Dust off your Steamer
We’re blessed with many things in Australia and good surf conditions year round is one of them. Yet the winter months can offer more favourable surf conditions, a fact that’s hard to reconcile for the warm blooded folk. From April to September, strong low pressure systems form off the southern half of Australia, producing powerful groundswells (a swell that touches the ocean floor very far from the coast) allowing for larger intervals between waves and clean, smooth sets.
Favorable offshore winds are common during cooler months, meaning less ocean surface chip and more groomed faced waves, which is appealing from the beginner to veteran surfer.
A wipe out in cold water can take your breath away more than normal and pack a powerful punch, winter swells mean for heavier waves as cold water is more dense and viscous. A great way to build resilience in the surf and experience conditions of all kinds.
Our Australian winter is the dry reason, so it’s not actually synonymous to grey gloomy weather but glorious bright sunny days, no rain, less clouds.
What else makes winter surf more enticing? Well it goes without saying that the lack of crowds is a big drawcard, finding a park should be easier which is a luxury compared to the summer months. You’ll find more experienced surfers in the winter water so surf etiquette is crucial more than ever.
If it couldn’t get any better, it does - winter months are the perfect timing for sighting whale migration along the coast, between May and November. A quality wetsuit is a must have to keep you toasty warm and be sure to spend an extra 5 minutes limbering up before you dive in.
What boards are we grabbing from the Bywater Surf workshop in winter? For those smaller days 1 – 3’ you cannot go past the classic nose ride and trim of a 9’6” Rose 1960’s a classic Pig shape with a old school Hatchet fin. But for the 3-6’ days grabbing the 5’8” Gould modern Fish for some cool round house turns and smooth bottom turns is your best bet.
A warm coffee tastes even better after a crisp winter morning surf, trust us. See you out there!
