Mr Price Pro Ballito 2011

Nat Young making an unbelievable barrel at Bog Bay.

Yesterday saw the start of the Mr Price Pro Ballito, the conditions were epic and probably one of the best days we have seen in a very long time. Each heat was absolutely mind blowing, the guys were getting some of the sickest barrels across Surfers Point.

Some contestant getting barreled of his nut at Surfers Point Pic M Adjes

While the contest was going on there was an all cast side show going down at Bog Bay to the south. It was hard to pull away from watching the 'Pro' but when you saw what was going down at Bog it made Modern Collective seem a little dusty. Added to that Bog was heavy ..very heavy. And guys like John John and Nat Young were showing everyone up. I have some sequences with John John smacking the lip and then doing a 12ft air drop with a gaping monster barrel coming down.

The high light of the whole sesh was watching Nat get a monster backhand pit that has to be one of the most insane things I have ever seen. The wave broke over him at the top of the point and he disappeared into the foam ball. I stopped swimming thinking that he was history. But next thing he pulls through the foam ball and sets up inside the sickest pit I have seen in years. Because I stopped swimming I was a little out of position but got some great wide pics of the barrel. (pic above) I also got the video of the barrle which is now on my phone and gets played over and over and over!

For those of you who missed the action yesterday here is the Youtube highlights of the day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjTc8TExNG4

The only disappointing thing was them running the last 2 heats in the wind. Which i felt was so unnecessary as there is loads of good surfing coming. Jordy surfed the last heat and got so skunked it wasn't funny. I think every one was so keen to see him surf they put the heat in. But it was a total waste, the waves crapped out and it was a dud heat.

Never the less the next few days have got some great conditions so I am sure the action will be hot!

Coatesman

East Swell Drain Pipes

Brad Johns about to get shacked up properly on on of the barrels of the day.

 The monster east swell turned slightly south and we have had some interesting waves the last few days in Ballito. For the most part its just been solid hard hitting close outs across the bay. But every now and then one lines up and funnels across the very straight and shallow sand bank.

Yesterday the conditions were perfect which made it impossible not to surf. But it wasnt easy with the prospect of being caught by the sets or breaking your board always lurking in the back of your mind. ...and I am already one board down this swell!!

Scotty the Style master in the sweet spot.

The sea is a bit all over the place this morning, but there is still a bit of swell left. My only hope is that the swell has not taken away all the sand that we had a week ago. ....It was looking the best its been in years (the sand banks that is)

Anyway more big swell coming this weekend and probably no diving ...I guess we will have to go surf

Damn!

Coatesman

Spearfishing and Surfing Lowdown

Hey guys,

Well the swell over the weekend kinda ran through to Monday and Tuesday so there has been little spearfishing done. But barrel riding well no thats another story!!The surf was pretty much firing from Saturday to Tuesday mid morning. Every dog and his cat was on it and it was rather crowded, except for Sunrise on Monday and Surfers on Tuesday. Go figure?? Anyway we will have to wait a while before we have a spread of surf like that again.

Talking about surf I was chatting Syd Boulanger yesterday about his Zulu Surf Adventures tour company. He has been sneaking off to some spots up towards Mozam and scoring some epic uncrowded surf. I thought I would take a peak at his site and came across this ...... I thought it was pretty funny, and very true!

Zulu Surf Adventures

Back to the diving the sea calmed down and I heard some fish came out off Umhloti, a good cuta and some snoek. I have not hear whats happening this side as my head has been in a hole with work. This morning looked great and I am sure some of the guys got in before the east goes and wrecks it again.

The weekend looks fairly promising on Saturday morning but dont hold your breath!! Sunday is a write off and early next week looks like some average but good surf. You will probably still be able to dive if surfings not your thing as it does not look like the swell will be that big.

Anyway thats all for now.

Coatesman

Voting Day's Cooking Surf

Early Morning Voting Day Sunrise Perfection. Pic Rat

Well the ANC did one thing right, they made Voting Day on a day the surf cooked. If they could organise that every weekend ... I am sure they might get a few more Votes? Or not!!

Politics aside yesterday was a fantastic morning, the swell was perfect the conditions were epic and with the banks just starting to show some life the wave started to show some real form.

I got down just after light and there were some guys already on Sunrise which was starting to look like the Sunrise of old. I could see the current was already pushing and the guys were having to constantly paddle up the river to keep on the spot.

I opted for Surfers ... no one out and the odd bomb grinding on the inside bank.

I bagged a couple real cookers before a couple guys pulled in to join in on the barrel fest.

