The air temperature was 7°C and the wind was blowing at 25-30 knots. The wind chill was around 1°C. There was thunder from time to time and being wet from the near constant rain created a further refrigeration effect. These were the conditions in which some of the photos below were taken. The camera and I were rugged up and I stayed dry (as did my camera) and warm for the time it took to take these photos. Being out in conditions like this always makes me feel really alive and energised.
A deep low, a couple of fronts and a blast of cold air from Antarctica
While the winter solstice in Australia was on 21 June 2020, the coldest part of winter around Apollo Bay always seems to be late August. The sea temperature is coldest then, and deep lows and cold fronts such as we experienced in recent days are common.
View of the Barham River, and Marengo on the point in the distance (as seen from the Great Ocean Road). You know there’s exciting weather on the way when clouds like this appear. The developing cumulo-nimbus cloud on the horizon typically occurs when cold moist air is lifted as a wedge of cold air (the cold front) pushes underneath it. The diffuse boundary and developing anvil shape on top of this cloud indicate that it is still developing. The rising moist air condenses and releases latent heat which causes the air to rise further and the process repeats. This is the start of the self-contained system of a thunderstorm cloud. The cloud shown had formed out to sea and was a sure sign of the instability in the atmosphere (rapid drop of temperature with altitude) and of the influx of cold moist air into the area. The stage was set for a day or two of squalls and thunderstorms, which is what occurred. The place where the Barham River enters the sea can be seen at the top right edge of the image. Heavy rain had lifted the water level in the Barham and increased its flow out to sea. The mixing of the muddy fresh water with the sea is clearly visible in and beyond the surf zone on the left half of the image where the brown river water flowing out to sea is clearly delineated from the green ocean water.The view due south from Hayley Point at Marengo. Departing squall on the left horizon and approaching squall on the right. The apparent calmness of the inshore area is a function of the strong offshore NW wind, and the fact that the wind eased a little between squalls. While there was a wait between sets, there were solid waves coming ashore here.
Below are the usual portents and omens which are always enjoyable reading for those interested in the weather. They are a clarion call to do many things, including making sure there is enough dry kindling and chopped firewood to ensure the open fire can burn continuously during such a cold spell. This weather pattern brought snow down to 500m across many areas in western Victoria which don’t normally see snow.
Photographers’ Eyrie at Hayley Point
Many of my wave photos are taken from this spot. The air temp was around 7°C this afternoon. Wind chill was in very low single figures given the wind strength. It rained heavily most of the time. I was rugged up in waterproof walking boots, my motorbike waterproof overpants, a fleecy lined hoodie, a North Face hooded ski jacket, a NZ possum hair beanie and hand warmers kindly knitted by my good friend Boo. The camera is more difficult to protect. But this raincoat for the camera and telephoto lens works very well, provided I keep my back to the wind. Rain drops and running water on an exposed lens (which occur when facing into the weather even with a lengthy hood such as this lens has) do not make for useable photos. The camera cover is an ingenious bit of equipment. I am confident I could take the covered camera under a shower and it would stay dry. On this day I spent over 90 minutes outside with heavy rain falling most of the time. The camera raincoat is not quite long enough for my 150-600mm telephoto lens (being designed for a 200mm lens), which is why the very tip of my lens and the hood attached are in the rain. But there are no moving parts there so the rain does no harm. And so it was that I was able to spend an hour and a half or more in near constant rain in complete warmth and comfort with my camera totally protected yet fully functional. It is helpful to know your way around the various controls on the camera by feel when it is covered like this. Taking photos of the heavens on moonless nights has been good training in this regard.
There was a lot of water moving at Little Henty Reef
There have been much bigger swells in this area. But the deep low centred in the southern ocean south-west of Tasmania and its associated storms still created enough energy to bring sizeable groundswell to the Apollo Bay coast and beyond. As the low moved through the area, the wind eventually swung around to the south-west. But on the day these photos were taken the front had yet to pass and the wind was from the north-west. Such a wind is offshore for the waves arriving at Little Henty Reef which means the waves are shaped perfectly and groomed by the wind with giant manes of white water blowing back as they break.
This sequence of four images shows the stages of a wave first appearing in the large crescent shape dictated by the reef contours just north of Little Henty Reef, then peaking, breaking and finally crashing over the shallow reef with a perfect dark aqua barrel even on this gloomy wet and windy day. These photos were taken between squall lines.
A lot of water moving around.
The light and the texture of the ocean surface change when it rains
Heavier rain darkened the day and the mood of the sea
I don’t know whether it’s the low light, the indistinct horizon, the heavy rain and stormy conditions, the size and darkness of these waves or all of the above which vividly conveys the majesty and power of groundswell such as this. Great spectres from the deep. Witnessing such a sight from the deck of a sailing ship 200 years ago with wind howling through the rigging and sizeable swell with breaking waves in very close proximity would surely have struck terror into the hearts of such seamen. On this coast, history records that this scenario is not idle speculation. Streaming white mane of spray flowing behind this wave throwing out a small lip before it breaks. By the way, that’s a crested tern top right flying in the heavy rain over the waves. I always marvel at the ease and command of seabirds in stormy conditions and big seas. They truly are above it all and such conditions pose no threat to them. They are the masters of their domain.
