26th January and on the way back from Apollo Bay. We stop at Anglesea and it's crowded in and out of the water, the sun is shining and the waves are 1-2 foot and clean. Sam is keen for a surf and he's in the water in no time. I sit on the beach for a while, hoping the crowd might die down. The crowd doesn't shrink but the waves look good fun and I head out.
It's a really fun session with lotts of small right hand waves. Sam is out for a good hour and a half and gets lots of waves. I get a few waves and it's fun. It's such a nice day on the beach and I can really see why Anglesea is such a popular beach spot. It's protected and I gather the waves are pretty consistent, albeit crowded and not too big. There's plenty of eating in Anglesea and if you've never been there it's worth stopping.
Break 18 down and I will be trying for 19 and perhaps 20 this weekend.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Break 17 - Kennett River (going off!!)
Wednesday 26th January, Australia Day and Sue, Sam and I are heading to Apollo Bay to pick up the Camera we left behind in Cafe 153 at Apollo Bay. Sam also left his Ipod in the house we rented and we are also picking that up. When we leave Melbourne it's a misty, grey day with light rain and it's about 20 degrees. As we head through Geelong and down to Anglesea the weather is clearing up and it's turning into a lovely sunny day. There's a bit of surf around as we drive through Lorne and Wye and when we get to Kennett River it's right on low tide at about 10.45.
Kennett River is right on the Great Ocean Rd about 30 mins past Lorne and about 10 mins on from Wye River. Kennett is a point break, best accessed from the rocks and only works on the low tide. Today we are really lucky as "it's on" and waves are 1 meter with 1.5 metre waves coming through. There's probably 20 in the water and it's a really beautiful morning.
I go out from the rocks and am quickly and easily out the back. Sam enters from the beach and it's still an easy paddle around the breaking waves. I get a wave early and it's a slow right breaking wave and manage to ride down the wave and into the reform for a long and satisfying wave. I get a couple of shorter rides and then I get my best wave of the last 16 breaks. I paddle onto 1.5 meter wave and get up and just when I think I'm not on I move further forward on the Board and then I'm down the face and really going, I get down low and sweep right across the face, turn down and catch the reform, crouching low sweeping down and across again and then ride off the back. I punch the air and just feel fantastic - that's a ride.
I catch another great wave and then I'm out of the water. Sam catches only 1 wave but he reckons it was real beauty and "powerful". It's a great session and Kennett when it's on is a great wave. We head to Apollo for lunch with the aim of catching Break 18 on the way back.
Kennett River is right on the Great Ocean Rd about 30 mins past Lorne and about 10 mins on from Wye River. Kennett is a point break, best accessed from the rocks and only works on the low tide. Today we are really lucky as "it's on" and waves are 1 meter with 1.5 metre waves coming through. There's probably 20 in the water and it's a really beautiful morning.
I go out from the rocks and am quickly and easily out the back. Sam enters from the beach and it's still an easy paddle around the breaking waves. I get a wave early and it's a slow right breaking wave and manage to ride down the wave and into the reform for a long and satisfying wave. I get a couple of shorter rides and then I get my best wave of the last 16 breaks. I paddle onto 1.5 meter wave and get up and just when I think I'm not on I move further forward on the Board and then I'm down the face and really going, I get down low and sweep right across the face, turn down and catch the reform, crouching low sweeping down and across again and then ride off the back. I punch the air and just feel fantastic - that's a ride.
I catch another great wave and then I'm out of the water. Sam catches only 1 wave but he reckons it was real beauty and "powerful". It's a great session and Kennett when it's on is a great wave. We head to Apollo for lunch with the aim of catching Break 18 on the way back.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Break 16 - Point roadknight
Sunday 23rd Jan and its the last day of our beach holiday. Sad to be leaving Apollo Bay but the weather the last two days has been bizarre. While it has been lovely and sunny in Melbourne it's has been wet and misty in Apollo. We head off about 10.45 in steady rain and we're looking for a surf on the way home. We take the Great Ocean Rd, possibly the most spectacular road trip in the world driving right next to the ocean for 40kms from Apollo Bay through to the Anglesea. We stop at Lorne and there are waves at the point but it is very crowded and so we, or should I say Susan, has a shop and then we head off again towards Torquay.
Going through Fairhaven and heading to Anglesea we spot the Point Roadknight turnoff and decide to give it a go. We head into the carpark and it is really crowded and a look at the beach indicates waves out the back off the point and also closer in towards the middle. The wave is pretty gentle and normally works best on a medium to high tide with a decent swell. Today it's probably 2 foot with the odd 3 foot wave coming through.
