[SA Chris]

Bonkers. Sandwood and Eoropie are showing 18 second period. There must be shelter spots firing all up the channel.

[BrutusTheBear]

There's a photo at the top of my Instantspam page and a video panning from the point through Ralph's and onto Saunton in my highlights here: https://www.instagram.com/brutusthebear/
Lot's of highlights on Nick Lloyd's Instantspam:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKwQbLgg-W2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Getting destroyed: https://www.instagram.com/p/CKrcWLVHk-3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKrYxlyHNR2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
The 'unknown' surfer in this pic is Jack whom I take some of my pupils out with on Friday mornings in the warmer months. Getting pitted on Sunday morning before it got out of control.
https://magicseaweed.com/photo/404373/album/c406e949c024ccfba82f0be33fa52382/
It was BIG!:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKwWXx3AREL/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
I'm biding my time for a smaller more friendly point break later in the week when all the pros have noodle arms and need a rest!

[BrutusTheBear]

It was the biggest waves I have ever seen here, to live close enough to be able to witness in person was incredible.  My children were mesmerised, just stood there mouths open staring.  The power of nature!

[SA Chris]

https://magicseaweed.com/Aberdeen-Beach-Surf-Report/41/

Looks like east coast is getting the monster waves on weekend. Will be utterly unsurfable, but I'll definitely be out with the camera down the cliffs. Looks like Weathergeddon!

[BrutusTheBear]

https://magicseaweed.com/Aberdeen-Beach-Surf-Report/41/

Looks like east coast is getting the monster waves on weekend. Will be utterly unsurfable, but I'll definitely be out with the camera down the cliffs. Looks like Weathergeddon!

Wowsers!! Huge swell, howling onshores and snow!   Should be fun.  I guess the most special thing about the swell that hit down here is that it wasn't accompanied by the usual onshore gales.  Any east facing nooks and crannies that it could wrap into Chris?

[Lopez]

Looks decent farther South in spots with a North aspect. There'll be a lot of sickies in the NE this week if the forecast holds

[Oldmanmatt]

First thought:

I wish I was twenty years younger with no responsibility, again.

Second thought:

Thank fuck I’m not twenty years younger and I have obligations, now.

I lived from ‘75- ‘98 on that coast (near Polzeath) I’ve never seen it that clean at that size.
Definitely seen bigger (I was watching the Scoppolus Sky come aground on Doyden point, with my Dad (the local copper),, that was massive. Worth reading about the lifeboat skipper, Trevor England, and what he pulled off that day, Hero. Nuts to watch, spray so bad the Helo’s had to put down almost 2 miles inland).

Edit:
Here, the RNLI account:

https://lifeboatmagazinearchive.rnli.org/volume/47/472/the-greek-freighter-skopelos-sky?searchterm=Yacht+Gan&page=886

[BrutusTheBear]

Looks decent farther South in spots with a North aspect. There'll be a lot of sickies in the NE this week if the forecast holds

Looks tasty.  A least there won't be half of Kernow invading during these times.

[SA Chris]

Wowsers!! Huge swell, howling onshores and snow!   Should be fun.  I guess the most special thing about the swell that hit down here is that it wasn't accompanied by the usual onshore gales.  Any east facing nooks and crannies that it could wrap into Chris?

There's the tiny beach in the corner just south of Stonehaven Harbour, but that's a bit sketch, it has the harbour wall right by it's side, might even be too big for that. Then there are a few little bays just to the south of Stonehaven, but they are unknown entities in these conditions. The point at Inverbervie can work amazingly in a strong northerly wrapping in, but in a strong easterly even that blows out. Might be a day for wrapping up, taking camera and going for a walk. Or just getting touring skis out and finding some fresh snow on sheltered forest tracks!

[gme]

As per usual MSW has the winds wrong and they will be worse than they are forecasting. Pretty much howling easterlies all through the swell, to be expected as its the local winds causing it. An infamous, polluted right hander will be firing but the rest of the coast will be blown out mess.

Probably a window of about 4-5 hours at the end of it when a load of fickle spots will be firing though if your in the right place at the right time.

I have spent hours driving this coast in these kind of swells and always disappointed. We dont have the nooks and crannies you get in the SW. Aberdeen coast maybe better, i would have thought spots round Lossiemouth would work if the wind has a bit of South in it.

