As we travelled further and further westward hugging the south coast as closely as we could the intermitent stops at ocean lookouts made it clear that the waves were only going to get bigger as we approached the south west section of coast line that Margaret river makes its home in the center of.
My anticipation rose as we got closer and closer to the motherland of big surf. After a gas station attendent in Augusta (a burly lumberjack looking man who was delicately making me a veggie sandwich) told me not to get too excited, there was 'no swell', I was feeling a little disappointed. He handed me a map with the coastlines surf spots marked on it. I guess the intimidation level of the waves here make the crowd issue less relevant thus maps of waves easy to get. I quickly set to highlighting all the classic spots I wanted to check out, from Gallows and Guillotine to The Farm and Bone Yards, swell or not. The report I had read was calling for 16 foot surf and rising. As we arrived to Margaret River mouth I quickly realized that this was just not considered a big day, but hey coming from a long flat summer every wave I saw was bigger than what I was used to and hell I'm not going surfing in 16 foot waves, not yet anyways.
Sadly the waning light and very real realization of the distance we still had to cover before our plane left from Perth the next morning meant that we were only able to marvel at a few large waves. The unsealed roads and necessary hikes also threw off the game plan, but I'm certain I will make it back in the next year to give the area a real one over.
South of Albany, Torrondirrup National Park......
The waves can get fierce and angry around these parts, that boulder weighing about a 100 tonnes was tossed up on shore by a single wave.
South of Demark, Ocean Beach provides another testament to beautiful waves and beaches with nary a soul in sight.
We've arrived, telling it like it is at Margaret River Mouth....
Note there is just one guy out, must be cause there is 'no swell' hey-sus!
Looking southward from the river mouth.....
There she blows, Smiths/Supertubes! pretty epic but sadly the disappearing day meant this was as close as I got.
Just north of tubes at Yallingup before we lost what sun there was....
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