Sam and I head out and while Sam stays closer in and more in the middle section, I head out the back and more to the point. Point Roadknight is a small horseshoe shaped bay with the waves coming off the rocky point and breaking over sand. I get a few waves but it's pretty frustrating and I can see that it would be much better on a stronger and bigger swell. The wave when your on is a pretty gentle right hand break and great for longboarders or new surfers. I get a few waves and then think about tyring to find Sam. I then spot him back on the beach - frustrated by waves that just don't form up and the crowds. Anyway I've had a reasonable surf - 3 waves and about 30 minutes in water. It's a nice beach and I''ll come back after I've done another 34 breaks to try it again.
Bring on 20.
Going through Fairhaven and heading to Anglesea we spot the Point Roadknight turnoff and decide to give it a go. We head into the carpark and it is really crowded and a look at the beach indicates waves out the back off the point and also closer in towards the middle. The wave is pretty gentle and normally works best on a medium to high tide with a decent swell. Today it's probably 2 foot with the odd 3 foot wave coming through.
Sam and I head out and while Sam stays closer in and more in the middle section, I head out the back and more to the point. Point Roadknight is a small horseshoe shaped bay with the waves coming off the rocky point and breaking over sand. I get a few waves but it's pretty frustrating and I can see that it would be much better on a stronger and bigger swell. The wave when your on is a pretty gentle right hand break and great for longboarders or new surfers. I get a few waves and then think about tyring to find Sam. I then spot him back on the beach - frustrated by waves that just don't form up and the crowds. Anyway I've had a reasonable surf - 3 waves and about 30 minutes in water. It's a nice beach and I''ll come back after I've done another 34 breaks to try it again.
Bring on 20.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Break 15 - Wye River
Tuesday 18th january and I'm heading home to Melbourne after 8 days in Apollo Bay, 5 of which involved substantial amounts of rain. I head home down the Great Ocean Road and decide to stop at Wye River for two reasons - one for a surf and two to check out the new cafe. The surf is ok - waves up to 1 meter but the wind is blowing off-shore holding up the waves.
Wye river beach is right opposite a big caravan park, has a great pub with the best outdoor area in Victoria, if not Australia and has a great, hilly bushland background to the beach. The wave is reasonably consistent from what I have seen and you can get both a left hand and right hand breaks happening over sand. Today there is some action on the left hand side of the beach when facing the water. I head out there and join two young blokes already out there. I am out there about 2 minutes when I paddle onto a slow right hander and am off down the face, bottom out, turn up and go right and then over and out the back of the wave. A nice ride and I think here we go this could be a good day. Suffice to say over the next 15 minutes I catch nothing with the off-shore playing havoc with the waves - they form up and then just seem to dissapear before reforming and crashing closer to the beach.
I stay out about 40 minutes and in the end I get about three waves but the setting is great and I've had the exercise I need for the day. It's another break down and I did enjoy juts sitting and admiring the coast - all the breaks along the Great Ocean Road are spectacular and if you've never been down this way you've just got to go.
Once out of the water I check out the cafe, which is a post office, newsagent, general store and cafe in actual fact. I just order a coffee and it's very good but looking around at what else is on offer, I would recommend slotting the cafe in for a nice relaxing breakfast or lunch after a surf. 15 down and bring on 20.
Wye river beach is right opposite a big caravan park, has a great pub with the best outdoor area in Victoria, if not Australia and has a great, hilly bushland background to the beach. The wave is reasonably consistent from what I have seen and you can get both a left hand and right hand breaks happening over sand. Today there is some action on the left hand side of the beach when facing the water. I head out there and join two young blokes already out there. I am out there about 2 minutes when I paddle onto a slow right hander and am off down the face, bottom out, turn up and go right and then over and out the back of the wave. A nice ride and I think here we go this could be a good day. Suffice to say over the next 15 minutes I catch nothing with the off-shore playing havoc with the waves - they form up and then just seem to dissapear before reforming and crashing closer to the beach.
I stay out about 40 minutes and in the end I get about three waves but the setting is great and I've had the exercise I need for the day. It's another break down and I did enjoy juts sitting and admiring the coast - all the breaks along the Great Ocean Road are spectacular and if you've never been down this way you've just got to go.
Once out of the water I check out the cafe, which is a post office, newsagent, general store and cafe in actual fact. I just order a coffee and it's very good but looking around at what else is on offer, I would recommend slotting the cafe in for a nice relaxing breakfast or lunch after a surf. 15 down and bring on 20.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Break 14 - Skenes Creek
Sunday 16th January and I'm going surfing with my oldest son Michael today. He's coming down from a Sat. night but is up early and keen for a surf. We're still away on holidays at Apollo Bay and so we head to Skene's Creek in search of a wave. Skene's Creek is about 5 km from Apollo Bay and is a pretty reliable break with left and right hand beach breaks depending on the sand. Today, Victoria is pretty flat in terms of surf and when we get to Skene's it's got 1 to 2 foot waves with reasonable breaks in between sets. There are about four people out and so we decide to give it a crack.
