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Surfing upwind and downwind!
8 years 9 months ago #24748
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Surfing upwind and downwind! was created by 10153610954287801@facebook
La Perouse Gazette - 22 September 2015
By Jean De Florette
Is it possible to surf on a ocean ski both upwind and downwind? Sounds a bit far fetched you may justifiably say, but this is what I have experienced yesterday on my favourite paddle, from Malabar to Botany and back. The conditions seemed quite mild inside long bay and in fact a passer by commented on how glassy the water looked in Long Bay. The reason for that was that there was a South Westerly wind of approximately 10-15 knots and a Southerly swell of 1 to 1.5 metre. Once outside Long Bay the water was alive as I paddled in a general south Easterly direction and the interval between the waves was short. Some backwash against the cliffs provide the lift and wave I was looking for.
As soon as I get the lift from the oncoming swell and the ski is at the crest of the wave, this is the time to dog deep and paddle hard in order to surf the back of the swell. As you start to accelerate towards the next coming wave, a look to the right and left gives you an idea of the water movement. It's different to paddling in a straight line in enclosed water: one must be on the look out for change in current which I mostly attribute to the contour of the ocean floor. What makes this run special and why I have named it the La Perouse Glide is as follows:
(1) about 3/4 kilometre off shore from the entrance of Botany Bay there is a sharp drop in the depth of the water which is evident when you look at a satellite map of the area.
(2) when the ground swell is coming from the South East, and it hits the shallower water, it accentuates the shape of the wave and can turn reasonably mild swell into this sweeping deep swell
And as you accelerate at the back of each wave, literally surfing, then as the oncoming wave lifts the craft, you will experience and amazing uplift. After about 3 kilometres if this up/down and sideways motion, the head feels a bit and it is time to turn around for an even better experience. Watching out for a big swell to go past, I do a sweeping turn and head back to Malabar in a general North Westerly direction this time and funny enough, it's Centre Point tower that becomes my landmark! The return journey is fast, surf across the face of the waves all the way to the entrance of Long Bay. The trick as I have learnt from Deano is to look for the holes. The only problem for beginners is actually seeing the holes. The craft has to move as fast as the water or faster before you can discern the so called 'holes'. They suddenly appear ahead or on either side and you can see the general directionin which the holes are moving. This is where stability comes into play!
If I was sitting on a tippy light carbon ski, I would have fallen off quite often as you need to rapidly change direction and follow the holes and eventually as you get better you will start to join the holes, and this is what experienced paddlers and coaches call "catching runs". The craft will surf faster than the water and with enough momentum it will catch up top the wave in front of you and if you are either lucky or have a good technique and a well shaped hull, this can continue for a considerable distance. It is important not to get carried away and want to join ALL the holes as you may get tired or the cockpit swamped, which some people call broaching. If you miss one wave, be patient as there is always another coming behind that one which you think you missed...!
Now here is the trick that the coaches are not mentioning... if you look at the shape of the cockpit, you will notice that there is a cutout section just above the back of the seat. This is top allow out to lean backwards in order to pop the bow up in case it buries under water. Also, leaning back and paddling hard at the same time is what makes you accelerate down a wave. I had always wondered why was my ski surfing for short distances and basically grinding to a stop at the bottom of the wave. It was simply because the bow was under water and too much resistance and friction was slowing the natural gliding motion. There was too much hull below the waterline!!! Now I am having the time of my life surfing left and right and looking for the holes over the left and right shoulder but I must say that the stability and weight of my 15 kg craft have been a reassuring factor as it is stable and importantly forgiving enough to want to correct itself if I am cutting across a wave at an angle that is too agressive. Whilst looking in all direction, it is crucial to keep the body in as upright as possible top maintain the centre of gravity and if it so happens that the craft is starting to lean and wants to eject the pilot, just lift your bum ever so slightly and the ski will right itself, at least mine does!
I so wish that I had my Garmin GPS watch on that day! Anyway, for now, have a look at the change in depth of the water that I referred to earlier in the story!
