Saturday at Bells - photos

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

So the much-anticipated storm hit the southern states today with South Oz, Tasmania, and Vicco copping a cannonade of swell. The organisers of the Bells 50 Year Storm contest pulled the plug as they didn't expect it to reach the 12 foot threshold which freed up the lineup for punters and weekend warriors - at least those who were armed and intent.

Judy Scanlon dodged the traffic and celebrated her birthday atop the Bells cliffs shooting the swell.

All photos by Judy.

 

Comments

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Saturday, 24 Jun 2017 at 9:36pm

Pumpin'!

Looks pretty raw- reckon it would have been damn hard work out there.

crip's picture
crip's picture
crip Sunday, 25 Jun 2017 at 12:45am

Big, raw and lumpy.
I briefly contemplated going out then thought about it. in the words of Dirty Harry: "man's got to know his limitations".
There were only about 10 out at Bells and when I first rocked up, only 1 at Winki, towing. Then some others went out, mostly on guns. That was about 3pm. I wonder if the wind had just turned offshore.
The amount of water moving was amazing and a bit scary, even further down at sparrows and steps.
I couldn't believe how few people were out, on a Saturday arvo! At 3pm, nobody at boobs thru to bird rock. Never seen that before.

geek's picture
geek's picture
geek Sunday, 25 Jun 2017 at 8:39am

That was Ross Clarke Jones being towed!

frankson beans's picture
frankson beans's picture
frankson beans Sunday, 25 Jun 2017 at 3:14pm

Big shout out to the two 15 year old girls who paddled out on 6'2"s and caught waves amongst the crew on 8-9 ft guns. Caught waves at the peak of the swell over 2 sessions. Shame no photos as that was THE storey of the day, other than not running the contest!!

frankson beans's picture
frankson beans's picture
frankson beans Sunday, 25 Jun 2017 at 3:15pm

Big shout out to the two 15 year old girls who paddled out on 6'2"s and caught waves amongst the crew on 8-9 ft guns. Caught waves at the peak of the swell over 2 sessions. Shame no photos as that was THE storey of the day, other than not running the contest!!

geek's picture
geek's picture
geek Sunday, 25 Jun 2017 at 9:01pm

Couple of pics of the girls on @cahill_tokenvictorian Insta. Incredible stuff!

aussieguy's picture
aussieguy's picture
aussieguy Thursday, 29 Jun 2017 at 2:09pm

Detailed interview and photos. Sounds like these girls really charged it.
http://www.coastalwatch.com/surfing/21742/14-charging-harder-than-you

crustt's picture
crustt's picture
crustt Sunday, 25 Jun 2017 at 4:33pm

Ross Clarke Jones was being towed in while a couple of 15 year old girls were paddling in. How embarrassing. :D

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Tuesday, 27 Jun 2017 at 6:36am

I heard they are 14 years old? Crazy either way. Lots of photos of them on swellnets other "competition" website.

gannet's picture
gannet's picture
gannet Sunday, 25 Jun 2017 at 6:22pm

Ha ha
I'm with you on this crustt
However, its a bit like saying Daniel Ricciardo was racing around Albert Park while two 15yo girls were riding their pushies.
(Props to the paddlers concerned)

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Sunday, 25 Jun 2017 at 7:15pm

Yeah it was a bit of a weird one watching that.
RCJ obviously doesn't have to prove anything to anyone and is a legend of the big wave scene, but it was a bit odd seeing him tow when people were comfortably paddling. Anywhoo, small issue in the scheme of things

sharkman's picture
sharkman's picture
sharkman Monday, 26 Jun 2017 at 8:35am

or riding a 5 9 board is more fun than paddling on bigger boards , so no issue !
RCJ has been there done the paddle thing , and its boring compared to high performance tow surfing , where you get more waves and can surf bigger waves on a shortboard!

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Monday, 26 Jun 2017 at 9:46am

Yep that's true

Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017's picture
Winkipop2017 Monday, 26 Jun 2017 at 10:08pm

On a day that the ocean was moving left faster that the waves were breaking! And no one out at winki!
With it supposedly only being 8-12ft
If you had a ski and board would you not just go out and catch 100 winki walls
Rather than try paddle back from boobs to get one wave every 3 hrs!
Or be a hellman and take the drop on 12ft sideshore winki! When 30 years ago before jetskis were around he was paddling waves 3× the size?
But embarrassing? Hardly"smart more likely.

Not many can say. I will tow today it's only 12ft and empty winkipop...
Tomorrow when its 40ft I will paddle!
Or maybe you can Goofyfoot! At south side!

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Sunday, 25 Jun 2017 at 8:12pm

A kneeboard charger was first out that morn according to RCj - And they thought the swell was going to build so they made the call to tow...but it dropped off.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Sunday, 25 Jun 2017 at 8:18pm

The kneelo was ripping Udo

Gary G's picture
Gary G's picture
Gary G Monday, 26 Jun 2017 at 4:15pm

x2 on that, Goofy.
Best on ground for the morning session.

Seesea images's picture
Seesea images's picture
Seesea images Monday, 26 Jun 2017 at 1:13pm

The kneeboarder was Luke Hynes. He was first out. I was taking photos from the button and spoke to him when he got out. I showed him some of the shots and he was stoked, going to send them to him.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 27 Jun 2017 at 9:26am

Get any good ones of him?

Seesea images's picture
Seesea images's picture
Seesea images Tuesday, 27 Jun 2017 at 10:39am

Yeh got a couple. I'll put them on my Facebook @seeseaimages.

JMB's picture
JMB's picture
JMB Tuesday, 27 Jun 2017 at 10:06am

Did many sets come through like this? - https://www.facebook.com/seeseaimages/photos/a.1206296269390663.10737418...

That is a lot of water.

Seesea images's picture
Seesea images's picture
Seesea images Tuesday, 27 Jun 2017 at 10:42am

Early it was massive! I was setting up on the button before the sun came up and you could just see the whitewash. There were sets closing out the whole bay!!! I moved back from the edge.....! Went down the coast a little in the arvo and that was epic!

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Sunday, 25 Jun 2017 at 8:35pm

surf wind sand photography Instagram has a Bomb wave of the Kneeboarder and the whiteout vid shows how big and wild it was !
Your DS would have loved it ?

Toppa's picture
Toppa's picture
Toppa Tuesday, 27 Jun 2017 at 1:25pm

Udo I would love to see the picture of the kneelo but am unable to locate 'surf wind sand photography'. Can you provide any more details re. this site? Cheers Toppa

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 27 Jun 2017 at 1:28pm
Toppa's picture
Toppa's picture
Toppa Tuesday, 27 Jun 2017 at 1:38pm

Thanks Stu!

GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley's picture
GuySmiley Tuesday, 27 Jun 2017 at 9:57am

Any photos of Cathedral on the day?

cb3d's picture
cb3d's picture
cb3d Tuesday, 27 Jun 2017 at 12:15pm

yeah I got a good one but can't work out how to post it!