The positive is that its easy to get out - takes about 30 seconds to get out the back and wait for a wave. This is great for Michael because he hasn't been surfing for a couple of years. We both get rides pretty quickly and Michael is up and away on a short left hand breaking wave and is pretty stoked to get a ride early and he also gets up smoothly and quickly. I catch a really good left hander early on and its a great little ride, smooth and lazy drifting along and up and out of the wave. The setting at Skene's is unbelievable - hills in the background to beach, spectacular scenic views to Apollo Bay and blue, blue water. The setting is great and then it is offset by a pod of dolphins swimming in the background - it is such a great site as a small pod of 3 dolphins are leaping out of the water and cruising in the background.
We surf for about 50 mins and both get our share of waves and wipeouts and it's a very enjoyable session in a spectacular setting. If you've never been to Apollo Bay - go because it's a great launching place for surfing (Johanna etc) and its got heaps to do - waterfalls, cafe's, great ocean walk etc etc. Break 14 down and I'm looking for 20-25 before the end of Jan.
The positive is that its easy to get out - takes about 30 seconds to get out the back and wait for a wave. This is great for Michael because he hasn't been surfing for a couple of years. We both get rides pretty quickly and Michael is up and away on a short left hand breaking wave and is pretty stoked to get a ride early and he also gets up smoothly and quickly. I catch a really good left hander early on and its a great little ride, smooth and lazy drifting along and up and out of the wave. The setting at Skene's is unbelievable - hills in the background to beach, spectacular scenic views to Apollo Bay and blue, blue water. The setting is great and then it is offset by a pod of dolphins swimming in the background - it is such a great site as a small pod of 3 dolphins are leaping out of the water and cruising in the background.
We surf for about 50 mins and both get our share of waves and wipeouts and it's a very enjoyable session in a spectacular setting. If you've never been to Apollo Bay - go because it's a great launching place for surfing (Johanna etc) and its got heaps to do - waterfalls, cafe's, great ocean walk etc etc. Break 14 down and I'm looking for 20-25 before the end of Jan.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Apollo Bay - Break 13
Wednesday 12th January and I am at Apollo Bay, deep on the west coast of Victoria on holidays and its been raining since Monday when we arrived. The surf is just ok and Ollie, 21 year old second eldest son of the family we go away with has been in surfing each day with Sam and they have been surfing the main beach. The good waves are pretty few and far between but for Sam and Alex, younger sister of Ollie (18) they have been getting good waves in whitewater and having a good surf.
This morning it was absolutely pelting down when Sam and I went out to near the pier to catch a few waves. The pier is longboard heaven - small, long rides from out the back on 1-2 foot waves. I catch a few waves and get a couple of good rides with Sam yelling for me to walk the Board, which I manage once nearly hanging five. The rain is absolutely belting down though with the wind quite strong as well and we both last about 40 minutes and then are happy to just get out of the water and head back in.
Apollo Bay is a great town for holidays with plenty of cafes and also great walks and other things to do and so with rain forecast for the rest of the week and not great surf we will have plenty of time to explore all it has to offer. We have been coming here for the last twenty years and so we know the place pretty well and can't recommend it highly enough. Sam has already begun his annual quest to be Uno champion and he has brough to the house the same vidos that are watched pretty much every year - Stand by me, Scrubs Series DVDs, Love Actually and on the list goes.
Anyway Break 13 down and should be able to get 14 and perhaps 15 before the week is out although the surf forecast is not great.
This morning it was absolutely pelting down when Sam and I went out to near the pier to catch a few waves. The pier is longboard heaven - small, long rides from out the back on 1-2 foot waves. I catch a few waves and get a couple of good rides with Sam yelling for me to walk the Board, which I manage once nearly hanging five. The rain is absolutely belting down though with the wind quite strong as well and we both last about 40 minutes and then are happy to just get out of the water and head back in.
Apollo Bay is a great town for holidays with plenty of cafes and also great walks and other things to do and so with rain forecast for the rest of the week and not great surf we will have plenty of time to explore all it has to offer. We have been coming here for the last twenty years and so we know the place pretty well and can't recommend it highly enough. Sam has already begun his annual quest to be Uno champion and he has brough to the house the same vidos that are watched pretty much every year - Stand by me, Scrubs Series DVDs, Love Actually and on the list goes.
Anyway Break 13 down and should be able to get 14 and perhaps 15 before the week is out although the surf forecast is not great.
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