The surf had been knee high for almost 2 whole weeks. Every day I would check the 5-day forecast looking for that change when finally, after days and days of checking, I saw it. Another week of tiny waves ahead but the light at the end of the tunnel, well week, showed 4-6ft one day then 12-15ft the next. This was the largest forecast I’ve ever seen for Sydney surf. The Northern Beaches of Sydney was about to cop a hammering. The swell was courtesy of 2 huge lows off the coast of NSW combining in a extremely rare manor. Unfortunately it was bringing with it an extremely cold snap with max temperatures at only 16 degrees, which means half that early morning, so defiantly not a boardies session. Rubber would be needed.
A surfer’s anticipation really starts to grow when you see a forecast like this. How big will it get? Where will I surf? How good will it be? Will it be offshore? What size board will I take? Will I get smashed? All these questions will be answered soon.
It got to the day before the first rise in the swell and the anticipation was almost at its max, as was the nervousness. It was now time to study the wind, the swell direction and the tides to come to a decision where I would surf this mammoth swell. The beach breaks would no doubt be too big so there were going to be limited options. At this stage all indications were leading me to my beloved Dee Why Point.
On the morning of the big show the surf report’s forecast, as usual, had dropped. Not a lot, but looking like a solid 8-10ft as opposed to an outrageous 12-15ft. This I didn’t mind at all. It was so cold I put my wetsuit on at home and did my warm up prep in the warmth of my lounge room. I was ready. Driving down to the surf I was excited, nervous and pumped, all at the same time.
I pulled up to the car park and strolled across to get a full view of the point. Immediately I could see and feel the energy of the ocean. The wind was cold from the west, grooming the waves perfectly and the early sun was shinning through the back of the waves lighting up the open faces. After watching for ten minutes or so it looked to be around 6ft and no bigger sets had rolled through so i felt pretty comfortable. I decided to paddle out from the corner of the beach along the rocks. soon after the intensity of the current. Within moments it took me down the beach away from the point toward where the bigger waves were coming in closing out across the beach. I was pretty much in the worst spot when a much larger set appeared on the horizon. I was about to get cleaned up. Breaking way in front of me i prepared to duck dive under it knowing i had no chance. It pulled me from the board and basically inialated me. After the first one i copped another 3 or 4 on the head and by the time the set had subsided I had been washed about 200 metres down the beach and was exhausted. It was bigger than 6ft for sure.
Although exhausted, I just had to give it another go. I slowly walked back up the beach and began my second attempt. This time I made it out to the first channel and as saw no bombs on the horizon continued madly paddling for the point. I made it, but only just making it over a couple of big ones. I was pretty knackered from the previous attempted paddle out and being cleaned up but was out, now it was a matter of deciding where to sit. Worried about the sets if i sat too far inside on the rocks I positioned myself quite wide. It must have been about 30 minutes of watching some great waves been ridden on the inside before i wondered if i would get any waves sitting this wide. Then it came. A huge lump loomed on the horizon that looked to be a lot wider than the other waves, as well as a lot bigger. As it approached i could see that the inside surfers had no chance all scrambling for the horizon and that it was no doubt the one for me.
I was in the perfect spot and the adrenalin was running high. I paddled hard against the stiff offshore wind and as I rose to my feet realising that this was a huge bomb. I took the drop which seemed to take forever before drawing my long bottom turn toward the huge open face. It felt awesome. Making the drop relaxed me and I enjoyed riding it as it allowed a few open turns. As it approached the inside channel I realised that it was going to wash straight through and with the speed I had I was going to make this one all the way through, which is extremely rare. The wave carried me to the next section which grew again as it approached the beach. At this stage I was thrilled and flew down the line where it began to closeout. By the time I turned straight and rode the wave to the shoreline I was way down the beach over 200 metres, the wave being the longest, and biggest, I had ever rode at the point.
I stood on the beach and watched another bomb set closeout through the channel and it was that moment I decided I was done. All that hype, all that lead up and all that effort to get out for just that one wave. Was it worth it you might say, you bet it was!
Only a surfer knows the feeling.
