Has any one been in October before? Thinking of going next year and any tips on accomodation spots to surf and just how ready I need to be to have a crack at Sunset would be greatly appreciated!!! I'll have the cheese and kisses and the rug rats so would ideally like something within walking distance of the beach thats self contained....

I went years ago in November and stayed about 6 weeks. From what I've observed from afar over 30 years, the early season (Oct-Nov) can be unsettled and variable. There's usually rain and mostly N swells, punctuated by a few gem days - kinda like our Spring.
The better time seems to be after Xmas/New Year and thru to March when they have more cleaner swells (and more West in it) and generally better weather - like our Autumn!
As for spots, try the numerous reef breaks in the stretch between Haleiwa and Waimea for less crowded waves than the marquee breaks.
I stayed at the Kuilima/Turtle Bay condo's up the top end of the North Shore, so it is a bit isolated. It has a few OK breaks nearby that you can walk to and Missus and kids will love the non-surf activities. But it may well have changed over the years.
And for Sunset, just expect the unexpected. Be fit and do your homework on it! - Mark

Agree with Boardculture. And the W swells are usually best for the lefts and the N or NW better for the rights. Start your paddling practice now.

hey welcome back board culture, thought you got too good for us lowly breezers selling coffee yet

Sunset is a great wave. But be happy with only 1 or 2 good ones within a long session. Very peaking, and very heavy at the best of times.... Really easy paddle out, just off the deep beach inside in the bay. Even at double overhead my memory tells me it isn't much more that shoreline surge on the inside. So dry hair paddles in the channel on the way out are relatively common. Different story trying to get a wave though.

Often the take off isn't too bad. Often you can get a beautiful launch pad throwing you into it.... After that it starts to wall up and stand up, and starts getting very very serious.

It can be a shifty peak, but that's the beauty about it. Wait your time in your little spot, and you should eventually get a nice one.

Bring you big lungs, and expect the odd flogging. Expect to sit in the channel for 10-20 minute bursts recovering from the odd flogging. It's pretty deep on average, and you aren't likely to hit the reef... That's why I like Sunset! Fantastic views from the line-up too. But keep your eyes on the horizon for those creeper sets, and the occasional set wave tucked in behind another set.

Training session on Monday! See forecast below.
Could be interesting on Monday.... Light off/cross shore, and no lack of swell.
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Sunday 16 October
Winds
West to southwesterly 25 to 35 knots becoming southwesterly 20 to 30 knots later in the afternoon.
Seas
3 to 4 metres.
Swell
Westerly 3 to 4 metres increasing to 5 metres from the late morning.
Monday 17 October
Winds
Southwesterly 15 to 25 knots, easing to 10 to 15 knots during the morning and tending northwest 5 to 15 knots in the afternoon. Local afternoon seabreezes 10 to 15 knots.
Seas
Up 2 to 3 metres decreasing below 1 metre around midday.
Swell
Westerly 4 to 6 metres tending southwesterly 3 to 5 metres during the evening.

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chrispychru said...

hey welcome back board culture, thought you got too good for us lowly breezers selling coffee yet

Thanks Chrispy - and we are certainly not too good for anyone (let alone our beloved breezers!). Just been too damn busy with getting our new shop ready to keep a regular 'breeze post going.
As for coffee, yes, we will be serving coffee in a few weeks when our new store opens. The coffee gig is being set up and run by a former barista and fellow longboarder (Peter W from Burleigh Longboard Club), but more on all that later. The surf, and I use the term lightly, beckons - Mark

Well today's Sunset-esk Victorian Swell was a partial let down. I had a feeling that it was going to be. There was too much South West Wind action through the night. I woke up a few times to check the latest winds, and it was SW in many locations, which means a lumpy swell.

Overnight NW Grooming is required!

But it was better than nothing. Overhead to Double Overhead on our coast (on the sets). Probably Triple down the coast, but even lumpier!?

PS - I was secretly hoping to ride the big 9'0 Gun today!

I just got back. We went to the south shore in the first week of October and scored a few days of overhead to double overhead at Waikiki and Ala Moana. Went to the North shore in the second week of October where we got shoulder high to more than double overhead.

I think we might have lucked in but you can score in October.

We were there in September,south shore 3 foot for 8 days straight rented a car and the north shore was a lake.