I was lucky enough to have a few hours spare on Wednesday to look for some waves but I didn’t have enough time for a trip to the north west where there would have been a solid swell running with maximum exposure to the forecast NE winds. This left me hoping that East or Bell Buoy might produce something unexpected.

East beach had very little swell and the wind was more easterly than forecast so I drove to Bell Buoy and found that the very easterly swell was looking better than expected and the wind direction was very cross shore at the middle of the beach and even a little cross off as the waves hit the shallows.

I rigged up a 5.3 but the wind was still increasing and after a couple of good wave rides and many wipe outs I switched to a 4.5, this was still a little to much in the gusts but at least there were a few less crashes (It gave the little voice in my head that mutters “I’m to old for this” a bit of a break and the other little voice that shouts “Whoooo Hoooo” had a field day).

When ever wave sailing in cross off conditions is discussed images of Cabo or Hookipa spring to mind and north coast Tasmania is about as far from that as is possible. If Cabo is the Wave sailing equivalent of heli skiing perfection then the north coast is like skiing Ben Lomond with the ice and rocks and cruddy uneven terrain. But its still epically fun.

With the swell a little over head high the hardest moment was the first turn down the line, 35kt bullet gusts and a heavy cross chop caused plenty of problems but once off the wind there was massive acceleration and some return of control with the opportunity for five or six bottom turns. As the wave hit the shallows the fore dune gave some protection from the wind and the wave faces smoothed out a little allowing a little time to throw some spay. It is at those moments when the water gets smooth and the wind evens out a little that the possibilities of riding with some precision open up but seconds later its all over with either a graceful exit or a messy wipe out as ambition overrides skill.

It looks like the westerlies are returning on Friday and Saturday so hopefully Bakers turns it on.

Wow, looks absolutely gorgeous (better than Hookipa). Half your luck!!

Typically Tasmanian to get such random weather which still produces rideable waves though we probably wont see a 30 to 40 kt ENE direction for at least another 12 months, but I guess anything is possible with the strong La Nina pattern.

I would be a look pretty useless riding at Hookipa even if I could make it out the back unscathed, so its a good thing that the local conditions are a better match to my abilities.

Nice one Al, you're never too old and skiing at Ben Lomond is like sailing Dorans on a bad day but die hards should never let sh.. conditions put us off cos I say you gotta be in it to win it and looks like you did this time