by Franck Gazzola | Mar 1, 2013 | Daily Updates
I've been rained off people. Just like most of the trades out there today I had to down the tools. It seems quite fitting as we roll into the first day of Autumn with yet another damp day. The surf is a right off…. Blown out junk and yucky!
So I dived into the hard drive. Searching for some inspiration I came across my Fiji Files…Ooh wow how the memories flooded back. I've been lucky enough to stay at Namotu Island a couple of times in the last few years shooting guests while they have the time of their lives in the crystal clear water and pumping waves. There is a long left hander straight out front and there is a fun softer right hander on the other side of the Island. Perfect for learners! The famous breaks of Cloudbreak, Resturants and Tavarua rights are only a short boat ride away.
The Fiji season is about to kick off and you should see some epic swells move up there in the not too distant future. The best time to hit Fiji for waves is during our winter season when storms in the southern ocean push up strong long period southerly swell between Australia and New Zealand.
If you haven't been to Fiji then put it on your bucket list. It is perfect for a trip with your partner or with the boys/girls. There are dedicated lifeguards to look after you in the water and there is also a full time fisho making sure you eat all the fresh sashimi you can handle. The food is amazing, the beers are cold and you will really know that you have had a holiday!
For more info on NAMOTU RESORT – CLICK HERE
Bula – Brad 😉
by Franck Gazzola | Feb 28, 2013 | Daily Updates
No, I’m not pregnant ! But today’s being the last day of Summer, I just wanted to state that the next one is just ‘round the corner…
For this last Summer day, the sky’s been quite kind with us, throwing all kinds of Mardi-Gras colours ! And, if you can make it to Tama, Bronte or Maroubra, you could get some decent waves, and the wind has dropped dramatically (for now). Bondi is as tiny as some of the bikinis on the beach…so unless you’re 25kg or you ride a SUP or a 9 footer+, I wouldn’t even try.
Now, even if this day could like picture (almost) perfect, don’t get your hopes too high. We’ll be truly entering autumn (winter ?) in just a few hours. It’s gonna pour later today, and unless you’re a kitesurfer, you will spew when the 30 knots southerly gusts will put your umbrella upside-down. But, you better get used to the idea, because we’re signing off for 3 days like that. So, in the next days, as the swell will also pick up, hunt the South protected corners (‘Bra, Manly, Dee Why).
Enjoy your day, and don’t forget to go and say hi to Christie at the Gallery in Bronte !
Franck
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by Franck Gazzola | Feb 27, 2013 | Daily Updates
I was awake before my alarm, trying not to look at the clock on the bed side table. I wanted to fall back to sleep for a while but I knew it wouldn’t be too long before my iphone blared the horrible horn alarm I set it on. In the end it got to me, so I rolled over and took a peek at the glowing, green LED numbers. That was that…
The mornings are taking longer to lighten as we move closer to towards the colder months. Best to enjoy what we have left of the warmer ones, we will soon be pulling on the hoodies and jeans again.
Moseyed on down to Mahon Pool before sunrise and there were five photographers on site with the same idea. It’s getting harder to find a quite spot by any of the pools in the east these days. I wish I had shares in a camera company.
That constant nor’easter has the swell hanging in there. The Bra is a good 4 feet but quite wind affected with lumps and bumps making it a lottery to find a good one. They are out there though and with a little patience and persistence your bound to jag one.
I’m out there to try my luck!
Billy
by Franck Gazzola | Feb 26, 2013 | Daily Updates
We still have a NE wind swell in the water. The water temp has dropped considerably overnight and take my advice the board shorts just didn't cut the mustard this morning. Take some rubber with you today. Maroubra is the biggest out of all the beaches at about 3 ft but will be wind effected as the wind is fresh from the NE. Tama and Bronte also have a few but it is mostly just shorey fun. Bondi is more sheltered offering only small helpings to waves. A log would be the craft of choice out there!
Happy Tuesday! – Brad 😉
by Franck Gazzola | Feb 25, 2013 | Daily Updates
Great to see some reasonable weather creeping back into town after the wild conditions we experienced over the weekend. Saturday night was completely off the hook with quite a bit of damage occurring around our beaches. Being a Firefighter, I’ve seen some radical stuff over the years but things were literally going sideways around 2am Sunday morning while we were out attending to varying domestic emergencies.
At one stage the footpaths was practically none existent as a river of water flowed down the roads. The 130 km an hour winds, equal to speeds for a category 2 tropical cyclone, made driving through horizontal sheets of rain quite difficult at times.
There weren’t too many places to surf in the huge swell. Bondi had a few, along with rare novelty surf spot, Nielsen Park. As usual, the pretty little harbour bay was quite crowded but at times had some fun rides. Here is a little video from there in 1974 which was a partially crazy year for storms, the one in May that year totally wiped out the east coast and it took many years for the sand that was lost, to return. Quality is a little rough in this old video but it shows the place wasn’t lacking a crowd even back then. Click HERE.
The water temperature has dropped a few degrees today with this north wind up welling but there is still plenty of swell around. Go enjoy it!
Billy
by Franck Gazzola | Feb 22, 2013 | Daily Updates
It's not that pleasant down on the sand this morning thanks to a very blowy SE wind that's ripping head on into our beaches. What a shame as we have a bucket load of swell for the next 48 hrs but the wind will hit the 40 knot mark which will make finding a reasonable looking wave over the weekend more of a mission. There are spots out there though. You just have to be prepared to fuel up the wagon and hit it out of the eastern suburbs. Good luck with that!
We have 5 FREE Frothers Trucker Hats to give away today to the first 5 people to visit the gallery at 145 Macpherson St Bronte. All you have to do is tell us that your FROTHING!!! There are some new red ones that will look good on your melon!
Enjoy the windy weekend! – Brad 😉
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