Swellnet Sessions

With the cooling weather the easterly trade wind belt off SE QLD and Northern NSW has ground to a halt, and with it the ever-reliable easterly trade swells. They've been replaced by a succession of long period highly directional south swells funnelling up the Tasman Sea. And rather than give an equal spread of waves - as the easterly swells are want to do - only those spots exposed to the south are receiving any quality. 

Jack Dekort has been traipsing around Northern NSW, among the rain and gloom, seeking out said spots.

All photos by Jack.

And so it came down to this, the last day in the Billabong Rio Pro waiting period. A waiting period that extended either side of a once-a-year Teahupoo swell that saw many epic waves get ridden - including some by Rio Pro wildcard, Ricardo Dos Santos, who threw caution, plus a few frequent flyer points, to the wind jetting from Rio to Tahiti and back in time for his heat.

Louis Gervais ain't given to surfing on plain white sleds anymore than he's into plain white skin. Every surface is a canvas for the Gold Coast-based artist and heavily inked surfer. 

Swellnet photographer, Jack Dekort, has been keeping company with Louis lately, surfing the corner at D'Bah and photographing his work. Also in frame is Jack's fellow Sunny Coaster, Levi Torrisi.

All photos by Jack.

They call Raffiel Wau the King of Nias. He rode his first wave at Langundri Bay in 1980 at just six years old. In 1994 he represented Indonesia at an amateur world championships in Rio. These days he runs Raffiels Surf Camp, the friendliest surf camp on the point. Raff will sort you with bed and breakfast and he'll get you into the Lagundri lineup faster than any operator in Nias.

Raff, hitting the lip straight and true - not a problem.