Mid Coast

** AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SURFSOUTHOZ, PLEASE READ! **

Conditions are clean on the Mid Coast early with light East winds, but as you’d expect… it’s flat again. High tide at 0715 is a biggie, not that it matters with zero swell hitting the full-tide reefs. The outgoing tide after 0830 won’t change anything, but again the low tide early arvo will expose a lot of reef. The usual sea-breezey southerly should have kicked in by then, and the arvo will only offer small chop. High tide is 7:44pm, and by then the wind should be back to the SE. It’ll still be flat. Check the latest surf forecast to see if the Xmas lead-up looks any better.

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Changes coming to surfsouthoz

Esteemed surfouthoz fans,

I am writing to you today to tell you about some changes that are coming to surfsouthoz very soon. I am hoping these changes will make it a better finished, more sustainable offering going forward.

Back in March 2000 when I first hit upon the crazy idea to post surf reports and surf news from SA on a website, I would have laughed out loud at the suggestion I’d still be doing it in two year’s time. But I carried on anyway, hoping I’d create some sort of web portal where all the various clubs, bands, artists, groups and retailers could all come together, united by a love of surfing. It’d have a rootsy, community vibe, the whole thing would run on pure stoke, and it would *magically* cover costs. As I come up on 20 years of running this “hobby gone horribly wrong”, that concept seems naive, but aspects of it still attract me. But how could it work? Self-imposed isolation in March 2020 gave me a lot of time to reflect, and I mulled over a number of possible futures for surfsouthoz.com.au. One option was to immerse myself in the 9 – 5 CBD grind and just give up. At least the coffee would be good.

Instead though, I immediately began working on an idea, an idea that had its roots in that very original portal I tried to build waaaay back in 2003. The idea goes a little something like this:

Surfsouthoz ceases supplying free daily reports and surf forecasts, and becomes a monthly paid membership. The price is $5.50 a month – about the same as your large morning coffee. The total membership will be capped somewhere between 1000 and 1200. Forever. Ideally, that number would be around 1100, give or take. The only way to join after that quota is reached is if someone gives up their spot. A waiting list will be created, and invitations will be sent on a first-come, first-served basis as vacancies come up. It should do all the important stuff the existing website does, but add social media features and user interaction, long missing from surfsouthoz. It’d work a bit like OnlyFans, except with less faux lesbian lingerie pillow fights.

You’re probably wondering… how long would such a thing take to build? How long before you could actually see it? Well, here’s the thing. It’s done. I built it. It’s ready.

Now you’re probably also wondering… why not 300, or 5,000… or 20,000 members? There are a few reasons. I wanted to create something of value, with a sense of exclusivity. To do something a bit unique. I also wanted it to pay enough to be sustainable and yet motivating, without it becoming too big and unmanageable. Finally, I wanted it to not be Facebook, and to not be bound by the constraints the old website has suffered for so long.

I want to post updates during the day if new swell pops up, confident 50,000 people aren’t going to read it. I want to be able to afford a new camera and fly down to Bullies pre-dawn on the day the swell of the year hits to take 350 pics and some video. Maybe buy a drone. I’d like to actually answer DM’s in less than 3 months. I’d actually like to have time to write a whole series of “10 things”, as I had hoped back in 2016 when I posted that now miserably outdated story.

And finally, I want you to contribute!

The all-new surfsouthoz is a social media web application, so it can do a whole lot of stuff facebook and instagram can do, except without trolls, conspiracy theorists, influencers, and advertising ( absolutely none! ). You can find people you know, post your own pics to a lot of people or just close friends. Like, comment, you can even report nudity in images if you feel so inclined. Absolutely none of your data will be sold, and you won’t ever be spammed or marketed to. If you don’t want to do any of the social stuff, you’ll still get the same surf reports and updates from the Fleurieu Peninsula, as well as 2 forecasts a week, plus a load more new content. You also get a say in how it evolves, and what it becomes.

So what do you say? Are you on board? Do you want to be part of a completely novel, exclusive, online, gated community focused exclusively on surfing? It won’t be perfect, but it should be a hell of a lot of fun.

Come on… click right here, and join me!

If you have any problems with getting on board, you can email support@surfsouthoz.com.au, or jump on the vip support page on facebook.

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South Coast

Conditions are actually not bad on the South Coast early this morning, there’s actually a bit of a land breeze early from the North and it’s kinda glassy. Sadly there’s not a lot of swell and it has some leftover wobble, and wave heights are only around 1′ at Middleton. There are occasional 2′ sets along the Day St. – Goolwa stretch. There are also rare 1 – 2′ waves around at Chiton, you just have to sit and wait. Waits and Parson’s will offer something more for short boarders, both will be clean-ish early but both will be affected by the wobble, As the wind tends more East it’ll favour Parson’s. By late morning a Southerly will probably have kicked in, and the rest of the day will be onshore and messy. Check the latest surf forecast to see how tomorrow is looking.