Me enjoying some barrel time at Surfers. Pic Rat

I kept see the guys running across to Sunrise from the parking and I could not help myself I had to go and check it out. Sunnies was working there was a strong crowd of about 10 guys all paddling like mad to stay up the point. I got one good barrel as I got there (probably while I was still fresh) but spent the next hour trying to get onto the spot and never really got anything special. 

Ryan Belfor clapping the inside like an energiser bunny on jet fuel. Pic Rat

I went back out at Surfers ... less of a mission although I think the real bombs were at Sunrise ...I must be getting old!! We surfed until the east picked up and took the rest of the day easy, Voted and then hit the couch... nothing wrong!!

Til Next Voting Day ...... I hope not

Coatesman

Mr Price Pro Surfing moves to Ballito

Mr Price Pro comes to Ballito!!

Well the unbelievable has happened!! The Mr Price Pro is coming to Ballito ... serious stoke to watch whats going down ...but we did enjoy the crowdless surf when every one headed to durban to watch the comp in the old days.

Here is the article from IOL

The world famous Mr Price Pro surfing competition is moving location for the first time from Durban's North Beach to Ballito. The competition takes place from June 26-July 5.

The competition will take the form of a "mobile" event, using the world class beaches of Salmon Bay, Willards, Surfers, Tiffanies and Tinley Manor and making use of the varied excellent surfing conditions available. 

Mr Price will be partnering with the Kwadukuza Municipality to organise and run the surfing competition and will work with the local community to build a beach festival around the activity, including free music concerts and other beach related events. 

Stuart Bird, Mr Price CEO commented, "The moving of the Mr Price Pro surfing event to Ballito means that it can only get bigger and better. The location is perfect for a world class event such as this and the local municipality has been incredibly supportive in working with us to plan the event." 

He added: "We would also like to express our thanks to the eThekwini Municipality for hosting us in Durban for the past nine years and for all of the support they have given us."

Kwadukuza council mayor, Thulani Khuluse added: "We are incredibly excited to be hosting the Mr Price Pro event in Ballito this year and are looking forward to the opportunity to showcase our beautiful area and perfect surfing conditions to the world." 

Colin Fitch, operations manager of the Association of Surfing Professionals Africa commented: "The Mr Price Pro remains one of the most prestigious Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) events. It has become one of the major events on the international surfing calendar and an important stop for surfing professionals from around the world. Many of them have surfed the breaks at Ballito before and I know many are looking forward to doing so again."

Professional surfer and resident of Ballito, Tammy Lee Smith said: "Ballito is a well-known surfing location internationally and the bays and rocky outcrops along the North Coast offer a huge variety of waves, ranging from tame shore breaks to hollow beach breaks to challenging reef breaks." 

The event now attracts more than 250 entrants from 11 nations. The total prize purse is $175 000.

I guess the one up side of this is that maybe the surfers can and will be heard ...and the rocks at Bog will be opened up to get our banks in fine shape.

So please keep looking for old pics, chatting to anyone you know in the municipality and keep the pressure up!! 

...and at least join the movement check out Resurrecting Bog Bay

Mr Price Pro!! its bringing the pro's and the crowds like it or not ...atleast its only 2 weeks!!

The exciting thing will be the insain surfing!!

Coatesman

Surfing - Where is the Swell?

Well every one was up and looking for the surf this morning, only to find it small and inconsistent. The Swell was SW and probably missed us :-(

The tides are still fairly high in the morning so the was little hope of it getting much better.

The Swell looks like it will turn from SW to straight South which will mean we should get better swell tomorrow. But the wind looks like it will be blowing so we might just be in the office early again!

Friday is neap tide and there will still be some swell around to surf, Saturday also looks promising with it getting a little lower first thing in the morning.

On the Spearfishing front the sea at home is green!! The south tomorrow might help some more ....but it is just yuck at the moment.

If you are bored go check out the lame comments some guys have left on the post I did on the Tiger Shark that Got Shot.  

Other than that the only other news is that the DUC cutoff for entries is today ... (I think)

Coatesman

Big Surf still Thumping

Sunrise Point in all its Glory..pic by Rat

The conditions again this morning were epic, the swell was still too strong to surf tho. The sets were only about 8ft, but with up to 5 waves in a set and a very small lull. There was still huge amounts of water moving.

Yesterday was massive tho, almost resembling the storm last year. Much of the beach has been washed away and all the rock exposed. I dont think its going to have done our banks any good.

Thursday morning is looking promising, and if the banks are ok we will have a couple waves. looking further along to Sunday .... we might just be having church at the back line with some classic conditions piling up.