Brief sunny interlude late in the day before the next squall line
This photo was taken from Hayley Point looking across the southern end of Mounts Bay towards the foothills of the Otway Ranges. The day’s weather was a series of squalls. Sometimes between the heavy rain there would be just grey skies, and sometimes sunshine. The lowering angle of the late afternoon sun worked its usual magic on the ancient weathered folds of the hills behind Apollo Bay. The dark clouds beyond added to the spectacle.Looking across Mounts Bay to Apollo Bay and Wild Dog Creek valley in the hills beyond. Between the town and Wild Dog Creek valley is a distance of 2.5kms or so across the waters of Apollo Bay. About 800m offshore at the southern end of Mounts Bay is the outer reef of Little Henty Reef. It provides overnight accommodation for travelling seals, and is home to a colony of 100 or so Australian fur seals. The rainbow in the eastern sky is backdrop to the small silhouette of what I believe to be an Australasian gannet. For a post of mine devoted to the remarkable and beautiful Australasian gannet, published on this blog on 26 February 2020, see: https://southernoceanblog.com/2020/02/26/australasian-gannets-breeding-on-southern-ocean-clifftops/
Images from a couple of recent swims
Marengo
Winter in Apollo Bay is not all storms and big swell. These photos were taken with my ageing GoPro at Marengo a week or so ago. It was a cold sunny day with not much wind. There was no swell to speak of. Conditions allowed me to swim about 500m north from the small bay at the southern end of Mounts Bay into the more open bay (and back again). There are many occasions when such a swim is imprudent or dangerous. This day was neither. The ocean was at rest. The underwater visibility was also very inviting. The water was cold and clean. I was the only person in the water and Liz was the only person on the beach.
The sea bed in the bay inside Little Henty reef slopes away gently to the east (to the right in this image) a short distance offshore. Closer to shore the seabed is relatively level. Just one of the reasons I love ocean swimming.
Apollo Bay Harbour
As noted in some previous posts, on days with big easterlies, or when the bay and Marengo are not inviting for one reason or another, there is nearly always the harbour. Clean relatively sheltered water can usually be found here.
This was a bit of a stormy day. You can see the raindrops on the water. With the wind from the north west there was enough fetch across the small harbour to create chop on the eastern side where I swam. The water was clean and cold (around 12°C). The jetty beside the public boat ramp. The seabed below me here is covered with healthy dark green seagrass. For underwater photos taken on a day of good visibility see my previous post: https://southernoceanblog.com/2019/12/12/an-hour-amongst-the-seagrass/
The surface of the sea does wonderful things to light, whether in the pristine ocean waters of the reefs near Marengo, or the Apollo Bay harbour.
Incidental beauty around Apollo Bay
The ubiquitous arum lily. When I rode my motorbike around Australia in 2010 I saw these all over the place. I knew nothing about them but I thought they were beautiful. I have since learned that they are a declared pest in WA. I have also discovered that, unexpectedly, all parts of the plant are poisonous causing a variety of very nasty symptoms if ingested. I think I liked it better when I knew none of this. Before I was burdened with such knowledge (a simpler time when I in fact thought they were called Aaron lilies) I was never tempted to eat one. I didn’t need to know they were poisonous. I shall continue to view them as simply beautiful.
Onion weed on the left. I was disappointed to learn that this delicate and understated but beautiful little plant was not called something more prosaic like ‘the deferential dew drop’ or ‘the reading light’. I was also disappointed on Googling this species to be directed first up to a site informing me ‘how to get rid of onion weed’. This plant apparently has no friends. On the right is a flower called ‘blossom’ (my research on this flower was brief).
I think I will stick to declaring beauty wherever and in whatever I find it, unburdened by unhelpful knowledge.
Grevillea, and king protea (before opening hours).
The exquisite and luminescent king protea.
Disclaimer: I am not a formally qualified botanist. In fact, as a gardener, my skills end at mowing bold spirals in my front lawn.
Gnarly looking weather down that way John. There hasn’t been much swell to photograph around Ivanhoe East, but I’ll be ready with the camera when it arrives. In the meantime, I’ve got some bird photos you’ll appreciate that I’ll be putting up shortly.
Typical winter in Apollo Bay Andrew. Sorry to hear there’s been a bit of a lull in rideable waves around Ivanhoe East. I’ve commented on your bird photos – nice work. I like clear closeups of birds and in particular, shots that show something of the nature of the particular bird (usually requiring a detailed view of an eye).
South 
brilliant photos. i love your philosophy of declaring beauty where you find it, unburdened by unhelpful knowledge.
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great photos john, and I especially love the sea in the Winter, not to ever swim in it like you but the ever changing form.
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Anonymous is me – Sue Marino (never thought of myself as Anonymous before ,sounds very latin or maybe greek!)
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Thanks Sue. Glad you enjoyed the photos. We certainly see all the moods of the ocean on a regular basis in Apollo Bay.
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Gnarly looking weather down that way John. There hasn’t been much swell to photograph around Ivanhoe East, but I’ll be ready with the camera when it arrives. In the meantime, I’ve got some bird photos you’ll appreciate that I’ll be putting up shortly.
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Typical winter in Apollo Bay Andrew. Sorry to hear there’s been a bit of a lull in rideable waves around Ivanhoe East. I’ve commented on your bird photos – nice work. I like clear closeups of birds and in particular, shots that show something of the nature of the particular bird (usually requiring a detailed view of an eye).
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