More Adventures From The Intrepid Surfer
Hi all,
For those that don't yet know I'm back on the road again. I drove out of Melbourne on Sat 10th April with a brand new 7" Trigger Brothers Stubby surfboard strapped into the passenger seat beside me. The plan is to head as far up the east coast of Australia ripping up the surf on every beach I can get my grubby little ( and they are now ) toes onto.
First stop I headed for Lakes Entrance and camped the night in the Coloquon state forest just out of Lakes Entrance. The next day I stopped briefly in Lakes Entrance then headed for Malacoota Inlet, apparently a very beautiful stop. I knew something was wrong when I hit the NSW border. I'd missed the turnoff by some 30km. Oh well I changed tack and headed for Eden instead.
Eden is a beautiful seaside town originally established as a fishing and whaling hub but now is heavily dependent on woodchipping and tourism. I got my first surf in at the local Astling beach. Highlight of the day was when a pod of doplhins cruised up and down the beach beachind the break. I managed, with a bit of quick paddling to get within a few metres of them. Camped out for free behind the Eden sports stadium. Nobody complained.
Next day headed for Pambula beach one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. A wide sandy beach and a large lazy river mouth extends over a large sand bank. Spent a few hours surfing there and then a few more hours fishing in the river. The surfing was more successfull than the fishing. Spent the night camped just over the fence of "Private Property" overlooking a beautiful stretch of the Yawoka (sp?) river. The girl in tourist info told me about the place and she inferred that the owner had never complained or shot anybody for camping in that place.
Till the 16th of April I stayed at my cosy little campspot and commuted to Merrimbula. The surf at Merriumbula is brilliant. It is a river mouth sand bar that stretches way out into the bay. Even small surf barells left of the bank and it is easy to get rides of a 50 - 100 metres. Lotsa fun. The first day out on the break I dropped in on a big fat mal rider and ended up all tangled in his leg ropes. On closer inspection I also found I'd gashed a small hole in the bottom of my board. Thank G.D for Sola Cure resin.
Moved on from Merrimbula on the 16th with the addition of a new car battery. Had to get jump started that morning and then the idle speed control when all screwy. Made a quick surf stop in Tathra on a lovely beach with a nice right hander off some rocks then headed for camp at Gillards beach inside the national park. Went for a walk along the beach and found some beautiful rock formations, wind and water swept all reds and yellows.
Woke the next morning to the sight of wallabies ( small kangaroos ) nibbling grass just outside my tent. Very cool. Headed off on the 17th and stopped briefly at a place called Aragunnu. Originally called Mimosa rocks in memory of the Mimosa which sunk on the aforenamed rocks it is a sacred aboriginal area and very beautiful with beachside forests and large rocky outcrops into the water you can climb all over.
Drove for Bermagui and spent the afternoon playing in a great right hander off the Bermagui breakwall. Was so tired I throw all my stuff in the car and headed for the local paid up campground to get a hot shower. Just into making dinner I realized I'd left my wetsuit drying next to the car back at the beach and had forgotten to stow it. Jumped into the car and and scooted back but it was gone. Thouroughly miserable I headed into town to get a beer and found the town very dead and nothing to lift myb spirits.
Sun 18th April
Determined to put the episode behind me I went out and bought myself a brand new shiny wetsuit the next day and headed out of town in the direction of Narooma. Went into tourist info in Narooma and asked the woman behind the counter if she knew anywhere I could pitch my tent for free or for very cheap. She gave me the sort of look as if I had asked her where the cheapest knocking shop in town was."Well I'm not really meant to tell you about such places" she said and proceeded to be very unhelpfull. Oh well some people are strange ?????????
I spent the afternoon chatting to a local girl, single mum while her new boyfriend was fishing at the end of the rocks and got a different perspective of life in a tourist paradise. Not everything is rosy!
Camped that evening in a rest area off the main road and immediately begain chatting to some very friendly people around a campfire. There was a couple in thier 70's about two years into trip around and through Australia, a single woman in her late 60's to 70's doing the same and a 29 year old German lass, Annete, who has been travelling around the world since she was 19. Spent the evening round the fire sharing stories and making dinner together.
The next day ( 19th April ) Annette and I went and climbed a local mountain called Mt Dromedary for a great view over Narooma. The rain forest around the summit was really nice and there were all sorts of strange shaped rocks scattered through the forest, perhapps a legacy of the mountains volcanic past. Spent the arvo crashed out on the beach after eating way too much oily fish and chips.