[SA Chris]

They would, but Lossie West beach (and Burghead) are, strictly speaking, out of bounds being in Morayshire.

Plus about 2 hours drive, covering some high roads which will be pretty sketchy in this weather, probably closed.

Will the little beach at Beadnell tucked in by the harbour produce anything? 

[Falling Down]

Interesting article about a new book “Afrosurf” on surfing in Africa. 

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/apr/20/surfers-sharks-big-wave-africa-dungeons-afrosurf-heroes-cass-collier

[SA Chris]

waters filled with great white sharks,

Aye, right.

Otherwise, really good article, thanks.

[A Jooser]

By chance I read the following in the newspaper yesterday (behind a paywall online but the first few paragraphs give the gist)...
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/great-white-bite-in-board-sparks-fears-for-south-african-surfer-robert-frauenstein-6jtb9rjqs

I've also recently been reading the fascinating, terrifying first-hand accounts of the soldiers who survived the wreck of the Birkenhead near Gansbaai in 1852. Apparently the locals still call great whites 'Tommy Sharks'?!

I was always sceptical that sharks could ever be much of a threat but maybe they do eat the unlucky ones!

Certainly an interesting article, Falling Down, thanks for posting it.

[SA Chris]

And don't forget the USS Indianapolis...



I sometimes wonder if we were lucky, but as kids we used to go on holiday on the Transkei Wild Coast and swim on any of the beaches and in the lagoons and river mouths which I know now are really sharky. Closest we got to one was hooking a 2 ft sandshark (spiky as hell) from a cheap rubber dinghy and one of us having to swim for shore with the line so as to not puncture the boat.

[Oldmanmatt]

And don't forget the USS Indianapolis...



I sometimes wonder if we were lucky, but as kids we used to go on holiday on the Transkei Wild Coast and swim on any of the beaches and in the lagoons and river mouths which I know now are really sharky. Closest we got to one was hooking a 2 ft sandshark (spiky as hell) from a cheap rubber dinghy and one of us having to swim for shore with the line so as to not puncture the boat.

A mate and I were surfing a beach break a few tens of miles down the coast from Lagos. A little way along, the locals were fishing. Big old outrigger with ~10 fellas paddling, a net ~60/80 mtrs, staked at one end.
We stopped to watch them as the sun set. The big Hawaii 50 out and back through the surf, in a semi circle around the stake and then a mob of locals haul both ends in.
There was a huge friggin Tiger Shark in the net.

[Falling Down]

Erm... the book and article isn’t really about sharks.

[A Jooser]

Indeed. In case anyone missed it, there was actually a photo essay on the BBC website a few months back about Senegal's first female professional surfer, Khadjou Sambe, who didn't really get a mention in that article.

[SA Chris]

Erm... the book and article isn’t really about sharks.

Agreed sorry, just that line stood out. The rest is good writing.

[Falling Down]

I wasn’t having a dig. Just thought it was worth mentioning 

[SA Chris]

Since when has any topc on UKB not wandered off

Quite like this story too

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-australia-56798218

[Fiend]

Talking about Aussie surfers being reunited with things...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-56979429

"The shark isn't getting its tooth back [and] I'm not getting my leg back."

[SA Chris]

Wonder what the rules are now in South Africa? We went to the Sharks Board (responsible for maintaining the nets on the beaches) on a school trip and each got given a small shark tooth as a souvenir. There were about 40 of us.

[SA Chris]

Anyone find popping up annoys tennis elbow? Had a long stretch in the water on Saturday, and it's felt a bit tweaky on right arm ever since.

[Oldmanmatt]

Anyone find popping up annoys tennis elbow? Had a long stretch in the water on Saturday, and it's felt a bit tweaky on right arm ever since.

Were you cold?
That used to irritate mine, more than specific movements.

Anyway, not sure if this shouldn’t be in the nnfn, but I put my winter wetsuit on yesterday (back zip, 20 years old) and did my usual, Billy no mates, trick of wrapping the zip strap around a door handle and doing a squat to zip up.
Bit stiffer than usual, because my Lats and pecs are a bit bigger this year.
Frigging zip exploded. Beyond repair.
I had to admit the damn thing just doesn’t fit anymore and it’s pointless getting it repaired. It’s around 30% patches and glue too.
Damned expensive for a 5/4! WTF!
Anyway, ordered a front zip.