Big Waves at Little Henty Reef, Snorkelling at Little Henty Reef, West Coast surfers, a Shark Warning

The constant and ever-changing backdrop to life in Apollo Bay is the ocean. Swells come and go on the west coast of Victoria, unlike the wind which blows most days. The size of the swell is determined by storms in higher latitudes deep in the Southern Ocean. The strength and direction of the wind on … Continue reading Big Waves at Little Henty Reef, Snorkelling at Little Henty Reef, West Coast surfers, a Shark Warning →

100 Days, 100 Ocean Swims, 130 kms

The 100 day swim challenge I set myself just after a state of emergency was declared in Victoria because of the Covid-19 pandemic, was to swim in the ocean every day for 100 days and to swim a total of more than 100kms. No daily swim would be less than 1000m. I started the challenge … Continue reading 100 Days, 100 Ocean Swims, 130 kms →

Storm Surf at Apollo Bay and Marengo. Shark surfaces near Ocean Swimmer

Whenever a solid swell is forecast for this coast, some locals in Apollo Bay quietly start to pay just a little more attention to the weather maps, to their tried and tested omens and to the feeling in their bones. They gaze out to the horizon for signs of swell, they judge the frequency and … Continue reading Storm Surf at Apollo Bay and Marengo. Shark surfaces near Ocean Swimmer →

April 2019 at Apollo Bay – big swell, a 5m shark sighting and a cold front

The Friday 26 April 2019 swell The swell in autumn along the west of Victoria is sufficiently reliable for the Rip Curl Pro surfing contest to be held at Bells Beach around Easter each year. This year was the 58th year of the contest. The Rip Curl Pro was the second event on the 2019 … Continue reading April 2019 at Apollo Bay – big swell, a 5m shark sighting and a cold front →

Encounter with the shark in my head

Morning thunderstorm clouds over NSW beach

During a short swim in a river mouth on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, I confirmed that the shark in your head can chase you out of the water at least as effectively as an actual shark. Before explaining that statement, a few photos of things that interested me recently along the coast of … Continue reading Encounter with the shark in my head →