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Mid Coast

Conditions are glassy on the Mid Coast early with no wind, but also no waves. There is a slight wobble on the sea surface from SSE winds yestrday and the tide is pretty full, but there’s just no swell getting into the gulf at all. The outgoing tide after 0730 won’t change anything, although low tide at lunch will expose a lot of reef which is always fun for a bit of a treasure hunt. By lunchtime the wind will probably be from the South, and the now-standard choppy afternoon will follow with 15 knot SSE winds. Surf will remain a non-event today, but it’ll be nice for a swim or a snorkel somewhere. Check the latest surf forecast to see how tomorrow is looking.

 

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SA surf outlook Dec 18

** FORECASTS IN FUTURE WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE ON THE VIP WEBSITE **

You can join here, for the price of a large coffee!

If you’d like to read the release about Surfsouthoz VIP, click here.

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In the lead up to Xmas 2020, and after such a shitty year, I’d like to offer you a bit of cheer for the festive season. Unfortuately, I ain’t got much.

The last week has seen SA in the grip of the sort of weather we expect on the Fleurieu in November – day after day of howling S-SE winds on the South Coast, and no waves on the Mid Coast. There’s a minor reprieve on Sunday, but it looks like the E-SE airstream will be with us for several days more.

On the synoptic chart you’ll see a very slow-moving tropical low over NW WA, and that will have a strong influence on our weather over the next few days. We should expect heavy rain across much of the country early next week, with a fresh southerly airstream.

This weekend will kick off with light ESE winds on Saturday, it’ll be clean on the Mid Coast but surf will only be half a foot in the morning. Surf should be in the 2 – 3′ range at Middleton but lumpy, with Parson’s probably your best bet. The wind will swing more Southerly and pick up after lunch, reducing options for quality to zero. Sunday looks very similar.

The wind will be SSW at 17 knots early on Monday, and the Mid Coast will be bumpy and again, pretty well flat. The South Coast will be badly wind affected all day, with mush around 2′ at Middleton.

There will be a slight lift along west-facing coasts on Tuesday, and the Mid Coast might have a few 1′ waves. Winds will be SSE at 10 knots early, picking up to 17 knots from the SSW after lunch. West facing breaks over at Yorkes might be OK early Tuesday. The swell will be bigger on the South Coast but it’ll be messy with surf possibly up to 4′ at Middleton.

The wind should be more SE and light early on Wednesday. The Mid Coast will probably manage to conjure a 1′ Mally wave again, Middleton will be lumpy / glassy in the morning at around 3′. Fresh Southerly winds will kick in again after lunch, possibly blowing up to 22 knots.

The wind will probably be from the SE on Thursday, 10 knots early but more likely shifting Southerly after lunch and picking up. The Mid Coast looks like it might maintain 1′ waves, with messy 2 – 3′ surf at Middleton.

There’s a chance we’ll see more summery weather and possibly Northerly winds by next weekend. It won’t happen before then.

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South Coast

The dismal run continues on the South Coast this morning with onshore South winds at 15 knots making a mess of it. There are 2 – 3′ lumps between Middleton and Goolwa and The Bay looks surfable at a pinch. Chiton and The Gap are offering 2′ of mush, and Waits and Parson’s will offer you a double scoop of mush. The wind will stay onshore all day today and remain in the 15 – 20 knot range. Swell may even be smaller after lunch. Surf forecast will be updated later today with the weekend outlook. Sit tight.

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Mid Coast

South winds at 7 knots are giving gulf waters a brushed look, but that isn’t hiding any swell – there’s none. There are tiny lines at a few spots but nowhere is really breaking at all this morning, and the high tide isn’t helping. The dropping tide will come with fresh South winds, and even though low tide at lunch the beach breaks will still be tiny. There’s no sign of any miracles on the incoming tide after lunch either – fresh South winds will keep it bumpy and lack of swell will keep it flat. Surf forecast will be updated tonight. Honestly.

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South Coast

It’s onshore again on the South Coast this morning with SSW winds at 15 knots making a mess of it. Surf is in the 3′ range between Middleton and Goolwa, but it’s not looking awesome anywhere along that stretch. There are bumpy 2′ waves around at Chiton / Gap, Waits and Parson’s will be bigger but no cleaner. The wind will stay onshore and probably be up around 20 knots through the middle of the day. Waves heights won’t change much. Surf forecast will be updated tonight.

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Mid Coast

There’s no wind and conditions are clean on the Mid Coast early, but swell is small. It’s dropped overnight, and surf is back to an inconsistent 1′ on a few of the reefs, coming up to a full tide at 0630. The outgoing tide will be the beginning of the end around 8am, and as the Southerly wind kicks in that will finish it off. The breeze is looking SSW through the middle part of the day, possibly around 20 knots. Surf will be bumpy on the incoming tide after lunch, and wave heights won’t top 1′. AN evening SE wind might clean it up again in the evening. Surf forecast will be updated tonight.

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South Coast

Onshore SSE winds are masking amess on the South Coast this morning, but the swell is bigger at least. There are 3′ waves along the Day St. – Goolwa stretch, but it’s all over the place and lacking any decent shape. Chiton / Gap are similarly wind affected at around 2′. Waits and Parson’s will be bigger, but it’ll be mush around that side. The swell will probably lift after lunch, but with SSE winds at 20 knots it won’t be pretty. It’ll stay amess for the rest of the day.

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