Cyclone Seth Surf - Queensland Aust

Hi Guys,
I thought some of you may be interested in seeing some photos of surf whipped up by Cyclone Seth on the Queensland coast recently.

These photos were taken by Murray Hayes who took time out from enjoying the surf himself to capture these images off Point Cartright at Mooloolaba.

Enjoy!

 

Still more...

Remarkably few craft were broken, but as you can see almost everyone went out on Spec Skis.

Those were not conditions for ocean skis!

Thanks again to Murray for the photos!

Nice photos of a pretty hectic looking session in the surf! Thanks.
In that last photo the surf ski appears to be going right across the face of the wave. Was it just in the process of exiting out the back or was that an angle that could be held? It's hard for me to imagine holding such an angle without an edge on the hull but maybe you guys have the skills to do it with your brace stroke (on right side in that shot)? I can't imagine the rudder would be enough.
I'm guessing no leg leash is waves that big?

The ski in the last shot was an old Hayden PR2. 
It has subtle chines from behind the seat through to the tail and combined with a firm right brace (used as a sort of skeg/outrigger) you can hold a line across the face pretty well.  Not as well as a board, but enough... 
Bear in mind that by the time you get to that point on the wave you're probably doing 30 km/h (at least that's what the Garmin registered!) so momentum is also on your side!
I wouldn't be trying that with an ocean ski and certainly wouldn't be doing it with a leg leash!  Best case case scenario you mangle a leg, worst case, you die.
Incidentally, that ski and paddler made it across and out, - upright and in one piece.  But only just...

Awesome! Thanks for sharing. I can't imagine paddling waves that big. I'm sure it would be super fun..... until I wiped out and destroyed my boat and body.

Amazing photos. Thanks for sharing!

I surf shorebreak but stop when it gets to about 1m/3ft. Maybe a little bigger, but once its overhead it gets sketchy around me.

When shorebreak is this big (2 or 3m?) how do you get outside the line? Just wait for a lull and try to punch through a 1.5m face? or do you have a harbor/jetty/break wall to help?

What's it like getting caught inside on one of these? I've been caught inside on a 1.5m wave on my old Fenn XT and that was enough of a pounding to decide I shouldnt do that anymore. Do you usually get kicked out right away so you're floating right at the break line? does your boat usually stay in the break or does it get pulled in?

I'd love to hear more about some stories of success and failure when you take a swim in the break  zone

Hi MC,

Thanks for your questions.

Those photos were taken at Point Cartright.  Getting out is actually pretty easy.  There's a protected beach inside a breakwater, so it's just a case of paddling out and timing your run through a drop zone, - then you literally paddle around the waves, and wait for a set.
Occasionally you might get caught (there's a photo of that in the first set of pictures) and then it can get a little interesting...

In the last photo a good portion of the wave face in obscured by the wave in front.  Most estimates from those there on the day, put the face at around 8 metres, so about a 4 metre wave, - maybe a little less.

If you lose your ski at that location, you'll either be picking pieces of it out of the rock wall, or your ski will end up "some distance" away.  Either way, you're in for a bit of a swim.

If you do "lose it" in those conditions, - get away from the ski.  If you're still on the ski when the wave breaks on you, your weight in the seat will destroy it.  The other thing most people that I know do as well, is roll into a ball and cover their heads.

These things fairly rocket into the air with the force of a wave and when they come down, you don't want to be under them!