Happy surfing! and y
es, you can surf both ways...!!!
By Jean De Florette
Is it possible to surf on a ocean ski both upwind and downwind? Sounds a bit far fetched you may justifiably say, but this is what I have experienced yesterday on my favourite paddle, from Malabar to Botany and back. The conditions seemed quite mild inside long bay and in fact a passer by commented on how glassy the water looked in Long Bay. The reason for that was that there was a South Westerly wind of approximately 10-15 knots and a Southerly swell of 1 to 1.5 metre. Once outside Long Bay the water was alive as I paddled in a general south Easterly direction and the interval between the waves was short. Some backwash against the cliffs provide the lift and wave I was looking for.
As soon as I get the lift from the oncoming swell and the ski is at the crest of the wave, this is the time to dog deep and paddle hard in order to surf the back of the swell. As you start to accelerate towards the next coming wave, a look to the right and left gives you an idea of the water movement. It's different to paddling in a straight line in enclosed water: one must be on the look out for change in current which I mostly attribute to the contour of the ocean floor. What makes this run special and why I have named it the La Perouse Glide is as follows:
(1) about 3/4 kilometre off shore from the entrance of Botany Bay there is a sharp drop in the depth of the water which is evident when you look at a satellite map of the area.
(2) when the ground swell is coming from the South East, and it hits the shallower water, it accentuates the shape of the wave and can turn reasonably mild swell into this sweeping deep swell
And as you accelerate at the back of each wave, literally surfing, then as the oncoming wave lifts the craft, you will experience and amazing uplift. After about 3 kilometres if this up/down and sideways motion, the head feels a bit and it is time to turn around for an even better experience. Watching out for a big swell to go past, I do a sweeping turn and head back to Malabar in a general North Westerly direction this time and funny enough, it's Centre Point tower that becomes my landmark! The return journey is fast, surf across the face of the waves all the way to the entrance of Long Bay. The trick as I have learnt from Deano is to look for the holes. The only problem for beginners is actually seeing the holes. The craft has to move as fast as the water or faster before you can discern the so called 'holes'. They suddenly appear ahead or on either side and you can see the general directionin which the holes are moving. This is where stability comes into play!
If I was sitting on a tippy light carbon ski, I would have fallen off quite often as you need to rapidly change direction and follow the holes and eventually as you get better you will start to join the holes, and this is what experienced paddlers and coaches call "catching runs". The craft will surf faster than the water and with enough momentum it will catch up top the wave in front of you and if you are either lucky or have a good technique and a well shaped hull, this can continue for a considerable distance. It is important not to get carried away and want to join ALL the holes as you may get tired or the cockpit swamped, which some people call broaching. If you miss one wave, be patient as there is always another coming behind that one which you think you missed...!
Now here is the trick that the coaches are not mentioning... if you look at the shape of the cockpit, you will notice that there is a cutout section just above the back of the seat. This is top allow out to lean backwards in order to pop the bow up in case it buries under water. Also, leaning back and paddling hard at the same time is what makes you accelerate down a wave. I had always wondered why was my ski surfing for short distances and basically grinding to a stop at the bottom of the wave. It was simply because the bow was under water and too much resistance and friction was slowing the natural gliding motion. There was too much hull below the waterline!!! Now I am having the time of my life surfing left and right and looking for the holes over the left and right shoulder but I must say that the stability and weight of my 15 kg craft have been a reassuring factor as it is stable and importantly forgiving enough to want to correct itself if I am cutting across a wave at an angle that is too agressive. Whilst looking in all direction, it is crucial to keep the body in as upright as possible top maintain the centre of gravity and if it so happens that the craft is starting to lean and wants to eject the pilot, just lift your bum ever so slightly and the ski will right itself, at least mine does!
I so wish that I had my Garmin GPS watch on that day! Anyway, for now, have a look at the change in depth of the water that I referred to earlier in the story!
Happy surfing! and y
es, you can surf both ways...!!!
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