Yesterday we were doing another down-winder across the bay from Pt Cook to Pt Ormond (Elwood) and due to a late start and having to work in the arvo I decided to pass but still come along and drive the car back so the guys wouldn't have the hassle of getting the car back after their run.
Once there and while the guys got ready to go I checked out this new launching spot that I had not seen.. and took some pictures.
I could see the whitecaps everywhere and the wind was howling.. I was wishing I had my board.. The guys where almost ready and I tool some pictures of their boards while still on the trailer.. Jonathan's 14' Starboard and Paul's F16 could not be more different.. and yet if you look at the bottom rocker (the bit that counts) we were amazed at how similar they are.
Look at the similar rocker curves in this shot.
The guys were off to have fun.. I was off to drive back.. I know what I'd rather be doing.
Jonathan had said.. The fuel gauge shows almost empty but don't worry.. It will be enough to get you back... Famous last words.
I took this last pic while waiting on the side of the freeway for the RACV to arrive... Bummer! .. The guys beat me back.
DJ
Ahh yup, sorry about that DJ....
It's 20k, third time Paul and I have done the run. Pretty testing yesterday, swell coming from two directions, the main SW bigger swells but also some NW guys to knock the front of the board around. In the end I just tried to focus on the bigger SW ones and ignore the little guys. There were actually some whoppers coming through every so often, Paul got a classic at one stage that meant he was suddenly 100m in front.
It's great doing runs in different directions for a change, longer drive and a bit more hassle but there are some big swells out there in the winter southerlies and westerlies. Did one last week from Mornington to Patterson River which was 18k but it had a little too much West in it and the swell was wrapping into the beach all the way, wind was 30 knots and the swell was huge. One of the toughest paddles I've ever done. Even just heading out inside the pier/breakwater the swells were chest high, must have been 3m faces once we got out there with big lumps of chop coming from all directions. When we got in we decided it was somewhere between 'character building' and 'soul destroying'
Then we did the same Mornington to Patto run two days later in OC1's and it was like we were on a different planet!
Yes I got away with using the kids as excuse for buying new gear right up to and including the green Vision Tech paddle for my daughter (which coincidentally, is about the right height for me for surfing 
). However, I've run out of credits on the boards now that I'm up to 7 and only have 2 kids.
great looking spot to launch from...
