Tropical Cyclone Fina or not, Christmas 2011 pumped across the East Coast

For surfers in the East Coast, Christmas holidays are usually tough times. A search of the Coastalwatch archives shows six straight years of surf under three feet between Christmas and New Year.

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Kain Swift

Despite the wash-throughs, wide sets, and horrendous current, Kirra delivered plenty of its trademark tubes during the swell for punters lucky enough to be in the spot.

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Despite the wash-throughs, wide sets, and horrendous current, Kirra delivered plenty of its trademark tubes during the swell for punters lucky enough to be in the spot.

Kain Swift

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Though Queensland beaches from Noosa to Coolangatta were closed during the peak of the swell, by December 27th the swell had calmed down enough for the sandbanks to handle. Adam Bennetts locking into a left hand drainpipe on the northern Gold Coast.

Weathered

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The Coolangatta points still had plenty of fun waves as the swell dropped off through December 27th. A lucky punter finding one to himself.

Sorensen

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Sunrise from the hill at Kirra on December 27 revealed clean lines as the Christmas and Boxing Day swell subsided to more user-friendly levels.

Adam Weathered

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It wasn’t just the Coolangatta points that were handling the peak of the swell on the Gold Coast. Further north at Currumbin crew with the technology to tow were scoring perfect double-overhead rights.

ODs Surf Photography

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With a ferocious swell and strong sweep keeping the holiday crowds at day, surfers who made it out the back (or had a ski) had their pick of the normally overcrowded Kirra lineup.

Muirhead

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By the December 29, the swell had dropped on the Gold Coast and things were back to normal at D’Bah: fun and super-crowded.

Muirhead

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While the sand at Snapper was a little suspect, Greenmount was lining up nicely as the swell subsided on the December 27.

Samuel Christopher

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Tyler Wright, enjoying the Christmas swell at home on the NSW North Coast.

www.craigparry.com.au

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Julian Wilson, home for the holidays and enjoying some waves at he Noosa points, which were the pick of the spots during most of the swell in Queensland.

Geoff Fanning

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Despite the onshores, Adrian Buchan found some fun rip bowls on the Northern Beaches over the New Year period.

Bluesnapper.com.au

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This shot of huge surf breaking out behind the rocks at Snapper on Christmas Day generated some controversy, with several posts on Coastalwatch’s Facebook page suggesting that the image had been photoshopped. To clear up any doubt photographer Luke Sorensen sent us the near-frames. As you can see, no digital trickery was involved, just an enormous swell.

Sorensen

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