Charlie Straumeitis

When Monday's south swell hit in Sydney crew with time on their hands bolted north or south. There's not that many places that handle the prevailing swell and wind conditions within the city limits. One of the few places that was handling it, although it was a bit wild and woolly, kept Eastern Suburbs surfers busy all morning.

Charlie Straumeitis parked himself on the headland and shot surfers taking the 'Cake.

The swell that hit the East Coast over the weekend was a good all-rounder. Not only was it easterly in direction, getting into most coastal nooks, but the mid-range size sparked up the reefs without overpowering the beaches. Plenty of places, therefore, were pumping, not the least of them the Sutherland Shire, as Charlie Straumeitis' photos attest.

Last week we ran a session titled 'King Hit' featuring Old Baldy copping an uncharacteristic drubbing at the hands of Cape Solander. The following day the lads at STAB ran an impromptu questionnaire around the Solander lineup regarding Kelly's performance. Big-name surfers were apparently talking about his dominance and “ability to control the ocean”.

Well, who's to argue? Office jockeys like me who didn't even see the session? Hell no!

Kelly Slater made a return to Cape Solander yesterday, though it wasn't quite as succesful as last Autumn's hit 'n run session that resulted in a few mag covers. While the swell was ruler sharp out of the south-east the wind was playing havoc on the exposed Kurnell coastline. With the options shut down at the mainbreak Slater took on the next wave south with mixed success.

These photos are old but they're not old news...

Way back in April, with a solid swell hitting the Sydney coast, Wylie Moyes and Luke Kennedy drove south from the Eastern Suburbs looking for waves. Timing their run well they arrived at Cape Solander after the nor-wester, which kept the lineup clear all morning, backed off to light and variable. The fellas surfed all arvo with an audience of one - photographer Charlie Straumietis. A rarity at the Cape these days.