Wicked Westerlies

It looks like a pretty windy yucky old weekend! The Met Service is predicting

Situation: Wind Warnings are in force in all areas. A trough approaching from the Tasman Sea should cross the area on Saturday. A second trough should cross the region late Sunday, followed by a strong, disturbed southwest flow. A ridge is likely to spread onto the far south late Monday and spread north on Tuesday.

Friday: Northwest 10 knots tending northerly 15 knots this afternoon then rising to 20 knots gusting 30 knots this evening and to 25 knots gusting 35 knots tonight. Slight sea, but waves choppy when wind opposes tide, becoming moderate this evening and rough tonight. Cloudy periods, with fair visibility in rain developing tonight.
Saturday: Changing westerly 25 knots gusting 35 knots in the morning then tending southwest in the afternoon then easing to 15 knots in the evening. Rough sea easing to slight but choppy when wind opposes tide in the evening. Poor visibility in rain then easing to a few showers in the morning.
Sunday: Westerly 20 knots, becoming southwest 25 knots gusting 35 knots at night. Mainly fine, but showers developing at night.

Saturday High Tide 0805 Auckland 3.5
Sunday High Tide 0854 Auckland 3.5

When it is blowing like this I reckon that the best bets are the Te Atatu to Akarana or St Heliers, or an Island Bay/Beachhaven run round to Takapuna. These runs can absolutely fly if you come home with that tide.

As always team have fun out there, but be safe.

Sunday Training is On!!!

the weather looks great, so hopefully I will catch all you rock stars down at Taka from 4-5

The Weather Bomb

I was pleased to catch a few of you out on the water this morning enjoying a small break in the weather. I thoroughly enjoyed the cheeky little northerly that was blowing in to the Gulf. it really was so good to get out on my ski and a bonus to have a sweet little run back to Taka from up the coast, great to see a few of you guys doing the same!

It does however look like the wind and showers are going to pick up again over night. From the Met Service

Wind warning in force for Hauraki Gulf, and the area from Bream Head to Cape Colville. A strong, disturbed westerly flow affects the area. A weak ridge should move onto the area late Sunday, moving away to the east Monday with the flow tending northeast.

FRIDAY: Northwest 15 knots rising to 20 knots gusting 30 knots this afternoon. Slight sea becoming moderate this afternoon. Fair visibility and a few showers.
SATURDAY: Northwest 20 knots gusting 30 knots easing to 15 knots in the afternoon. Moderate sea becoming slight in the afternoon. Fair visibility, isolated showers clearing in the afternoon.
SUNDAY: Northwest 15 knots. Long fine spells, cloudy later.

Tides
High tide Saturday Sept 25^th 0830, 3.0m
high tide Sunday Sept 26^th 1007, 3.0m


The Norwesters mean that I reckon the best runs in Auckland this weekend will be from places like Te Atatu and Island Bay back to RAYC, St Heliers or I guess Takapuna if you are based on the shore. Take a note of those tides, it you wanna fly back I would jump on the water just after it turns and enjoy the speed, but if you wanna try and work on your surf skills and you feel comfortable in the winds predicted, then jump on before it turns and enjoy that chop created when the wind opposes the tide.

At this stage it looks like the weather will hold up well for our usual Sunday session down at Takapuna. I am racing out at Waitamata on Sunday morning so I will get an accurate gage on the conditions early in the day. If the conditions are looking to challenging I will have to cancel the session, but I will post that here before 1300. But at this stage it is still all go for 4pm at Taka. If you want to double check don’t hesitate to txt or phone me on 021 932 116

Enjoy the weekend team, but remember, be safe.

Jasons Japanes Journey

Jason has recently returned from Japan where he was coaching a 8 strong New Zealand Surf Lifesaving team to second place in the Sanyo Bussan Cup.

The New Zealand team claimed four gold medals, seven silver medals and four bronze, finishing on 384 points, 19 behind Australia. Hosts Japan were third on 326.

