Here are some pics from monday's wave session. 5.7's and 100 ltr boards as the late session was light.

Nice one Paul, great shots. I hope you got out yourself

sick shots

errr is that sand at the bottom of the first pic?

No riding here as it was too onshore but nice jumping, overpowered on 5.8 early arvo

Yep, that's why the pics are so good, you can get real close to the action now.
And don't worry, there's not much chance of hitting the sand, (unless it's a high tide,) you'd have to plow through the reef first!
Won't last long but, it's quickly getting washed into the bay

I was shocked when I went down there at easter - never seen the sand like that.

Happens at this time of year. They pump around the cut, what would be the normal seasons flow of sand in a few months.
Before they put the cut in you didn't have such a sudden change in the amount of sand there. The change was similar but happened more gradually.

They first started pumping in early December, when the tides and swell are lower, the sand stayed on the reef line until it hit the break in the reef at the 3rd break. If we got an unseasonal westerly it made a fantastic short speed run, I think that's what started my flat water addiction.

the first big swell and high tide pushed the sand over the reef, and it joined up with the beach just south of the lookout in the middle of the bay. Made a huge lagoon at the point, I think we'll get a small lagoon this year the way the sand's going.

When the cut first opened they used trucks to cart the sand, for some reason the dredge wasn't working. The trucks couldn't do the job, and Avalon bay lost a huge amount of sand. About a third of the carpark at the southern end was washed away, it's only about now the beach has got back to about where it used to be.

Super pics thanks!

Looking forward to this winter more than I was for the last summer! YEOW

I was actually being serious Mr redthumbs. It looks like a beachy and he is right on shore.
I gather not cos it looks way too close
Is it just perspective ?

Yep, although it's close there's still a fair bit of telephoto, and then the water is lower than the sand, so you don't see how much water is between wave and sandbar, plus there's a bit of angle involved, at a very rough guess, that sailor would be about 30m from the sand,

Hey Mark
Yes the sand is high on the reef atm and so I got down low to get the sand in the pic.
Here is a photo of the same spot 25 years ago. This reef at bottom of pic is now under sand. It won't stay for long though.

This is my old santosha assy like rider was talking about a few days back. 8'8 with my 3.5 on an 460 state of the art glass 2pce mast. Oh the good times. The usual small waves of summer.

Select to expand quote

Bender said..

Nice one Paul, great shots. I hope you got out yourself

Filmed this Monday arvo, only one guy still out, cheers :-) Check it out ,

Select to expand quote

decrepit said..
Yep, although it's close there's still a fair bit of telephoto, and then the water is lower than the sand, so you don't see how much water is between wave and sandbar, plus there's a bit of angle involved, at a very rough guess, that sailor would be about 30m from the sand,

Select to expand quote

Paul said..
Hey Mark

Yes the sand is high on the reef atm and so I got down low to get the sand in the pic.

Here is a photo of the same spot 25 years ago. This reef at bottom of pic is now under sand. It won't stay for long though.

This is my old santosha assy like rider was talking about a few days back. 8'8 with my 3.5 on an 460 state of the art glass 2pce mast. Oh the good times. The usual small waves of summer.

Roit got it.
In that case, awesome depth of field - my photography skills are not so good.
Also it has been almost 10yrs since I sailed same spot

Never sailed the spot however Im keen to give it a crack!

I sadly will need a guide!

Fantastic video of Matty Gwynne

Thanks for the video, the sailor deserves having his name attached. I was amazed at the quality of he video on a phone (that is a measure of my lack of knowledge of the technology )
Great to see the heli tack, I did not know they are in common use (Never sailing waves again this shows my ignorance)

Select to expand quote

evets said..

Thanks for the video, the sailor deserves having his name attached. I was amazed at the quality of he video on a phone (that is a measure of my lack of knowledge of the technology )
Great to see the heli tack, I did not know they are in common use (Never sailing waves again this shows my ignorance)

Cheers, I filmed it with my iPhone 4S and my Nikon Bino's. The quality of the image comes from the quality of the binoculars. 30+ years ago we were filming with Super 8 and VHS video on huge cassette tapes. Love today's digital world :-)
For those interested, check out what was state of the art in equipment in 1984 in this old footage I filmed at Lancelin with a few of the boys of the day,


I've now updated the Avalon video to credit Matt Gwynne as the wave-sailor :-)

Select to expand quote

AUS1023 said..

Fantastic video of Matty Gwynne

Updated with credit to Matty Gwynne :-)

that 80's stuff is gold. How did you get the instagram retro presets and film grain onto that footage.

Loved the 80 vid, my first trip to WA to windsurf was in 86, kit hired from Jez was a Bombora and couple of sails. Had a great time on the ocean and river.

Select to expand quote

JEZ said..

that 80's stuff is gold. How did you get the instagram retro presets and film grain onto that footage.

It's real and embedded into the Super 8 film. I was standing in waist deep water with the camera as Fraser Black jybed around me, no water housing, almost wore the mast and boom in the head a couple of times :-)