Far outside the Far North Coast - photos

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

Save for one or two select locations, the far north coast of NSW isn't a big wave zone. Between Byron and Tweed Heads the coast runs straight with few scallops or turns, and even those are so shallow they're overpowered by a big swell.

Which is what happened yesterday after the largest south swell in twelve months pushed up the coast leaving surfers of the far north coast with just two options: tow surf or mind surf.

As Ben Matson stood on the headland a tow team worked the outside bar while a bank to the south fired up the imagination.

All photos by Ben.

Postscript: It wasn't just the sheer size causing havoc but the conveyor belt sweep that made it impossible for paddle surfers to hold position. Stay tuned for an upcoming article on longshore drift.

Comments

mundies's picture
mundies's picture
mundies Tuesday, 22 Aug 2017 at 8:59pm

Ouch my paddle muscles

alsurf's picture
alsurf's picture
alsurf Tuesday, 22 Aug 2017 at 10:29pm

that house on the headlands gotta have the best real estate in Australia

no-eye-deer's picture
no-eye-deer's picture
no-eye-deer Wednesday, 23 Aug 2017 at 8:09am

That's Aquaman's house, it will be gone soon after filming finishes up.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Wednesday, 23 Aug 2017 at 8:22am

Surely someone's made a bid for it? I wonder if the first home owner's grant would apply. 

tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter Wednesday, 23 Aug 2017 at 7:30pm

You can usually bid on most of the set after production is done.

PhilR's picture
PhilR's picture
PhilR Wednesday, 23 Aug 2017 at 8:38pm

Thanks Stu and Ben for an interesting report - quite a contrast to around the corner on the Goldie where Greenmount was a very pleasant chest to head high around this time and running off nicely down the bank. Look forward to the upcoming notes on longshore drift - it seems to have been a fact of life here on the Coast pretty much forever! Cheers!!