Gallery: Four Pumping Days In WA
Tony Breen from the local pub The Common looks on for one last bomb before opening the bar
COASTALWATCH | SWELL DIARIES
Photos by Tom Pearsall // Words by Jason Lock
A huge swell pulse rifled into West Aus last week, making for one of the best sessions of the year so far at North Point and beyond.
This was four days of pumping surf from Sunday August 2 through August 6, with a rest day on the Tuesday while a fresh swell filled in. And your protagonists? A crew of locals only, coupled with the occasional wildlife spotting – because, you know, West Aus.
Early morning Wednesday check.
“It's been a fairly patchy winter down south,” says photographer Tom Pearsall. “Most people have fled north to escape the never-ending fronts, but there's nowhere else to flee so it is bursting at the seams up there.
“This was a week many who braved the fronts relished. A mix of big unruly surf, super fun protected bays, perfect easy-going North Point and then finishing with easily one of the best days of the winter up and down the coast, with North Point firing some of its finest tubes of the year with a relatively small crowd.”
Thursday, Jerome Forrest and Tom Pearsall searched the coast looking for somewhere with a bit more grunt. This is the result.
By the Wednesday, everyone had begun checking North Point from early on. “Everyone was waiting for it to hit after that tiny Tuesday,” said Tom. “Two pm surf check. Nothing breaking, two ft on the inside ledge.
“But by 3pm, the new swell arrived. Sixteen second period. I'm out there. Probably five of us out. Unheard of 20 wave set had us seriously excited. Everyone hooting and hollering. Followed by 40 min lull. Next set, eight waves and building. Each set getting bigger. Serious grunt in it. Crowd starts to fills up but still, winter crowds are not too bad. Day ends pumping with solid sets.”
Keg after keg.
And the Thursday was arguably the gem in the crown: “Amazing conditions but quite a moderate offshore. I could shoot one set, drive to a new location, shoot the next one. Like clockwork. Nearly all locals in the water. Few crew from the city got humbled pretty quick, these were proper freight trains.
“At lunchtime I left North Point with goofy-footer Jerome Forrest to shoot a notorious left slab. Very solid 8ft, close out sets. Tricky to get out. Jerome got one screamer then wind wafted a bit too southerly, the rip started and conditions deteriorated quickly. Time for a beer.”
Some waves you just have to scramble through.
Messy conditions on the Sunday but Jack Robinson manages to find a keg.
Kids these days... George Simpson adds a little gas.
Jano Belos' first surf back since months out of the water with a broken foot.
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This gallery also appeared on Magic Seaweed
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