Said goodbye to Anette ( 20 th April ) and the others and headed for a place called Congo which sounded exotic and my surf guide intimated that I'd find a good wave or two there. Were they right!!! Driving down a dirt road I found a half full campsite right on the beach. Unpacked my new wettie grabbed my board and headed for the beach. Ouch these waves were big and shifty, barelling with a mean shore break. First go trying to get out I got washed uncerimoniously down the beach then back up onto the sand. I gave myself 10 minutes contemplation time and hit the water again. This time I made in through the shore break and out back but for about half an hour I was too chicken to catch anything. Finally I pushed myself into one and rode it fine just managing to get out before the wave closed out. The next one I was not so lucky. As before I managed to get up and ride it but I didn't make it out of the close out. As I tried to jump over the lip it caught me and pitched me into the pit and rolled me and my board over and over and over till eventually I popped up near the shore. Knowing I was beat I called it a day.
In the evening I started writing my diary by the light in the back of my car when a chap came up to me and invited me for dinner with his family. They couldn't stand to see me all alone. How nice was that! Spent a lovely evening chatting over roast beef and potatoes and around the fire with the couple and thier three boys. Next day ( 21st April ) got up early to go surfing at the gentle beach with the young boys from the family. Warning the next part of the story is not for the squeamish.
Walked up to the part of the beach where the waves were breaking. I must insist that this was a very gentle break with maybe 10% the energy of the waves on the other side of the point. Anyway I paddled out and tried to catch a wave. Damn, nose dive. I was way off form. Paddled out again and pushed for another wave and caught a very gentle ride some 10 - 15 metres. Paddled out again and pushed for a third wave. Damn again my weight was too far forward. I tried to stand and get my weight back but I was too late and the nose dug in and I pitched forward off the board. The next thing was I felt a blow to the top of my head. I came to the surface swearing and cursing holding my head. When I took my hand away I noticed it was completely red and blood was running down my nose. Oooops I thought, I've done it now!
I wasn't far from shore and managed to paddle my way in, holding my head and dragging my board behind me. The two younger boys ran off immediately to get thier dad and the oldest son sat me down on the beach and we washed the wound out with my water bottle. We figured out pretty quickly that I was not concussed and with all my gear being carried for me went back to camp. There the first aid kit appeared and I was treated with all manner of antiseptic potions and gauzes. The rest of the morning was spent chilling out and sharing injury stories with Michael, the middle of the three sons.
Today ( 22nd April ) said my goodbyes to the family who had been really good to me and promised to drop in and see them when I come through Wollongong. Am now in Batemans bay writing this rather long email to you and probably heading for Canberra tomorrow. Canberra you say ? There is no surf there. Exactly I reply! I think a few days off the surf is a good idea to let the scar heal. There's a music festival in Canberra at the moment and on my return to the coast in a few days I'm off shopping for a surf helmut.
Regards to you all.
Brad
For those that don't yet know I'm back on the road again. I drove out of Melbourne on Sat 10th April with a brand new 7" Trigger Brothers Stubby surfboard strapped into the passenger seat beside me. The plan is to head as far up the east coast of Australia ripping up the surf on every beach I can get my grubby little ( and they are now ) toes onto.
First stop I headed for Lakes Entrance and camped the night in the Coloquon state forest just out of Lakes Entrance. The next day I stopped briefly in Lakes Entrance then headed for Malacoota Inlet, apparently a very beautiful stop. I knew something was wrong when I hit the NSW border. I'd missed the turnoff by some 30km. Oh well I changed tack and headed for Eden instead.
Eden is a beautiful seaside town originally established as a fishing and whaling hub but now is heavily dependent on woodchipping and tourism. I got my first surf in at the local Astling beach. Highlight of the day was when a pod of doplhins cruised up and down the beach beachind the break. I managed, with a bit of quick paddling to get within a few metres of them. Camped out for free behind the Eden sports stadium. Nobody complained.
Next day headed for Pambula beach one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. A wide sandy beach and a large lazy river mouth extends over a large sand bank. Spent a few hours surfing there and then a few more hours fishing in the river. The surfing was more successfull than the fishing. Spent the night camped just over the fence of "Private Property" overlooking a beautiful stretch of the Yawoka (sp?) river. The girl in tourist info told me about the place and she inferred that the owner had never complained or shot anybody for camping in that place.
Till the 16th of April I stayed at my cosy little campspot and commuted to Merrimbula. The surf at Merriumbula is brilliant. It is a river mouth sand bar that stretches way out into the bay. Even small surf barells left of the bank and it is easy to get rides of a 50 - 100 metres. Lotsa fun. The first day out on the break I dropped in on a big fat mal rider and ended up all tangled in his leg ropes. On closer inspection I also found I'd gashed a small hole in the bottom of my board. Thank G.D for Sola Cure resin.
Moved on from Merrimbula on the 16th with the addition of a new car battery. Had to get jump started that morning and then the idle speed control when all screwy. Made a quick surf stop in Tathra on a lovely beach with a nice right hander off some rocks then headed for camp at Gillards beach inside the national park. Went for a walk along the beach and found some beautiful rock formations, wind and water swept all reds and yellows.
