The week that was...

Munzi © Tristan Wright

Surfing in PE made simple: Waves are good, wind is kak. Wind is good, waves are kak. That pretty much sums up last week. Some really decent swell got decimated by some pomping wind. Sure, you could try paddle out and grab a few, but it was definitely favoured effort in the effort:reward ratio.

Jonty the Dolphin © Dave Randle

Glance at this from afar and it looks like a dolphin jumping though the surf. Turns out it's just Jonty succumbing to the ever-present chop. 

​For those who prefer their chops on the braai and not on their waves, then a trip west to JBay solved all your issues. The protection from the hillock and the slight change in coastline angle meant that Supers was rather super.

© Robbie Irlam

And if you went even further west there were some sandy barrels to be had. There's talk about some groynes being built along this stretch of coast to try replenish the beaches. Could be an interesting project if they do it right.

© Chris Scott

Whens that much sand in the face you know there ain't much water to duckdive into © Chris Scott

As far as PE went, it was mostly Pipe or bust unless you really like hopping the chop. At one stage the chops moving along the wave face were actually breaking, so there was a 2ft wave breaking sideways on a 4ft wave. Welcome to PE. 

Trying to surf Millers meant lots of time spent in foam balls

With summer on the way it means the early morning surfers are getting more bang for their buck. The warmer temperatures also mean less likely to be the usual morning devil wind,which is a double whammy win. Winter dawnies are usually ruined by the heavy cross-shore.

© Dave Randle

Spring highs combined with the big low pressure that came past meant super high tides. Took some chunks out of the wall at Millers, and even bigger chunks out of the sand dunes. Everyone is always quick to point out that sand dunes can recover, but not if there isn't a back beach to replenish them with - as is the case at Millers. So when they get chowed, they stay chowed. The same problem at Pipe, not sand behind the dunes to feed back into them again. 

Some comps coming up soon. The NMBS Closed is at the end of the month at Kitchens in JBay, and there's the Something Good Classic coming up this weekend at Pipe. Check out the shirt size option on the entry form!

Always something interesting floating past out at sea. Last week saw the heavy lift vessel Hua Xing Long en route to the USA head past Schoenies, dwarfing the pleasure craft Bam who looked to be dicing it.

© Luc Hosten

Sunsets and sunrises always good in the bay. More of the same this week. 

© Luc Hosten

Nothing too flash on the charts this week. But with the crazy summer weather, anything could happen.

A periwinkles eye view © Luc Hosten