change is as good as a holiday. I've finally handed in the massive report I've been working on 24/7 for the last 2 months and can at last come up for air. No more looking out the office window longingly when there's waves, and having to stay put behind the computer. No more 03h00 red eye mornings trying to get data files with bizarre extensions to open. Done. Finished. Kla......

Thought it'd be cool to celebrate by launching a fresh logo for the website. Really enjoyed what Wayne Barnes was doing with his logo's for the R-evolve brand, so when I interviewed him for the R-evolve feature just slipped in that maybe if he had a spare minute he might like to have a go at designing something for the site.

Being the super cool ou he is, I had my logo 2 days later! So thanks Wayno, you the man! Kinda nice to have an "official" identity at last. Stickers, caps and other stuff coming soon.....

Had also wanted to celebrate finishing my report by ducking off to the Maldives for a coupla days on a surgical strike -  a monster swells about to sl them. Starts Friday this week - our spot will be FIRING!! 10-14ft at 18 sec's for 4 straight days. Most likely we'd be the only people there.

Unfortunately the "Minister of Finance" thinks that it might be a bit irresponsible cos we were there just 2 months ago. Gonna have to resort to buying lotto tickets tonight instead. 

Batten down the hatches cos tomorrow we get klapper-cookied by the wind. We dig it when the swell charts go purple, but when the wind charts go purple....not so much fun. Not to worry though, Friday arvie looks like it's going to cook. Just mind the crowds.... 

Chatted to Mauro this morning at Avo's. Turns out some scumbags broke into his bakkie last night and diefed all his boards and suits. Now that's a kak thing to discover first thing in the morning when you're just about to head down to the beach for a surf.

Lucky Mauro's a connected ou, and quickly got the word out to pawn shops about his stuff. He even went to hang out in the car park of the one, hoping to spot the ou's bringing his boards in. Turns out he missed em by 15 minutes. Lucky for them methinks. I'm sure Mauro would have politely and patiently explained to the young men that these things indeed belonged to him, and he'd be most grateful for their return. Something like that...

Least the pawn shop dudes took his stuff and kept it. So a happy Mauro got back his favourite board and his wetsuits. 

So yah okes, don't leave your kit in the back of your car thinking, ag, who'll ever steal a board. The moegoe who's looking for his next shot of tik, that's who.  

Happy ending on this one though at least. Mauro made the most of it by suiting up, and hitting the surf on his stolen-and-now-recovered board, scoring some bombs.