Winter returned to the west coast recently with near gale-force north-westerly and westerly winds and solid swell. A procession of squall lines brought heavy rain and hail for several days and nights. For one of my ocean swims during this cold spell, while the water temp was an agreeable 14°C, the air temp was 9°C … Continue reading Strong September Winds, Solid Swell and Surfers on Victorian West Coast
The black kite is a smaller raptor than the wedge-tailed eagle, but it has the flying ability, strength, beak, talons and eyesight required to make it a bold and efficient predator. It is a species found in abundance throughout Australia. Soaring over paddocks between Apollo Bay and Marengo. Note the slightly forked flat tail. The … Continue reading Black Kite and Australasian Gannet on the Wing, Solid Swell on the Reef at Apollo Bay and a Cray Boat
The first of September 2021 dawned with perfect spring weather and proper winter swell. Very early in the day when I had my swim in the ocean there was no wind at all. By the time I was taking these photos later in the morning a gentle northerly was putting the finishing touches on the … Continue reading Swell Breaking on Little Henty Reef, Full Moon Rising over Apollo Bay, and a Koala
There is a small grassy clearing on a headland on the west coast of Victoria to which I keep returning to watch the mighty winter waves from the Southern Ocean end their long journey on the reefs and rocks there. My eyrie overlooks a rock shelf which is completely underwater at high tide. The rock … Continue reading Winter Waves on the West Coast of Victoria
In midwinter on the west coast of Victoria, bitterly cold offshore winds fan curtains of spray off swell lines generated by storms in the deep southern latitudes between Australia and Antarctica. Most of these winter waves go unridden. But occasionally the keen observer will fleetingly spot something black in the water well offshore, appearing and … Continue reading Victorian West Coast Winter Surfing
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