More uncharactersitic wintery weather has been muscling in on spring. But when the swell is macking and the wind is howling from the south, as it was late last week, canny West Oz crew head to protected nooks and crannies in search of clean perfection.

	> The Green Dream > Purchase Image

Young Jack Robinson and his old man Trevor had their finger on the pulse. Jack was ducking and weaving his way through some perfect turquoise tubes at one protected beach break.

	> Jack Robinson in the green room > Purchase Image

	> Hole in the wall > Purchase Image

	> J-Rob locked in a tight one > Purchase Image

When the sun comes out at this spot the colours are pretty epic.

	> Turquoise Underworld > Purchase Image

Despite the crook weather there have still been some pretty sweet days betwixt the storms.

	> Square one at The Box > Purchase Image

Weekend forecast: The swell will taper off over the next few days but should come up again slightly on Saturday to around the 2m mark. Winds in the Margaret River region are looking ok through till the weekend so if you’re chasing a wave over the weekend Margs is the place to be! 

	> One more before dark > Purchase Image

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The Margaret River region is notorious for offering up a smorgasbord of different types of waves. The weather has been touch and go over the last week but the savvy surfer can find a wave in almost any conditions on the Margs stretch.  There have been some crook onshore periods…

	> Creed McTaggart frees up his fins in the onshore > Purchase Image

And some spells of glorious sunshine and crisp offshore winds.

	> The View > Purchase Image

The classic spring conditions over the weekend saw plenty of crew on the hunt for waves. A hollow left on one popular stretch of reef had a huge pack of hungry humans hustling each other for a piece of the pie. It was worth the wait if you got one though.

	> Coastscape + hollow lefthander > Purchase Image

	> Splitting the peak > Purchase Image

	> The hollow left. There’s someone in that tube! > Purchase Image

Christmas will be here before you know it folks. What better gift could there be than a Hugh Davis original print?! You can browse my portfolio and order online at my website. Custom orders including framing and mounting are welcome, click here or contact us for more information.

	> Lone shoulder hopper > Purchase Image

More sketchy weather is on the cards for the next couple of days but it’s looking good for the weekend, yew!

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The surf was off the hook in the Margaret River region earlier this week.  A fresh new SW swell hit the Margaret River coast on Monday, peaking at 3.6m.  Things started out a little funky first thing in the morning but the swell got more organised as the day wore on.

	> Coastal Watch lineup of the day > Purchase Image

	> Tom Innes back-dropped > Purchase Image

By late arvo, the wind had swung SE and a fabled right reef point turned on at 4-6ft for the couple of hours before dark.  Local lad Pete Devine scored wave of the day, a solid six footer that growled and twisted the whole way down the reef spitting him safely into the channel.

	> Pete Devine. Wave of the day > Purchase Image

	> Tom Innes flying high > Purchase Image

	> Mitch Taylor, golden backlit hack > Purchase Image

By the time Tuesday rolled around the wind had swung offshore, grooming the raw swell into ruler edge perfection.  One Margs beachbreak was only just holding the solid 4-6ft swell with some classic tubes being threaded by the local crew.

	> Tom Innes toying with the tube > Purchase Image

	> Dino Adrian touching up the ceiling > Purchase Image

	> Tom Innes, frothy inside racer > Purchase Image

	> Beach break heaven > Purchase Image

More of the same mad beachie action went down on Tuesday morning.  Keep an eye out in the January issue of Tracks for a double page spread I shot of Dino Adrian in a mack truck sized tube that morning.

	> Tom Innes in the greenroom > Purchase Image

Looks like there might be some waves over the weekend out of town, go hunting!

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The Mentawai Islands are a surfer’s paradise. Sitting about 80 nautical miles west of Sumatra, the Ments are home to some of the most consistent and varied surf on the planet. The water is wee warm and the Bintangs are icy cold - a gold spot to maintain with your mates.

	> Green Dream > Purchase Image

	> Pitstop Hill boss, Paul Clarke on a bomb > Purchase Image

The most common way to do the Mentawais is on a charter boat but there is an increasing number of buffed-out, land-based surf camps that are strategically located to maximise your water time.

	> Solid left a stones throw from the Hill > Purchase Image

The boys at Pitstop Hill have a great land setup. The beautifully finished guest house, complete with bar and banging stereo, overlooks a super fun righthander and is only a short paddle from a full throttle lefthander which gave us a real taste of Mentawai gold during our stay.

	> Paul Clarke in the eye of the beast > Purchase Image

	> Grinding Pit > Purchase Image

	> The epic Pitstop Hill setup > Purchase Image

	> Puja with a solid catch > Purchase Image

	> Out the front of Pitstop Hill > Purchase Image

We surfed heaps of other fun waves in the Playground area, often with no one around.

	> Macking Bankvaults > Purchase Image

	> Banking off the bottom of a solid one > Purchase Image

The Mentawais really tunes up your surfing. Smashing out 3 or 4 surfs per day in a variety of waves…yew!

	> Not a drop out of place > Purchase Image

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The month of August has been mediocre in Bali by Indo standards with substantial groundswells few and far between. But the west-side of the Bukit Penisula always seems to have a wave.

	> Retro Float > Purchase Image

	> Looking south down the Bukit > Purchase Image

	> Tight hook > Purchase Image

The Uluwatu end section, aptly called Racetracks has been the pick with super fast, long walls coiling down the shallow reef.

	> Contemplating the Racetrack > Purchase Image

	> Tube Racer. Check the guy on the inside - shallow! > Purchase Image

The swell drought has to end at some stage and it’s looking like Saturday might be the day with the solid consignment of Indian Ocean energy that’s headed straight for us.

	> Rock critters > Purchase Image

Apparently Margies has been pumping over the last couple of weeks, froth!

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After a long spell of stormy winter weather the cold fronts abated late last week and the south west corner turned on some classic waves. It’s pretty much been pumping for a week straight!

	> Looking in… > Purchase Image

Conditions were perfect on Wednesday and Thursday for a couple of out of the way Margs beachbreaks.

	> Linies to the horizon > Purchase Image

	> Perfect Left Bank > Purchase Image

	> Lonely Peak > Purchase Image

We rocked up to a perfect little left bank on Thursday morning with long tubes, whackable walls, cloudless skies and crystal clear water.

	> Dave Delroy-Carr en-route to Tube Town > Purchase Image

	> Dave slotted > Purchase Image

	> View from behind > Purchase Image

	> Dave locked in > Purchase Image

We couldn’t get our wetties on quick enough!

	> Half n’ Half > Purchase Image

Hope you got your quota! I’m off to Indo for a stint in Bali and the Mentawai Islands tomorrow so stay tuned for the weekend warrior transmissions from the Islands.

>>ww