mocha1 said...
The outer reefs stop any (most) swell from getting through to beaches Nth of watermans south of mullalloo
i recall Watermans, Mettams and Toms being alot bigger and better before the marina (and dont forget the effect of the 3 sorrento groynes placed before the marina came along)
or is it just a groms memory of bigger/better!!!!
1st reef at Watermans Bay used to be a fun right hander that wouild also work in winter onshores, as did Watermans Bay. There was a bunch of non-grommet regulars who would surf here and it would definately produce ridable waves a lot more during winter. I suspect that a series of heavier than usual winter swells/storms washed the sand away from the bay/1st reef and it has never been fully replentished so the wave ceased to work.
Sorrento Groyne (2nd Groyne) used to provide sucky waist to chest height left handers if a 1.5 to 2m swell coincided with a strong seabreeze. I can remember some older guys surfing here, so it was not grommet waist to chest height! Not great waves, but another option that doesn't exist anymore due to changes in sand movement?
The Cut is a slightly different story, although its construction destroyed an awesome sandbar break it appears to have had little impact on the other breaks nearby, many have said to me that Avalon is as good as ever, melros and Gearies seem to have been unaffected according to crew that have surfed here for three to four decades. I know the two projects are very different but it's interesting to note how man made coastal developments can have a very different impact on the surf.
