The annual roadtrip to Splendour

Craig Brokensha picture
Craig Brokensha (Craig)
Swellnet Dispatch

Last year's road trip from Sydney to Splendour in the Grass failed to deliver any surf of size or quality. One fun swell filled in on the weekend of the event, but driving up and back were mostly filled with swim stops rather than surf.

This year however, the trip north coincided with a good run of moderate to large southerly along with offshore winds opening up a wide variety of surfing options.

With other members of the Swellnet team on annual leave, the days were long with pre-dawn starts and dusk finishes, but the bonus of quality surf during the day made it all the worthwhile.

I hit the road Tuesday afternoon and made it a few hours up the coast, arriving to moonlit point waves, reeling away on the evening high tide. This was trumped early the next morning when awaking to a setting lunar eclipse and pumping, clean 4-5ft of southerly groundswell hitting the local beach.

Only a couple of people out later morning, soon heading in, leaving myself to the waves for an hour. Following this a couple of quick laps of the point were had before hitting the laptop again. Into the evening the moon rise over the ocean topped off a special day.

The first thing you notice when heading further north along the Mid North Coast at this time of year is the beautifully warm winter sun, with pants and jackets making way for shorts and t-shirts, though don't be fooled, the night time hours are still bitterly cold.

Morning offshores mostly tended variable into the afternoons under a constant progression of cold fronts pushing across southern New South Wales, so there was no rush to get in a morning surf. You could pick your windows and score less crowded and glassy waves after lunch.

The second stop saw me atop of beautiful headland to start the day, the slow glow of the horizon brightening and confirming an A-frame setup scoped in the moonlight the evening before. This is another bonus of moving around at night under a full moon. You can scope the surf easily at each beach and make a pretty well educated guess on its quality come daylight hours.

While a little busy at times, the A-frame peak provided super rippable 3-4ft lefts and rights with three to four turns to the beach, glassy again into the afternoon and evening.

The largest swell spike of the trip was slated for mid-late morning Friday, and with a dropping tide and variable winds forecast into the early afternoon, my eyes were set on reacquainting myself with a wave I scored last year, though this time with more size and power.

The morning didn't look great with the swell not in yet and the high tide doing it's thing, but come late morning it all started to change, with more consistent and bigger sets pushing through as the tide drained. The session was great fun with sets building to 5-6ft out the back of the point, shared with only a handful of others until I failed to make it around a 6ft grower. Underwater that instant lack of tension from my leggy on the ankle told the story.. my leggy string had snapped. Noooo!

The worst break to lose a board with only one place for it to end, on top the boulder and barnacle strewn point. I swam in and stranded myself as quickly as possible, but couldn't place the board. Luckily someone above me whistled down and pointed it out, upside down, fins up, dry docked up on top of the boulders.

A quick scramble to grab it and I couldn't believe my luck, not a ding on it and just a couple of superficial rail scratches, a miracle. Counting my lucky stars I headed back to the car, finished off a bit of work and headed towards the festival.

The back roads around Byron Bay are some of the most beautiful and peaceful in the country. Rolling hills of lush green grass, dense gums and rainforest lined creeks, accentuated by the golden light from the setting winter sun. That was one of the highlights of this year's festival, the weather. Cloudless warm, sunny days and not a drop of rain in sight.

It's with these fuzzy feels I enter into the Byron Parklands and Splendour in the Grass proper. The first set I saw was the local Northern Beaches boys, Winston Surfshirt, and the stark contrast from shows at Moonshine up top The Steyne Hotel to a packed Mix Up stage was something else. Ben on the trombone for me is the point of difference in their act, and he absolutely killed it as Winston paraded up front.

Following their set I met up with a friend who wanted to see Meg Mac. While knowing a few of Meg's songs, I wouldn't say that I'm a massive fan, but this was almost the standout show for me all weekend. Her vocals and stage presence won me over, and with the GW McLennan tent spilling out from all sides, a slot on the main Amphitheatre stage has to be on the cards for next year.