Woke the next morning to the sight of wallabies ( small kangaroos ) nibbling grass just outside my tent. Very cool. Headed off on the 17th and stopped briefly at a place called Aragunnu. Originally called Mimosa rocks in memory of the Mimosa which sunk on the aforenamed rocks it is a sacred aboriginal area and very beautiful with beachside forests and large rocky outcrops into the water you can climb all over.
Drove for Bermagui and spent the afternoon playing in a great right hander off the Bermagui breakwall. Was so tired I throw all my stuff in the car and headed for the local paid up campground to get a hot shower. Just into making dinner I realized I'd left my wetsuit drying next to the car back at the beach and had forgotten to stow it. Jumped into the car and and scooted back but it was gone. Thouroughly miserable I headed into town to get a beer and found the town very dead and nothing to lift myb spirits.
Sun 18th April
Determined to put the episode behind me I went out and bought myself a brand new shiny wetsuit the next day and headed out of town in the direction of Narooma. Went into tourist info in Narooma and asked the woman behind the counter if she knew anywhere I could pitch my tent for free or for very cheap. She gave me the sort of look as if I had asked her where the cheapest knocking shop in town was."Well I'm not really meant to tell you about such places" she said and proceeded to be very unhelpfull. Oh well some people are strange ?????????
I spent the afternoon chatting to a local girl, single mum while her new boyfriend was fishing at the end of the rocks and got a different perspective of life in a tourist paradise. Not everything is rosy!
Camped that evening in a rest area off the main road and immediately begain chatting to some very friendly people around a campfire. There was a couple in thier 70's about two years into trip around and through Australia, a single woman in her late 60's to 70's doing the same and a 29 year old German lass, Annete, who has been travelling around the world since she was 19. Spent the evening round the fire sharing stories and making dinner together.
The next day ( 19th April ) Annette and I went and climbed a local mountain called Mt Dromedary for a great view over Narooma. The rain forest around the summit was really nice and there were all sorts of strange shaped rocks scattered through the forest, perhapps a legacy of the mountains volcanic past. Spent the arvo crashed out on the beach after eating way too much oily fish and chips.
Said goodbye to Anette ( 20 th April ) and the others and headed for a place called Congo which sounded exotic and my surf guide intimated that I'd find a good wave or two there. Were they right!!! Driving down a dirt road I found a half full campsite right on the beach. Unpacked my new wettie grabbed my board and headed for the beach. Ouch these waves were big and shifty, barelling with a mean shore break. First go trying to get out I got washed uncerimoniously down the beach then back up onto the sand. I gave myself 10 minutes contemplation time and hit the water again. This time I made in through the shore break and out back but for about half an hour I was too chicken to catch anything. Finally I pushed myself into one and rode it fine just managing to get out before the wave closed out. The next one I was not so lucky. As before I managed to get up and ride it but I didn't make it out of the close out. As I tried to jump over the lip it caught me and pitched me into the pit and rolled me and my board over and over and over till eventually I popped up near the shore. Knowing I was beat I called it a day.
In the evening I started writing my diary by the light in the back of my car when a chap came up to me and invited me for dinner with his family. They couldn't stand to see me all alone. How nice was that! Spent a lovely evening chatting over roast beef and potatoes and around the fire with the couple and thier three boys. Next day ( 21st April ) got up early to go surfing at the gentle beach with the young boys from the family. Warning the next part of the story is not for the squeamish.
Walked up to the part of the beach where the waves were breaking. I must insist that this was a very gentle break with maybe 10% the energy of the waves on the other side of the point. Anyway I paddled out and tried to catch a wave. Damn, nose dive. I was way off form. Paddled out again and pushed for another wave and caught a very gentle ride some 10 - 15 metres. Paddled out again and pushed for a third wave. Damn again my weight was too far forward. I tried to stand and get my weight back but I was too late and the nose dug in and I pitched forward off the board. The next thing was I felt a blow to the top of my head. I came to the surface swearing and cursing holding my head. When I took my hand away I noticed it was completely red and blood was running down my nose. Oooops I thought, I've done it now!
I wasn't far from shore and managed to paddle my way in, holding my head and dragging my board behind me. The two younger boys ran off immediately to get thier dad and the oldest son sat me down on the beach and we washed the wound out with my water bottle. We figured out pretty quickly that I was not concussed and with all my gear being carried for me went back to camp. There the first aid kit appeared and I was treated with all manner of antiseptic potions and gauzes. The rest of the morning was spent chilling out and sharing injury stories with Michael, the middle of the three sons.
Today ( 22nd April ) said my goodbyes to the family who had been really good to me and promised to drop in and see them when I come through Wollongong. Am now in Batemans bay writing this rather long email to you and probably heading for Canberra tomorrow. Canberra you say ? There is no surf there. Exactly I reply! I think a few days off the surf is a good idea to let the scar heal. There's a music festival in Canberra at the moment and on my return to the coast in a few days I'm off shopping for a surf helmut.
Regards to you all.
Brad
posted by Brad Phelan at Friday, April 23, 2004
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