Storm Surf Stories

So this is what 5m 18 second swell looks like. Lekker to finally have a swell deliver and not be one of those phantom one's where the charts call it and it ends up being knee-high. 

But gotto be careful what you wish for. Most spots in the bay were totally maxed out and was a crazy current sweeping along. The wind got a bit better late arvo and the high tide helped even things out a bit. But still quite a mission out there.

The low tide saw Clubhouse doing it's thing.

© Jill Lombard

And the Bell Bouy and Avo's.

iThose who tried both soon realised that they hadn't eaten enough Pronutro for brekkie to overcome the crazy river like current. Once you'd caught a wave at Avo's it was impossible to get back to the take-off spot. Saw 2 guys trying for over 20 minutes to paddle back and literally getting nowehere.

One dude decided to call it quits and turned round and headed behind Bord Rock. Tried to come in between Bird and Chomp but at low tide it's a minefield through there, so he opted to Plan B round Chomp and came in at Millers.

Other chap managed to catch the tail end of a set, but for his efforts ended up in the washing machine section at Avo's. You never want to be there on a big day. Ever. There is no escape plan that doesn;t entail meeting mussels and reef. Which he did. Finally getting spat out through the gap between the reef and Bird Rock on the Millers side.

​Being a glutton for punishment he went out at Hummies's. And broke his board. Eish! When it's not your day it's not your day!

On the low the waves were breaking from behind Chomp. Nice from far. Far from nice.

A few brave souls took on Pier, also not the easiest place to surf when there's so much water moving around. Anyone who's been out there before know's it's a kak idea to try paddle back round the pier and in at Hobie - as you need lat's like Dolph Ludgren. And you definitely go out far and paddle round wide - anywhere near the pier and you're in kak cos of how the current drags there.

But this ou didn't get the memo. He battled for age's trying to make it back round, twice nearly getting dragged into and then through the pier. Did finally make it back to the beach looking very relieved.

Pier © Dave Randle

Baked Beans © Mervyn Goddard

Hummies was heavy. Properly heavy. Didn't get any pics. Sorry. Rincon was breaking a million miles out to see - just a backline that stretched to the horizon.

Kinda fuzzy, but look way out the back there © William Rall

The high tide and big swell means plenty of sand will have gotten chowed away - and end up at Fence. Please Fence - can we have our sand back? You have too much already!

PE lost sand, but St Francis lost a parking lot....

© Chris Scott

​Of course west of here was off it's proverbial pip. Big. Big. Big. Very big.

© Jean Gladstone

Coupla wind issues there too! © Jean Gladstone

Kak feeling! © Robbie Irlam

Supers decided to become a left © Robbie Irlam

Supers on the high © Janelle Stokker

Then if you headed a bit further west....

Check the bombie in the background © Chris Scott

© Chris Scott

© Chris Scott

© Chris Scott

Sea washing through Shark Point - between Cape St Francis and St Francis Bay © Phillipa Hill

© Marius Venter

And last but not least. Head east. Moer. It was big. SA Champs got shifted into Nahoon Corner which was firing. But look closely at the ship in this picture - imagine swell big enough that it lifts out the entire back-end of that thing. Yrrr.

© SA Surfing