Finally bit the bullet for a 10 day Tassie touristy with a bit of surf trip.

Gonna be between Eaglehawk Neck & Bicheno between tourist trips.

Only taking one board...thinking 6x20.5x2.5 low rocker or little more rockered 6'1x19.5x2.5...not asking for spots, just what kinda wave size in Jan. Is it typically waist, chest, head or head high plus in that area???

PS blokes that PM'ed in the past, sorry to ask again the messages deleted after 3 months...my bad. Thought I saved to PC but can't find them

Hey Mick
Was in Tassie 30 years a go. One summer day it was 30 degrees and I went for a dip at the local beach. Instant ice cream headache. Never been in water so cold in my life. Take plenty of rubber if you're staying the water...

I took the family there in Jan this year. Three weeks in motor home and did a lap, Some days were 40deg and the kids sawm all day. The east coast was epic ( bugger all swell) but I did get fun waves (beachies) for 40mins at Scamanda ( out front of the caravan park).The coast line was similar to the eagle bay area. Friendlies beach had small waves as well at Bicheno. Locals told me it was the wrong time of year for swell on the east coast. When we did the west coast it was stormy and onshore. Overall loved Tassie and would go back just for the east coast. we didn't make it to Brunie Is but i'm told the beachies there are good in summer. The water temp was fine. coming for the SW of WA I took my 4/3 steamer and didn't use it. even surfed in boardies a few times.

You will get waves at Eaglehawk and Bicheno most of the time, but the coast In between these two only really gets any sort of surf on an Easterly swell, most of our swell is south west, but if you do score an easterly swell there are plenty of good options and not much in the way of crowds.

Thanks guys, appreciate your input...was gonna go to Bruny for a few days but was worried there wouldn't be so much to do if the weather wasn't favourable & trying not to make it too much of a cram trip since its easy enough to get over there we'll be over again for sure. Heard nothing but good things.

So far planned 3 nights Lufra hotel, I contacted them directly & booked a King room at $140 per night, usually $190 via booking.com

Then thinking shooting up to Launceston (1night) via Oatlands, Ross & Campbell Town.

Checking out Cradle Mountain, staying somewhere overnight close to Montezuma Falls next morning for a quick look & Wilderness Railway in the arvo (stay Queenstown overnight).

Then have nothing booked so we are free to shoot straight over to the East coast or check out more of the West depending on weather. Most likely check out North of Bicheno according to wave situation.

I guess I'll be taking the 6'0 Hypto rip...cheers

Can't beat the Lufra, hard to judge, but would have to be double overhead on this day, big easterly swell

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riverider said..
Can't beat the Lufra, hard to judge, but would have to be double overhead on this day, big easterly swell

All too rare! But the Peninsula has several options, probably the about the best location, along with Bruny, for having a variety of options for wind and swell conditions... Not a guarantee, but hedging bets. As for the board, low rocker should be good most of the time... and it'd be Murphies law, one way to summon a solid swell is to come under prepared! If you're planning on surfing the West Coast, you'll find solid waves, just try to plan for offshore winds, in Jan the state spends plenty of time under high pressure systems between fronts, so you can usually pick some stable weather - that's the main reason the east coast often misses out on swell in the summer (the systems generally move west to east). There are plenty of family friendly, non surfing, options all over the state. 6 hours drive will just about get you from any part of the state to anywhere else. Sorry, that was meant to be a one sentence reply!

Hey no, good info m8 thanks...gonna leave some days unplanned after we do the forest railway thing from Queenstown & head up the West coast if the conditions are right

You timed it right mate . Been a sh..tty summer here so far ( wind / cold / no surf )but looks like the weather has finally turned . Was surfing in hooded vest booties etc. just a few weeks back due to the wind chill but back in the spring suit now . If you do go to the west coast - greens beach Marrawah - nice spot , not to far to the pub ,not too wild and might be a few others around .Most of the west coast is pretty isolated and wild unless you are in with the locals can be hard to know where to head to.

Good to hear m8, would be great if I only needed to take a springy. I've only booked for the first 4 nights to stay at the Lufra, then just going with the flow of the weather after that. Definately be over the West for a couple of days to check out that forest railway thing...cheers