Eastern Tasmania Surf Forecast (issued Fri 18th Apr)

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Craig started the topic in Friday, 18 Apr 2014 at 5:05pm

Eastern Tasmania Forecast by Craig Brokensha (issued Friday 18th April)

Best Days: Saturday, Sunday, early Monday

Recap

Strong levels of E'ly swell continued yesterday and bucked the expected easing trend from Wednesday, while today a reinforcing E/SE groundswell has kept 4-5ft+ waves hitting the coast under morning offshores.

This weekend (Apr 19 - 21)

There's been no real change to the large and powerful E'ly groundswell expected across the coast tomorrow, with satellite observations picking up the expected fetch of 50-60kt winds exiting New Zealand's Cook Strait (generating the swell).

This has set in motion a short-lived but very strong long-period groundswell that should peak in the 5-6ft range tomorrow morning. A noticeable drop is due into the afternoon and further Sunday from 3ft+ as the fetch only lasted 12 or so hours.

Winds over the weekend will be favourable for protected locations Saturday with a fresh to strong SW tending S'ly breeze, while Sunday should see freshening W/NW winds.

Into Monday there won't be too much SE swell left, with 1-2ft sets likely before fading into the afternoon. A small spike of S'ly swell is expected across south facing beaches into the afternoon but not probably above 2ft. Winds will be favourable though and from the W to N/NW.

Longer term (Apr 22 onwards)

Longer term there's nothing major on the cards besides a small possible spike in N'ly windswell early Tuesday but it will probably be too acute northerly to hit the coast. Therefore make the most of tomorrow and Sunday's waves.

Sheepdog's picture
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Sheepdog Saturday, 19 Apr 2014 at 8:17pm

Photo's from a classic day..... Saw the St Helens report - 10 foot.... Now, I'm not on the east coast... I'm down about as far south in tassie as you can go. But down here are a few southeast facing nooks... Bruny does cause a shadow, but I thought a 10 foot east swell might get in...... And it did.... My "local"...... 4 foot and soooo perfect.... I couldn't fuckn believe it.... And I'm the only one ..... The only one...... The only fuckn one around......2014...... Solace..... Perfection...... Best I've ever seen it... Not the biggest, but the best.... Quickly took some photos and whoosh, out there..... Intense little wedge takeoff, over shallow reef, kelp, followed by horseshoe, then down the line point section.... Just glowing.... Just another unwitnessed session far away from all the bullshit.... Glad I took my phone, though..... No one would believe me....

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Craig Saturday, 19 Apr 2014 at 8:26pm

Hell yeah SD, jeez, pumping!

And this would of been E/SE swell off the fetch under NZ's South Island, rather than the re-intensification of the Tasman Low from Ita and fetch out of Cook Strait, generating the 10ft swell on the East Coast.

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wellymon Saturday, 19 Apr 2014 at 8:30pm

Wish I was there SD, looks fucking great.
Nice work :)

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Sheepdog Saturday, 19 Apr 2014 at 9:16pm

Pumping man..... Freakn pumping!!!!!!!!!!!!! R u a natural foot? I was buzzing and I'm a goofy!!!!! Still buzzing.....

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Blowin Saturday, 19 Apr 2014 at 10:40pm

Fun waves + solo session + unexpected joy +home field advantage = Goodtimes squared.

They are the sessions that stick with ya Sheepdog. Lucky bugger.

grug's picture
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grug Sunday, 20 Apr 2014 at 3:07am

Nice one sheepdog… i'd never even considered a big east swell getting in there… and it's a hefty drive from the east coast from where you are... just did yaself a disservice though cause next time a similar swell hits i'll be there. too many clues. though if you were the only one out, should be a bit of room? that looks like a such a fun wave. are there seriously no other locals down there that would be on that ?? How much difference does swell direction make to the quality of that wave? cause surely the south swells are more common there?

It is crazy down here though. I had a session at your spot's name sake across the way the other day… well known surf beach… 3-4 foot offshore… perfect sunny weather…. water still relatively warm. no-one out. not a soul at the beach. not a car in the carpark. got too warm and even had half an hour of skinny surfing in over sundown… tassie gold. promise to keep the wetsuit on if i come down your way though….

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Sheepdog Sunday, 20 Apr 2014 at 8:47am

Grug, these photos from yesterday.... It is so rare to have such a big clean ese swell down here.... To get it like this is a "miracle", pardon the easter pun.... There are a few guys down here. I have no idea where they were.... But the biggest crowd I have ever seen at my local is 7...... I'd assume some were further south.... There were possibly even better setups, if you can believe it, but I didn't have the time to "research"......
Re swell direction..... It has a tiny window.... I have seen 12 foot sw swells on the horizon, and this spot is one foot...... But if you head across the bay in the background and around the corner, it'll be 5 foot on a sw swell... S to SE swells are the go, but are rare and often ruined by associated winds..... A very very VERY fickle place, hence the photos..... People are welcome to travel here and try to catch it "on"..... Good luck hehehe.....

grug's picture
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grug Sunday, 20 Apr 2014 at 6:25pm

Thanks for the info SD… i have heard a bout a place a little further south involving a bit of a walk and a water crossing that may be better for the south swells… might be what you are talking about? looking forward to checking it out. I'll keep an eye out for another miracle ESE swell. If i'm gonna get skunked for waves then at least the scenery with be new...

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Sheepdog Sunday, 20 Apr 2014 at 7:41pm

grug, you are right onto it.... But it's a water crossing first..... Then a walk..... A fair walk too.....
But there are also some spots further down I reckon for ese swells.... Look at a map mate... Do some "research"............... Looks like a fuckn noosa setup...... Maybe the other locals were there?????

grug's picture
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grug Sunday, 20 Apr 2014 at 8:35pm

Thanks Sheepdog. Looking forward to a bit of exploring. If I ever see you out there… covered in zinc… i'll say g'day!

maxcimus's picture
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maxcimus Monday, 21 Apr 2014 at 10:01am

East coast Tassie Saturday:
_MG_8087

_MG_8153

Craig's picture
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Craig Monday, 21 Apr 2014 at 10:05am

Hell yeah Maxcimus!!!! How's the size and light, cracking day.

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Sheepdog Monday, 21 Apr 2014 at 4:46pm

Great photos, max! I assume that dude got shut down.....