#surf #launch #southernafrica #river #mouth
I have a new student checking in with us here at the Umzimkulu Marina over the holidays. Mark has enrolled in my advanced surf launching course. I told him about this launch my Dad and I experienced recently (Dec 2022) and have put it together so Mark knows exactly what to expect.
Especially now that we are in the wet season which is characterized by many days of east winds. The Beasterly Easterly. Which is actually a northeasterly drives down on us from the Mozambique channel with vengeance. It is not a gusting wind like the lovely south west winds. It's more like a driving force that just gets stronger and stronger all day long. And this relentless whipping of the oceans surface is what froths up these short period swells.
The period can be right down to 6 seconds. As opposed to a decent south swell rolling in around the corner at a sedate 16 seconds or more. These are really big swells though and you really ought to keep your distance from them. Which is easy enough.
The other takeaway for me was that since the motors on Niteshift were upgraded from supereconomical carburettor 50hps, to highthrust 60hps, we are helluva lot better off. But we do use a lot more gas.
If any of you guys are interested in a thorough course in surviving the surf zone with your boat and crew, get in touch with me Sean on [email protected] or +27793269671.