OZ: Heading north!

[peazz]

Hey All,

Some of you may know im on holiday in OZ experiencing what can only be described as a trip of a lifetime and some of the best waves I've ever laid eyes on.

The real journey starts tomorrow with an 8 hour and 39 minute car trip north along Australia's east coast to Byron bay, from there we are heading to the sunshine coast, then back down to gold coast before our final stop in Sydney for New years....

Wish me luck! ( i only have 6 months driving experience in essence and they gave me a brand new car with only 250km on the clock #crappingmyself)

[surf patrol]

I presume that does not include the stopping at all the surf spots on the way up?
Enjoy the drive!

[jaffa1949]

Take real care Peazz, parts of the Pacific highway north need your full attention in drive , the other people may well be driving in a little too much holiday mode, volume of traffic heading that way get ridiculous during the time you are going.Stay safe!

[peazz]

Thanks Jaffa, I am never relaxed driving and all ways alert, Im all ways worried of other drivers.

Ill check in once (and if) i arrive in one piece!

@Gabe - will do that on the way back down just want to get the drive out of the way, been surfing everyday for 5 days so best i take a days rest, pop ups are getting a little painful now anyhow

[surf patrol]

Take it easy and enjoy the trip

[billie_morini]

peazz, best of luck! As for driving, just take your time.

[peazz]

480 miles, 10 hours, 3 coffees, a sweet chilli wrap, kfc and some blidning views later... I made it to byron bay..

6:30pm now, so wont be able to get out for a surf. Up early tomorrow and ill be on the case boys & gals!

[peazz]

Went for a little drive down to the beach, very lively but on the negative side....its flat as a pancake -_-

[peazz]

Hey guys,

Swell was inconsistent today in byron, so went down to main beach where its seems like a swell magnet, Caught some of my best waves on my new js to date. Drove down the face and finally got to my feet without the tail sinking (i figured its got to be the right wave and i need enough speed, thats why i was sinking). Its a damn loose board as a quad and feels like it will go where ever i want it to.

Heading to the Sunshine coast tomorrow, Already planned to check out noosa, but i need some ideas if anyone has any? Trying to forward plan everything so i don't miss out

[dtc]

Take real care Peazz, parts of the Pacific highway north need your full attention in drive , the other people may well be driving in a little too much holiday mode, volume of traffic heading that way get ridiculous during the time you are going.Stay safe!

Just to add to Jaffa - as you havent experienced Christmas on the Pacific Highway - on 26 and 27 Dec the traffic is insane, it banks up for miles and travel times at least double or more. But this is heading north. Nonetheless, if you are travelling south keep an eye out for idiot drivers who try to overtake on blind corners to get 8 cars ahead in their 4 hour journey. I know its dual carriage way for much of the time, but when its not stay alert.

Its also very busy on 31 Dec heading south (back into Sydney) as people flock in for Sydney new year's eve. So perhaps try to avoid travelling either direction on those days.

The problem is that the Pacific Highway is about the only route out of Sydney up the coast, so inevitably there is an accident or a breakdown and things just stop...Although you can enjoy listening to the cricket while sitting in your car (As I'm sure you did on your trip up...)

Fortunately I never have to experience it, but it hits the news every holiday period.

As to Noosa, I havent spent much time there but the main beach never had much surfable surf when i have been there. However, sometimes there is some at the river mouth. Sunshine Beach was a swell magnet, although a bit wild at times; First Point is of course legendary as a long board break and is a lot of fun even when small

You will find Noosaville (just inland) or along Sunshine beach (perigian etc) much cheaper than Noosa proper. Hastings St is just one long road of upmarket cafes and restaurants. That said, Massimo's gelato (at the south end of Hastings) is worth the effort.

[peazz]

Hey DTC,

We have based ourselves in coolum, so will make trips out to all the decent breaks from here, it seems pretty central and easy to get down to the Gold coast on the way back down the country, so costs are not an issue in terms of accomodation, We have 10 days here then down to gold coast for christmas .

I would really love everyones input who has visited around this area before! Went down to coolum beach break today, some overhead sets coming through, lots of wind and very choppy, need to find something a little more protected imo.

There is indeed some animal drivers on the pacific highway, but we are splitting up the journey on our way back south so we can see some other parts of the country instead of driving past it all.

