Break 20 - Sunnymeade Beach (Airey's Inlet)

Sunday 13th February and its a  pretty ordinary sort of summer day.  It's about 17 degrees, grey, with expected rain then a few sunny breaks in the afternoon - temperature expected to get up to about 23/24 degrees.  We decide to focus on the prospect of sunny breaks and head to the West Coast.  I am thinking we will go to Urquarts Bluff which is on past Anglesea and should take us about 1.5 to 2.0 hours.  Today Sam, Susan and I are all going and I am hoping for some waves, although forecast is not fantastic - wind south westerly, conditions expected to be messy and waves to 1 meter.

We head off about 10.30 and at about 12.15 we are heading through Anglesea and the forecast looks pretty accurate as we drive through - its messy and not very attractive.  We get to Urquarts Bluff and it's hopeless - crowded with a Union picnic gathering and hopeless surf.  We then head onto Fairhaven and it's pretty ordinary there as well.  We drive back towards Anglesea and decide to check out Airey's Inlet, we stop near the lighthouse and it's not looking great.  We head back in the car and then as we head out of Airey's we decide to check out a dirt road and see what, if any beach, is down there.  We get out at the car park at then end of the road and lo and behold in the water are three or four surfers getting a few waves on a beach with a right hand point break - the beach is called Sunnymeade. 

Sunnymeade is not in my surf guide books and it turns out to be really great little spot.  Sunnymeade has a winding 400 meter walk through bush down to a beach, which is set against spectacular red cliffs and the bush background.  The waves are breaking out at the point over a sandy bottom and there are some fun, right handers with quite good rides and waves about 2 foot to maybe the odd, very odd 3 foot.

Sam and I head out and within minutes I get onto a great little wave - up quickly, head right and along the face, turning right and up to extend the wave and then out the back - Yohooooooooooo.  A great way to start.  Sam gets a couple of waves and then I get two more - one is probably 1 foot I reckon but I really enjoy the wave it's clean and I just cut along the face and sit on top before tumbling off the end.  In about 30-40 mins I get 4 good waves in a spectacular setting.  The water is beautiful and clear and the sun is out - just perfect. 

After the surf we head into Anglesea for something to eat and Sam insists we go to Ocean Corner - which as you might guess is right on the corner, opposite the beach in Anglesea.  The food is pretty good, great pies and salad rolls and Sam has calamari and chips which he raves about.  Another day over and new break found - always good to find a protected surf in a SW wind.  Looks like it would be best on a low to mid tide, which is when we were there.