Well there's still a day or so before the front hits QLD but you guys down south look like you're copping it big time already!

I was just looking at the raw wave buoy data (from Manly Hydraulics Lab) for Eden and it looks like the significant wave height (offshore) has reached about 7.5m (with max height over 9m!). A quick look at the historical data for the past 33 years at Eden (below) indicates a maximum significant wave height of 7.31m, so could this swell be breaking records?

With winds topping 126km/hr (68knots) at Wattamolla, just south of Sydney, an hour ago it will be interesting to see how big the swell is when it hits Sydney seeing as the Port Kembla buoy is offline and the Batemans Bay one stopped working at 6m.

"That's the lemon next to the pie".

What day is it tomorrow ?

Scotty88 said...

"That's the lemon next to the pie".

What day is it tomorrow ?

Jen sday

so its the lemon instead of the pie

Piros said...

Where is it ? no signs on Goldie yet....[}:)]

Smaller this arvo than yesterday here

Just hit Sydney around 6pm

Ali Cat said...

goatman said...

Not sure how they measure it for the records Ali but we get a few swells a year that reach over 7meters on the max swell height. Have seen over 10 meters max last couple of years.

Hey Goatie, the "records" are based on the maximum significant wave height (Hsig) which is a better measure of the underlying swell rather than a rogue wave (Hmax) - not really sure why they so it that way. For Sydney they've had the data recording for about 20years and the record/maximum Hsig is 8.43m, compared to just over 6m in your example, (so the corresponding max could have been up around 16m?).

Anyway enough of the nerdy stuff, i'm looking forward to seeing pics of the swell if the rain/wind stops long enough for anyone to get outside.

Not sure if it'll break the record this time but it might get close?

Interesting stuff eh! I guess it's the 'rogue' ones that get you though. I know period length is the most important ingredient, in fact a 3-6 meter swell with a 14-15 sec period will provide far better quality than a 6-9 meter 9 sec like we will prob get tonight/tomorrow (lots of wind as well!). I'm not too excited about this one.

As someone else said the best swells eminate from thousands of kays away and this one is too close initially. We get a second pulse here on the weekend which is a lot 'smaller' but longer period (14-15 sec).

Should be waves for the comps on the weekend though

Flounder said...

It's all about swell direction up here anyway. A 5 foot east swell usually means bigger surf than a 20 foot South swell. On the ENE facing points like Currumbin etc anyway...

One of the great things about living down here is we have breaks that face every direction from North to dead south, gives plenty of options with the huge variation in swell direction we all get here on the east coast.

Down winding will be insane tomorrow though, shame about work[}:)]

Should have seen the view looking out over Middle Harbout to the Heads this morning.

Guys were out surfing 4 foot Wyargine Point off of Chinamans Beach!

It's can't be far off making it to QLD (even if you have to look out the horizon to see the Southerly swell rolling past). Looks like its made it to Byron now.

I don't understand all these graphs. Starting to make me feel dizzy and reminds me of hospital or that polygraph I took back in ........ Hope it doesn't flatline.
Too complicating, just tell me is it triple over head ? - keep it simple.

I got caught in the middle of it last night on the yacht in what turned out to be a not so protected cove. Thats the first and hopefully the last time I will see spume blowing acrosd whitecaps.

If you want to know how big it was maybe ask someone who took the Manly ferry this morning. I reckon I saw a couple climbing and plowing through six metre swells. I couldn't undrrstand why they did not cancel those services.

The swell and weather does seem to be abating fairly quick.

laceys lane said...

geez phone calls, text messages were coming in thick and fast today for dw runs

i got really good typing in working.

looks like it stayed mostly off shore

Condition would have been puss for a DW paddle today to much West in the Wind. But the Alley was bulk fun for a surf today from 3:00pm till dark got some nice ones ended up way down near 3rd Ave.
Cloudbreak should be in the 15ft range come Friday and with No Wind. Restaurants will be just Pumping for the VOLCUM PRO

Downwinder said...

laceys lane said...

geez phone calls, text messages were coming in thick and fast today for dw runs

i got really good typing in working.

looks like it stayed mostly off shore

Condition would have been puss for a DW paddle today to much West in the Wind. But the Alley was bulk fun for a surf today from 3:00pm till dark got some nice ones ended up way down near 3rd Ave.
Cloudbreak should be in the 15ft range come Friday and with No Wind. Restaurants will be just Pumping for the VOLCUM PRO

It was only puss if you didn't think out side the square!!!

^^^^^^^^^More bloody graphs.

Edit: I'll show you a bloody graf.