This morning the marine forecast for
our local coastal waters was for light and variable winds to 10 knots
with a swell below 0.5 metres. Perfect weather for paddling the open
coast. Doug and I met my brother at a small boat launch in Dolans
Bay at 9 am. On any normal day, the steady sea breeze would be
beginning in an hour at most and would increase throughout the day to
reach a blustery 20 to 25 knots by afternoon, but not today.
We caught the outgoing current east
past Burraneer Point and Bass and Flinders Point, where we turned
north and, keeping well out from the backwash (clapotis) zone, we
paddled north along the rocky coast-line to the surf beaches of
Cronulla, where we moved in closer to shore, sliding up and down the
parallel swell. A couple of light rain squalls brought a little more
wind, but, as we paddled north, the wind gradually died until the
ocean was glassy calm.
With our kayaks we were able to squeeze
through a small surf break on the reef off Pimelwi Rocks where we
pulled into tiny Boat Harbour. After a swim, we surfed back through
the reef break and had lunch on the beach and another swim. A light
breeze was rising from the north and this pushed us back down the
coast and into Port Hacking where we caught the incoming tide back to
Dolans Bay.
Ocean kayaking just doesn't get much
better.
Calm Day at Leura Beach
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