For more details on the team and competition check out

http://www.sportzhub.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10622&Itemid=1

http://www.slsnz.org.nz/Article.aspx?ID=12915


Welcome home Jase and big ups on the results, sounds like the young Kiwi team were kaining it!!!

Those Pesky Southerlies

The Metservice have said

A front embedded in a southwest flow passes across northern New Zealand late evening, followed by gales. Southwesterlies ease over the region Saturday as a ridge moves east onto the North Island, and tend northwest Sunday ahead of a new trough that moves onto the Island Tuesday.

Friday: Westerly 25 knots gusting 35 knots rising to southwest 35 knots gusting 50 knots this evening. Rough sea becoming very rough this evening. Fair visibility in occasional showers, becoming poor in squally showers this evening.

Saturday: Southwest 35 knots gusting 50 knots easing to 25 knots gusting 35 knots in the morning, then to 20 knots in the evening. Very rough sea becoming rough in the morning and moderate in the evening. Poor visibility in showers, easing to fair visibility in just a few showers in the morning. High tide is 0226 at 2.8m

Sunday: Becoming northwest 10 knots and rising 20 knots later. Cloudy at times. High tide is 1506 at 2.8m.

Your best be is probably a run to Waiheke and a ferry ride home, but I have some kms to slog through so will probably plough through it in the inner harbour heading west into it so I can enjoy the ride home.

The Metservice currently have a gale warning in force for all areas, so please be safe out there – in fact it is probably a good conditions to test out life jackets, drink systems and leg ropes, there is absolutely NO shame in that.

Three in a Row

Another great weekend to be in the Gulf with strong Noreasters.

The Metservice have issued wind warnings for both the Manukau and Waitemata Harbours. and say

An active front moves onto the North Island today preceded by a strong northerly flow. A low develops in the far north late Saturday, then moves southeast to lie off Gisborne late Sunday, then away.

Friday Northeast 30 knots gusting 40 knots easing to 20 knots gusting 30 knots overnight. Rough sea becoming moderate overnight. Fair visibility in patchy light rain, becoming poor in widespread rain this afternoon.

Saturday: Northeast 20 knots gusting 30 knots tending northeast in the afternoon and changing southwest 15kt at night Moderate sea becoming slight at night. Poor visibility in rain.

Sunday: Westerly 15 knots tending southwest. Showers easing.

High tide at AUCKLAND

21:58 Friday 3.6m

10:27 Saturday 3.5m

Any run down the North Shore beaches should be a blast this weekend. I have heaps on but am going to sneak out early tomorrow morning and paddle from Long Bay back to Taka.

It sounds like it could be pretty hairy out there so make sure you are super sensible and take all the appropriate safety equipment; leg rope, high viz vest/life jacket and ideally a phone in a dry bag.

Can't wait to see all the regulars Sunday at Taka.

Another Northerly!!!

Well the Waitamata Harbour looks like it is set to get another sneaky Northerly over the weekend, although judging by what Metservice have to say I would get out early Saturday as it could be just plain miserable by Sunday.

Metservice Report

Friday: Northerly 10 knots. Sea slight. Fine and cloudy periods, a few light showers developing evening.

Saturday: Northerly 15 knots rising to 20 knots in the morning, to 35 knots gusting 45 knots in the afternoon, then changing westerly 20 knots at night. Slight sea becoming moderate in the morning then very rough for a time afternoon and evening. Light rain developing in the morning, becoming poor visibility in heavier rain in the afternoon.

Sunday: Northwest rising to 25 knots in the morning and 35 knots in the evening. Showers.

Monday: Westerly 35 knots. Showers.

Tuesday: Southwest 30 knots, easing to 25 knots later in the day. Showers easing

AUCKLAND
High Tide: 3:55am Saturday 2.8m
High Tide 4:37pm Sunday 2.9m

Depending on how much this Northerly gets up over night I would suggest a Long Bay back to Takapuna run in the morning, but potentially the big paddle back from Whangaparoa if you go out later in the day.

See you out there :-)