On a high from Meg Mac's show, a short walk back to the Amphitheatre stage to see the second half of Foals set was had, working the massive crowd into a frenzy for the Friday night headliners, Tame Impala.

Tame are one of my favourite bands, and to be up close and in front of Kevin Parker as every shade of pastel streamed into the crowd was incredible. They were seamless and played a wide variety of their past material (we're due some new Tame soon, surely) and a couple of more recent releases if my hazy memory serves me right, topping off a great first night.

I awoke Saturday a little more hungover than I had planned for, so after a slow start and great breaky in Mullumbimby, I headed back to the wave I surfed the day before, but with a smaller swell and later low tide.

There was no rush and as winds went calm and the ocean glassy, the dropping tide revealed inconsistent though fun and walled up shoulder to head-high runners under a glistening afternoon winter sun, shared with only a handful. Not a cloud in the sky and a good refresher for the next round.

Wolf Alice where the first band I saw on Saturday evening, with the fading light and filling mass of crowd into the Amphitheatre stage. On meeting some other friends, we ventured back to the Mix Up stage to catch local Adelaide lad Allday and Friends.

In an oversized grey suit and green specs he worked the young crowd into a frenzy bringing on guests including Asta (below) and The Veronicas, the later combining to cover and put a new twist on the twins classic Untouched.

Ocean Alley were back on in the Amphitheatre and I raced back to capture the end of the set from side of stage. This was their biggest show they've performed to, and to see the tens of thousands singing word for word the Northern Beaches' lads classics was something to make you feel proud (even from this Adelaide ex-pat).

Bringing down the pace a little but not the vibe, Angus Stone from Dope Lemon put on a hazy and slow rolling show with many a spliff shared between the crowd.

And that then brings us to Childish Gambino. Never have I seen or felt the natural amphitheatre encapsulating the main stage rammed in with so many people. Even half way up the hill the pressure from front, back and sides from the mass of bodies was intimidating. The presence of such a star like Donald Glover in an ethereal white outfit, not just singing but performing his hits to what felt like the whole 40,000+ strong crowd of Splendour was one never to forget. I didn't think I knew many of Childish's songs, but I was wrong and pleasantly surprised.

This brings us to Sunday, with the swell on the decline and northerly winds in, a quick surf on the Tweed back beaches provided a good reset, but nothing to write home about and then it was time for one more go into the festival.

I caught the end of Last Dinosaurs set, making my way over towards the McLennan tent for Psychedelic Porn Crumpets. And if you could visualise what a said Porn Crumpet looks like, there were a few weary characters that fitted the description well wandering around come day three.

One of my favourite bands are Local Natives, and after the crowd from the crumpets evacuated, it was only half-full to kick off the set, but then the people came. It got busier and busier as the five piece let their musical talents and big sound suck more and more punters in. The harmonies and mix of synth and guitar as well as super tight drum work put this as the highlight of my weekend. This and the opportunity to provide the foundations for front man Taylor Rice to crowd surf at the end of the set, topped it off.

Tycho got the warm and fuzzies going with the flowing, chillwave, synth sounds and moving background imagery across vast ocean and mountain landscapes. The added vocals by recent addition Hannah Cottrell, was the icing on the oh so sweet cake.

It was then onto Ziggy Alberts, and never have I seen someone so happy and stoked at what was out in front of him. I'm not sure if this was the biggest crowd he's performed to, but the pure joy and happiness in his smile and face, as well as the songs being sung in sync with every member of the crowd was infectious. Stronger was a great one to embrace and cuddle up to someone with.

And this brings us to the final act which saw out my festival. What So Not bringing a darker and dank vibe to his EDM hits with a light show just as frantic and epilepsy inducing. A special mention goes out to Daniel Johns who hinted that he'd be making an appearance the day before on instagram. Cloaked and hidden from most, he came onto stage later in the set, but the voice was unmistakable. A rolling vocal piece that then led into the deep bass line of Silverchair's Freak as he unhooded himself. I've never witness Daniel Johns live, but he is pure talent and put a great ending to another great Splendour in the Grass. Till next year!

