urggghhh worst thing about swellnet being your homepage is i get to work and find out that its awesome conditions..
hurry up 3pm!
Long time lurker, first time poster. Got in the early surf this morning, it was a bit lumpy but got some great waves. Only 2 other guys out in a usually pretty popular metro break, stoked. I'm loving that cott main has been quite surfable this winter, definitely detracting a few blokes from my wave of choice.
Dang, you're lucky birdman - there were a fair few on trigg seconds from the word go this morning... but i joined them anyway. seemed really all over the place - peaks everywhere. did you see the rip cott had going through it when the xl swells came through the few weeks ago? if that hadnt been able to drag all the sand up the tip of the groin, only heavy machinery would have bee able to do it. but yeah, cott has some good sand formation going on atm.
A few places have some interesting sand. But crowds. I had a watch of "tearooms" on Monday arvo. Damn crowded for a Monday. Saw a couple of regulars taking the sets as usual. But everyone sitting next to each other instead of spread out. As the birdman says, still a few empty waves for those who think outside the box.
Not much on the horizon for me as I ramp up to a trip away. Lots of jobs to do, make a wheel carrier, make a windbreak, rebuild a motorbike, wire up some spotties, wire up auxiliary power. I'll be busy most afternoons.
Choppy at the crowded man's local break. Only a few guys out today arvo although didn't see many catching anything good. Some waves had shape although they were just breaking everywhere really.
Shouldn't of listened to my conscience cos it was not worth paddling out. Atleast I got a good workout
Just a Q, how do you guys paddle out in choppy surf with waves continually breaking and whitewater rushing through? Is it a matter of practicing your duck diving and finding a rip to swim out through?
I rely on timing and fitness. Rips are great when you find them. At Cott I just jump off the end of the rocks if it's really heavy. Skip the paddle out and avoid the seaweed tangles.
I agree too, same at some point breaks, jump off and paddle out close to the reef (rocks) as far as possible then head across..saves getting swept down the point as far when you paddle straight out. Close to the reef the water is getting sucked back out (in the lull) out further the waters still pushing down the point from the last set. Hope that makes sense?
Edit; this doesn't apply if your jumping off at the bottom end of the wave tho.
Love the rips when I score them. Surfed a point break last year where I didnt even have to paddle much to get out, just jump in, keep your line and away you go! Just dont get too complacent once out there or you can still get bowled over.
After I had a surf I sat on the point and watched the rip in action. Was comical how strong it was, just pulling people out who were lying on there boards, almost automated
Luck definately helps, have been on both ends of the stick with that one, snuck out and seen a mate behind me cop it and have watched a mate just in front of me get over a set and I then cop the next 3 waves on the head!
Only thing funnier to watch than someone rock jumping cott in winter would be watching someone trying to climb up to get out 
How good are the next five days looking!
The weekend warriors will be happy at last. I'll be hitting one of my other spots Friday and Monday ( tomorrow will be a little big for my out of the way spots ), maybe Saturday or Sunday too.
Snuck in a few hours at "tearooms". Word on the street was I missed the best time, lunch time.
Funniest moment was sitting in a gutter, occasional waves big enough to break out in the gutter, mostly not. I paddled for one, water draining off the neighbouring bank so it was a stationary paddle against the rip. I couldn't get on it, and went to give up on top of the lip. As the wave broke the water direction reversed and the surge onto the shallow bank sucked me over the falls, dumping me on my arse on the sand below. Given the arena-like nature of "tearooms", I'm sure everyone had a good laugh. Made me think about slinking in. A few locals taking the lion's share (well, all) the sets as usual.
I'll take your word for it. Makes zero sense to me and I've never seen anyone do it (except summer swimmers). It's so trivial getting out that I don't understand the reason for taking the highest risk method. But then again, I don't understand boardies in winter.
I like wearing boardies in winter... When I'm in my mate's spa that's 30 odd degrees, with a beer in hand... After a nice long surf in my 3/2 steamer.
Her new wettie is on it's way though...just in time for summer. hahaha.
2nd and 3rds at Trigg were pretty good this morning. Some good banks but a little random in places. Well over head on the sets and if you were in the right spot some really goods waves to be had. 3m swell and a light offshore!
If you didn't get out this morning then I pity you.
Super clean and some great sets rolling in at Cott; although the sand was a little uneven which made judging the waves a bit tricky and the water washing back out made for some hilarious wipeouts.
I was at 3rds and further. Wet wetsuit was fun at dawn. When I paddled out there were a few decent waves but the sun scared them away as it usually does. So I was left sitting out the back like a seagull with no waves. Still nice, but it felt like it dropped heaps (graphs say otherwise). Bit deep, bit crowded. I sort of had a bank without much hassle but then a sweep developed and about 15 people drifted down. So I eventually paddled to where they'd come from, which was now empty.
Couple of Germanic (?) guys provided entertainment. Chatting to each other in English with all the lingo but a thick accent.
"Baaarckside is tha gohhh, much fahster"
I notice the signs for Sunday's run. Can't get north of CB, oh well, still a few options if it pans out.
Might skip tomorrow, got things to do and I reckon a bit small locally.
It used to be 1m on the graphs meant T-S stretch was out of control. Not any more.
I had all intentions to go the early this morning but my 2 year old was up at 5 am with a cold so those plans went out the window. I am hoping to get out for the arvo. wind will probably swing onshore but I dont care. just want to get out.