- Andy

[CARBr6]

Hey,
Hope your trip is as awesome as you'd hoped.
I noticed from a lot of your posts that you seem to be surfing Bondi a lot.
My cousin lives in Manly and tells me that Bondi is pretty busy and hectic, so I thought I'd let you know that Manly is (apparently) quieter and is a ferry ride from Sydney (plus if you go there you can feed back to me as to what it's like as me and the missus will be going out there in thre next couple of years to hook up with my cuz and surf with him, as he did with us at Joss Bay earlier this year.

[dtc]

My cousin lives in Manly and tells me that Bondi is pretty busy and hectic, so I thought I'd let you know that Manly is (apparently) quieter and is a ferry ride from Sydney (plus if you go there you can feed back to me as to what it's like as me and the missus will be going out there in thre next couple of years to hook up with my cuz and surf with him, as he did with us at Joss Bay earlier this year.

The only place more hectic than Manly is Bondi....That said, even in a city of 3m+ in a country that is big on surfing, Manly only sometimes gets too crowded. Its a beautiful area, particularly being in the middle of a city.

If you want to check out Manly, a surfer/photographer called Joel Coleman (Saltmotion) takes photos of Manly and surrounds every day and posts them on line (or sends them to you by email)

http://www.saltmotion.com/daily-photos

Peazz, Coolum is interesting - 70% backpackers under 25 and 30% people staying at the 5 star resort (usually over 40). So its a mix of grungy backpacker bars and cheap eats with upmarket cafes and restaurants...

In terms of surfing, my memory is that if you look at a map and spot Noosa main beach, then look just south there is a headland (in between main beach and sunshine beach). There are various surf spots around that headland - I'm not sure how you get to some of them as there are no roads, a long walk I guess (there is a paved walk way all the way around). But just south of main beach is Little Cove, which was a fun spot although fair small waves when I was there.

Actually, this map shows the spots

http://waveexplorers.com/surfspot/austr ... ove-noosa/

[peazz]

Thanks DTC, U are full of useful info mate!

Just went out to Coolum main beach for a early morning session opposite the surf center, Finally caught some decent waves after 3 n half week of intense paddling and getting used to my shortboard..I have realised that my board is wave dependant, and does not like blown out slop or anything under 2ft. apart from that i love it!

I have got it all on go pro so hopefully be able to sort out a little video edit once i have some more footage.

Overall, im still an absolute beginner, learning the ropes, but im finally making real progression on my feet, Will go check out these spots later. Been super windy past few days here in coolum so need to find some protection

[dtc]

I have realised that my board is wave dependant, and does not like blown out slop or anything under 2ft. apart from that i love it!

Now you know why people have longboards as well.

Although I suspect you are more of a grovellor type - if you are heading through Currumbin (on the Gold Coast) on your way back, see if you have time to stop at the Firewire 'factory' and demo some of their grovellor boards (usually with 'potato' in its name - potatonator, sweet potato, baked potato etc). Very short fat and thick - eg the baked potato at 5' 10" is 22 1/2" x 2 7/8" (and at your weight you may actually be looking at something shorter). Anyway, these are longboard substitutes, to some extent, for the smaller waves. I have never surfed them but they usually get described as skateboards on waves. Potentially worthwhile for HK surf as well.

(Firewire has a very comprehensive website if you are interested in looking further)

I'm very far from a Noosa expert - about 2 weeks total in my life have been spent there and I was on a family holiday and renting a board. There must be others with more idea of what to do and where to go.

[peazz]

Funny you should say, I actually have a carver skateboard back in Hong Kong, I LOVE ripping up the slops and getting in the tight arching turns.

I really really hate longboards, Ive tried many times but just dont like them, If i mess up the drop and pearl its to much pressure on my lower back and it hurts (and normally ends my sessions).

Heading down to the gold coast for christmas and wont be far from Currumbin so will head down there and test out some boards for sure

[peazz]

First Real Wave on both feet with my JS Evo

[dtc]

Funny you should say, I actually have a carver skateboard back in Hong Kong

Old Peak Road would make a good skate route...

Nice photo

[peazz]

Here another pic, Only fault with this one is I dropped in on another surfer, I went through the video frame by frame and seems he was going straight so no sweat (i think). I keep going for my bottom turn and I can never get ahead of the white wash to the unbroken face, either my pop up is still to slow or im not angling enough.

[dtc]

Since I'm not a shortboarder this may be off the mark, but remember thrusters are designed to be ridden 'rail to rail' (ie little wobbles back and forth) to pick up speed. On a shorter board you have to actively work to get that speed; the board wont do it for you. Check out 'pumping' on the net, I'm sure there are people who know what they are talking about who can explain better.