Comments

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 1:52pm

Epic write up. Lots of colour and flavour.

If I wasn’t 87 years old I would’ve been there in a flash.

Sounds like you scored in the waves and the party circuit. Three days is a big session.

More shelf packing than the night shift at Coles.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 2:35pm

Ha! Yeah if not for the option of getting out of there and resetting in the ocean, no way I could stand up to three days at this age any more ;p 

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 2:01pm

Boards with broken leggies in South swells usually fare much better than in an East.
Sometimes they'll just continue down the point without washing in.

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 2:17pm

Good to see someone doing the hard yards.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 2:29pm

We must have shared the lineup Fri Craig and you must have almost walked past me Sat. Sure was a nice few days.
Just like last year you almost scored the best of the winter.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 2:33pm

Were you on a purple board Fri? I swear I spotted you after linking a rare one from very deep behind the main peak on the way back out, but you took the set and I went back way up the point. Was gonna text but didn't have the number on me. Next time.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 4:17pm

yep. that was me.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 4:18pm

Nice one! Was keeping an eye out for the hat.

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 2:46pm

Big few days Craigos, how’s the head feeling?

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 4:14pm

Monday not great, more so tired from trying to get home ASAP while also working. Those roadworks between Grafton and Ballina are a killer!

Feralkook's picture
Feralkook's picture
Feralkook Thursday, 25 Jul 2019 at 2:36pm

They still trying to finish those works?! I was chasing severe weather in 2013 in the northern rivers and had to contend with the roadworks then. I moved to Brisbane in 2014 and here we are five years on and they are still trying to finish. Unbelievable, but like the Southern Cross drive works nth Brisbane, they are just a never ending money hole.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Thursday, 25 Jul 2019 at 5:37pm

Yep, and don't even look close to being finished, or even started in some spots! :o

The new Clarence River Bridge is a working of engineering art. God knows who got the contract for that, it's insane!

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 5:23pm

That photo of the Point!

Great pics all around, Craig, and words too.

hamishbro's picture
hamishbro's picture
hamishbro Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 6:12pm

Nice journal. It was certainly a great spell of waves. Enough to dust the cobwebs off for a few surfs before spring strikes.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 6:48pm

Great pics, good times.

I'd be a fish outa water these days at Splendour, looks like the kids are having a blast though.

Westofthelake's picture
Westofthelake's picture
Westofthelake Wednesday, 24 Jul 2019 at 8:13pm

Great read, brilliant photos.

Funny you mention the finale had Daniel Johns unmasking himself whilst singing Freak. So apropros. Rockin' song.

Tubbabird's picture
Tubbabird's picture
Tubbabird Thursday, 25 Jul 2019 at 9:12am

Craigos on the coast to roast tip! Nothing beats a day of point break runners into a few festive stingers with your mates, well played

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Thursday, 25 Jul 2019 at 5:39pm

Thanks for the comments guys, love to share these articles. It's all caught up with me now and I'm feeling a bit crook.. but what a trip!

NickT's picture
NickT's picture
NickT Friday, 26 Jul 2019 at 11:33am

Great article Craig, a pleasure to read

tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter's picture
tubeshooter Sunday, 28 Jul 2019 at 7:12pm

Awesome , I,m jealous . Rubbing salt in my road weary wounds.
Spent a bit of time on the M1 the last week and half , and due to other commitments couldn't delay my trip for such indulgences . If you think that Grafton to Ballina stretch was bad you missed the chaos further north from Tweed to Brisbane. Fuck me , barely got out of first gear from Chinderah to Coomera.
And the truck crash near Nabiac the other day leaves me speechless , it was frightening to see the aftermath . Travel safely crew.