Hold thums

Coatesman

Typical Summers Morning

The sea was nice and calm this morning, and I decided to take Braidy (my lighty) for a surf. There were some nice little waves at Surfers point and Braidy and I had a couple before I he had to get back home to get ready for school.

I think back to when I was at school ..... I would have done anything to be able to surf before school.

Any how the dive is still looking ok ...ish. The water was not too cold and the vis was more than diveable, but its not the warm clean stuff you are looking for this time of the year.

Cheers

Coatesman

Sunshine at last!!

Sunrise at Surfers beach this morning.

Well the sun is out at last, and the rain is over 4 now. Only thing is the east is pumping and the rivers have vomited up their bellies. So there will be very little spearfishing or even surfing going down over the next few days.

Just a little heads up ... The Fishing Corner will be having their prize giving this Saturday at the Paddleski club in Durban at 12. So if you keen to see whats going down pop in. For more info go check their site: http://www.fishingcorner.co.za/

Catcha

Coatesman

Its a good life!

Surfers Lane Ballito this morning with the new deck.

I was reminded this morning that I have loads to be thankful for. I and I suppose every one else out there as well can often get so caught up in the stress of of life, we forget to see the blessings around us.

Well this morning was full of blessings from above, Braidy my 10 year old son came surfing with me. It was an epic morning, with the waves just big enough for me to have a couple and not to big that it would crush him. We had a couple waves long before anyone else even hit the beach, it was super special.

I was checking the time when it dawned on me that exactly one month to that very moment I would be in the water at Mozambique. And now I don't know if i am excited or bummed. Bummed that I have 3 and some weeks left of work to get through. Lets just hope they fly!!!

I just checked the weather for this week and it looks promising, it seems the strong wind season is coming to an end .... hopefully .....and just another thing to be thankful for.

very thankful,

Coatesman

Pitted off my face!!

Finally!!

Flip I thought the day would never come, this has to be my first 'real' surf before work I have had in months.

It was just a couple of us out at Surfers Point, a 3-4 ft swell nice and solid though and a draining tide. The wind was from the north but still off shore, blowing down the barrels. Only got a couple but my goodness me!!!! I feel alive again.

I had this one beast ,..... I didnt come out ...but it barreled me right across the bay ...fan-flip'n-tastic!!

The east is all over it now :-( but we had it!!

The weekend does not look like anything amazing will happen ...but hey we will see.

Coatesman

Surfers Point - THREATENED

Surfers Point and Bog Bay two premier surf spots in Ballito are soon to be no more. Thats if the MONKEYS at the local council and their really SMART professional team get their way.

They are wanting to form a artificial reef in the way of an old ship or something. The idea is to have the reef block the surf from pounding the bathing beach.

Problem 1 : the problem with the lack of sand is not the storm we had but the rocks that make up the paddling pool south at Boulder Bay adjacent to Bog.

Problem 2: The last storm moved the Fame Wreck which was almost 1km our to sea. Whats going to stop a storm moving a ship inshore??

Problem 3: what is going to happen with the other beaches?? Who knows?? Hey it might make better waves ..... or totally destroy the breaks north??

The other bright idea was to put piers made from doluse (how ever you spell it) those 4 sided concrete star things like at Richards Bay harbor .... really nice to look at. NOT!!!

Other than that, life is great. There are some sand banks forming at surfers and there is some potential for some good surf soon.

Amping

Coatesman

That feeling when you know you missed it!

You know that feeling ..... ya the one that hits your gut? When you know you missed out?
Well yesterday was one of those, I saw the sea before dark while the tide was high and it look nice. No waves but it had loads of potential. The forcast said the wind was going to be 100's.

I managed to drive past the beach at 2.30pm the tide was already coming in and a light east was starting to blow. And guess what ...... I got that horrible feeling!Surfers Point at Willard Beach Ballito
starting to look like there is some life in the place.

I saw some waves break on Surfers Point, something which has not happened since the storm in May. And I could see that if I was there earlier it would have been cranking.


This is the down side to winter! The waves go off ..... but generally on the low which is normally between 8 and 11am near the spring tide. And that means that I am at work!!!!


And I get that feeling alot!!


Well the wind is going to behave itself again today and with the dropping swell a point dive should be the order of the day tommorrow. Thursday brings a mild east but with some luck we will still be diving on Friday and the weekend.


Dont forget the Salty Divers Club meet on Friday. Bring your 'dop n' chop' + the wife or lady friend ..... its gonna be fun. I have some training I will be doing and maybe a guest speaker ???


Will keep you posted.

Coatesman