by Franck Gazzola | Feb 13, 2012 | Daily Updates
I am finding it hard but I am trying to look on the brighter side of life this morning. While trying to get some water shots for todays report at Maroubra I drowned my camera! I've heard stories from other photogs out there of their experiences of flooding their housing but nothing prepares you for that moment of realization that you've had one hell of an expensive stuff up! The good news is that I managed to save the files in the memory card to bring you todays images with the help of the car heater!
Across our beaches there are fun waves to be had. The sun is out and the winds light and variable which is just ideal to go with the 3ft of E swell which is getting pushed our way. Maroubra had some good banks while Bronte looked ok as well. Get out there before the storms roll through again. Max temp of 25 and 90% chance we will get wet.
As for me I'm off to place my order for another couple of cameras. The Nikon D4 and the Nikon D800 is what I'll be looking at. I guess this is the brighter side! Like a kid in a candy store.
Check this slab out….
Bonne chance… for the rest of the week folks – Brad
by Franck Gazzola | Feb 10, 2012 | Daily Updates
There's plenty of waves around again today, but just no good sand banks on offer. I hit up Tama where it was hitting the 3 ft mark. I expect Maroubra to have a few waves as well. There is a huge range in tide today, a 1.8m high and a 0.2m low, so there will be a lot of water moving. So if you see a little bank doing its thing get out there quick smart because it won't last for long! Water is nice at 22 degrees and we should have a top temp of 25. Not bad really – We just have to dodge the showers.
Every morning I get my daily coffee fix from Big Greg who owns the Bronte Cake Shop right next door to our gallery at 145C Macpherson St Bronte. They do the best dog's eyes around and also make custom order birthday cakes. I heard their marble cakes are all the shizzle. Yum. Call them if you need a cake made up! ph : 9369 1021
I found this COOL VIDEO on you tube about the Maldives. I'm getting very amped and have been endlessly sifting through all the footage in excitement. If your keen to join me on a trip from 12th – 22nd May give us a shout HERE and I'll send through some info!
Enjoy the weekend. I'll be boating it up on the harbour!
Cheers – Brad
by Franck Gazzola | Feb 9, 2012 | Daily Updates
It’s my 3rd day in a row on the report and I’m feeling a little fried. After surfing yesterday, then being up until after midnight on the computer, editing photos from the Oakley Big Wave Awards last night, getting up again at 5:30am this morning to shoot again wasn’t exactly what I felt like doing. But hey! You can sleep when you’re dead, right?
Last night’s Big Wave Awards was a swish affair at ‘Simmer on The Bay’, down at Dawes Point. Celebs and surf stars mingled on the harbour wharf while the beer and wine flowed on into the night. Bruce Irons flew out from Hawaii as guest host and presented the awards to all the hell men who made the cut. For details on the BWA, click HERE.
The surf has dropped a little but conditions remain the same. A choppy wind blown mess is the best description I can offer. Still, there are waves and the water is a warm at 23 degrees. I’m waxing up right now!
Billy
by Franck Gazzola | Feb 8, 2012 | Daily Updates
Sloppy chops is the ocean right now and you won’t find much shelter anywhere along this wind blown coast while this horrid ESE wind blowing.
It was bleak and grey on my walk down to Tamarama early this morning. Four very keen surfers were out in the lineup, trying their hardest to get some kind of a ride out of the messy 3 foot lumps that were meandering unevenly into the shore. The sun actually broke through the bleak, grey sky for a while, lighting the beach and sky in crimson and gold. That my friends, was definitely the highlight of the morning!
I didn’t see any bluebottles but the shore is covered in thousands of tiny, pubescent ones. Those little blue discs that haven’t inflated yet or grown tentacles. In my younger years we always called them ‘hats or boats’. I am not even sure if they are baby bluebottles but I can’t see them being anything else. At least they don’t sting!
A little mix of shots today. A couple from Bondi last night, one of Pipeline legend – Gerry Lopez having an SUP at Oz Stand Up Paddle down at Rose Bay yesterday and the rest of Tama this morning.
Have a good one!
Billy
by Franck Gazzola | Feb 7, 2012 | Daily Updates
After doing a quick drive by of the beaches early, I returned home and downloaded the few dark and dismal images I had reluctantly snapped. It just resembled a smaller version of yesterday’s mess and after studying them for a minute or two on my computer screen, I sent them straight to the trash with one forceful tap of the delete key… I have something better for you.
When the strong southerly hit yesterday morning, I took a trip down to Cape Solander (Ours). With so much east in the swell, a south wind actually blows off shore as the wave bends its evilness harder onto the rocks as it peels along the shallow shelf.
There was no one around when I arrived. The place was completely empty and it reminded me of a decade ago, when only a handful of Maroubra guys and a bunch of local body boarders had it on their radar. The gates to the carpark were also closed, which made it look even more isolated. Apart from the container terminal in the distance, The Endeavour sailing into the Bay to claim Indigenous Australia for England, would not have looked out of place at all that morning.
There were a few nice ones coming through as I waited for psycho surfers, Mark Mathews and Dom Wills to turn up and give it a go. Unfortunately, clean empty bombs went unridden for the next 3 hours, thanks to a temperamental jetski which refused to start for the boys. They finally got out there after lunch but by then the wind had turned ballistic and ruined what could have been a nice little session.
Oh well, there’s always next time.
Billy
by Franck Gazzola | Feb 6, 2012 | Daily Updates
It was nice to finally see some sunshine and waves over the weekend. You could say that we had the full combo! Dangerous conditions kept the lifeguards from Waverley and Randwick Council very busy and they put in an amazing effort once again with the hoards of people flocking to our beaches. The twins at Tama caught out a few surfers, scrambling up the rocks and taking a bit of bark off along the way.
Today the swell has kicked even more. South Maroubra is macking out at 6 ft + and so is Bronte. I saw a couple of guys paddle out at Tama but it was very humpy bumpy. They didn't last long at all. Bondi is more sheltered and a bit more user friendly. There's still the odd bomb set but not much shape. I'd say get out of town and find a point break. You may need to hide from that S wind that just blew up!
This is pretty sick from Surfline…
PS – I am going to do a boat trip to the Maldives 12th – 22nd May. Who's coming?It's a great chance to get some cool surf shots of yourself and not to mention a few well deserved barrels. Drop me a line Here… We need 8 more crew.
Happy Monday – Brad
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