Craig Brokensha

Yesterday, as per forecast, the wind in southern NSW switched suddenly. After blowing north-east for 24 hours, and building a medium-sized local windswell to boot, it swung offshore north-west just before lunchtime. The window of opportunity had opened. Those surfers on the ball, or those on school holidays, were rewarded with a few hours of airbrushed perfection. The sudden transformation from windblown mess to real quality contrasting against the further transformation to this morning's abject flatness. The window of opportunity slammed shut.

The past Autumn and Winter was a very good one on the East Cost of Australia. In fact some surf publication even went so far as to call it the best Winter ever. Which would make it even better than last Winter which was the best on record. And let's not forget 2007, which was the best in living memory.

Best ever calls - in whatever guise they come - are so passe. Let's just be happy and say, "Well fuck, didn't it pump in 2011?" while remembering the sessions with wistful nostalgia.

After a slow start to the year the 2011 vintage, East Coast variety, is exceeding all expectations. Yet more favourable weather last week - strong winds, driving rain - provided ideal conditions for the weekend run.

Craig Brokensha quaffed from the latest batch. All photos taken by him somewhere on the East Coast. //STUART NETTLE

The huge south swell that hit the East Coast today peaked at eight metres on the Sydney waverider buoy - impressive by anyones standard. Unfortunately, the swell came with 25 knots of relentless onshore wind and limited the surfing opportunities on most of the exposed coasts.

The swell was so large however, that a few mysto waves inside Sydney Harbour - some that lay dormant for 364 days of the year - came to life for surfers seeking urban adventure on an otherwise unsurfable day.