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Saturday morning, as the east coast began to fall asleep, the Surf Coast awoke.

It was cold, but right on forecast. A south-west swell angle, turning more south and falling through the opening of Bass Strait on to the western Vicco reefs.

Single line running down Lowers, while the sun works at the cloud. Photo: Steve Ryan

Seems like late as it is, in the first week of August, winter has finally begun. “It was a little bit like that,” says local legend and renaissance man Mick Sowry. “There’s been surf but this is the first time we’ve kicked into the meat grinder — those lows coming across toward us, swells after swell. Four foot for a few days, then six foot, then four foot.

Everyone got there early, smelling the forecast’s accuracy. Photo: Mick Sowry

“So the crew is getting a bit of froth on.”

Adam Robertson feels like it marks an even broader transition. “It’s felt like for the last 18 months, the weather’s been doing things abnormally,” says the Surfing Vic boss and Bells runner-up. “A close watcher of the weather would say that for sure. Last year we were getting four-week periods of easterly winds — in winter. It was like, what the hell?

“Now, it feels like a more reliable pattern. It’s been nice to drive over the hill and see lines coming in. It’s a more reliable pattern. You don’t even need to check it now, you know it’s good.”

Tim Stevenson, set wave around 8am. “He was out there ripping,” says the photographer. “He’s a stocky solid guy, a lot of power.” Photo: Sowry

Both were in and out of the water on Saturday, along with plenty of others. Like in Sydney. “There’s nothing else for anyone to do but surf,” Adam half-laughs.

The difference here being since you weren’t allowed to move beyond five k’s from home, this was a crowd who all knew each other. “It’s just the surfers from here, plus a few sneakers from Anglesea and here and there,” says Mick. “So the atmosphere in the water is very friendly, laughter and chatting and banter. There’s a lot more girls surfing down here too now.”

Having a think about the right jump-off spot at Winki, while Bells reels off in the background. “They were determined to go off the button, and they managed it too, the mad bastards.” Photo: Sowry

Pattern matches pattern. Curve in the lip matching curve of the ride, lower Winki around 9.30am. Photo: Sowry

Speaks to the value of an open surf society, even in a locked-down time — when everyone can have fun, it’s basically just more fun.

“The crew are getting a bit of froth on.” Casey Egan, in no need of extra froth on a Winkipop cappuccino. Photo: Sowry

Adam didn’t surf early, giving the crew a bit of space and taking his seven year old frother son Teddy to a protected beach for a session. He headed out to Bells later, before it was hacked by an afternoon south-westerly: “Three to six feet, a lot of power in the swell. I think Tim (Stevenson) and the others would have made the most of it.”

A moment under the mist, early Winki. Photo: Sowry

Sometimes you’re on the wave face, sometimes you’re not. Unknown free-fall, Winkipop. Photo: Sowry

Then you’re back on the wave face again. Harry Mann, beautiful rail-weighting off the top as the sun gets the better of the cloud at last. Photo: Sowry

At this time of year, along this coast, the light changes every five minutes. Far down the line in the silvery zone. Photo: Sowry

The sun finally got its act together around 10.30am, burning off what remained of morning’s cloud and mists. Unknown ripper flying down the line at Winkipop. (ID yourself mate! This is too good not to claim.) Photo: Sowry

Carparks are always where we end up, and the Bells and Winki carparks are more important than most. Everyone’s gotta drive there, so the post surf chat can go on for hours. Casey Egan, Mark Rayner, Boots Garrard, Johnny Teague and Mad Dog, solving the world’s problems. Photo: Sowry

Light on the subject. The Bells bowl around midday, and a few lucky punters. “This makes it look better than it was,” big Steve reckons. We’ll take it. Photo: Steve Ryan

Surfline/Lotus interval chart, Saturday morning.

Storm location and movement: Intense low pressure, 936hP at its peak, moving east from the southern Indian Ocean toward Tasmania August 2-6

Winds: Sustained 35-40 knots from the WSW and SW, with areas of 50-knot gales

Seas: 25-40ft in open ocean below 50 degrees S, 800 nm SW of Bass Strait

Resulting swell: 6-8ft at 16 seconds from the SW, turning SSW and declining slightly through the day

More to come for this surf zone: Surf Coast | Western Vicco | Mornington Peninsula-Phillip Island

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