The week that was....

© Robbie Irlam

Yewee - waves at last. Wasn't always clean, but for sure there was swell. Enough to rinse off the month long wave drought we've had to endure. Winds were funky, but not funky enough to mess things up. Everyone was stoked to be getting wet again at last. 

Unfortunately not too many shots from the weekend as was too busy surfing, and the photags had other missions on. But did grab a few at Avo's at lunch on Saturday. Jono and Alex were ripping.

Looks like the sand fairies have come back to visit as there's plenty of the stuff in all the right spots at last. Even Pier had a few good 'un's on the dead spring low. Hummies was also one of the go-to spots, with guys getting some solid shacks (and a few beatings).

However, you apparently had to do some serious kook dodging whilst barrel hunting. Back in the day, when you were just learning you weren't tolerated at spots like Hummies and Avo's when it was firing. The older ou's sent you packing. Chatting to ex-EP stalwart Vince Barnes in the lineup today and he reckoned Gavin Rudolph and the crew just took one look at you and told you to head straight back to the beach in not so many words.

Makes sense really, cos basically you weren't capable of catching the waves anyway, and were just getting in everyone's way and ended up being a danger both to yourself and others. 

© Petronel Posthumus

Not only was PE getting surf but for a change the WSL comp had some solid waves as well. Margaret River has dealt out it's fair share of beatings and broken boards and we're down to the business end of the comp now. Semi finalists are JJF, Nat, Taj and Adriano. Jay Davies, the wild card, did well to garner a 5th possie. Taking down some big seeds in the process.

Ex-PE local Jaryd Mason, now living in Perth, managed to grab Lakey Peterson for a lekker snap. He's apparently also trying to challenge her to a game of table tennis - which is probably safer than trying to have a surf against her!

Turns out it's not only sharks we gotto be worried about. Crocs are pretty gnarly characters to meet out in the line-up. As a surfer in Colombia found out this week. Lucky he lived to tell the tale - albeit with a few croc's teeth embedded in his leg!

Work continues on the pier, and appears to be running ahead of schedule. Still odd seeing it without it's railings and mast at the end. Wondering if this ou could be dared to fling a 180 and gun it off the end of the pier and see how far he can get that cabbie? Where's Jack-Ass when you need him!?

© Dean Biddulph

Stoked that my Hanalai fin which I knocked outta my board during the last decent swell a month ago turned up on the reef. Ronald Marais found it sticking out a hole in the reef whilst he proned back in after a surf last week. Amazing how fins always eventually turn up on the reef. Just gotto be patient.

Here's hoping the flurry of swell we had over the weekend is the first signs of winter arriving? Altho forecasts for this week don't look too exciting....

Next bit of size is May 1st -but that's only a 11-12sec period so chances are it'll downgrade plenty by then. Basically divide the offshore swell size you see on the charts by 50-70% if it's west or SW in direction, as that's what makes it's way into the bay. For east swell - what you see is what you get, no dividing needed.