Australia …
Adelaide - Perth - Melbourne…
March and April…
Suit thickness…???..
Hood…???..
Boots…???..
Gloves…???..
Thanks in advance,
Paul
I live higher up, but i would say march/april you would get away with the thinnest short suit you can take, and probably just a rash vest if anything. I tore my steamer at the start of last winter, but managed to surf the coldest part of winter in my springsuit. You’ll be further south, but i dont think you’d need thick rubber at all.
Adelaide? be wary of the locals, in AND out of the water haha ( at the remote spots they can get a little unfriendly, but i’ve never been so it could be more rumour than anything ). And dont drink the water, drink Cooper’s Pale Ale, a south oz ( and aus wide ) hand crafted beer. Beautiful stuff, if i do buy beer, that’s what i buy. Im kinda joking about the water, kinda…
I should mention , i have never been to adelaide or perth, let alone surfed there. But where i am, maybe 1000km’s north, march and april, the water is pretty good. The weather is great, not hot, not cold, just right, and its autumn ( fall? ), but the water is still very acceptable for surfing. But that’s NSW, the state above victoria, where melbourne is.
Last time I went to Bells and toured the great ocean road, it was during May. I think the air temps got into the 30s and the announcers on the radio were whinging about how cold it had gotten. Anyways, during that time, I was fine with just a 3/2 suit and boots in the early morning.
Ha, when I headed up the east coast all the way to Snapper/Kirra, everyone would remark about how cold it is down south in Victoria. I didn’t find it much different than So. Cal. in the winter.
3/2 and boots is all you will need for early morning Vicco at that time of year Paul.
Would be the same for Adelaide and less for Perth.
Good time of year to visit these areas - surfwise that is.
Cheers
Rohan
P.S. PM me if you need anything (accomodation, boards or wetsuits, etc) for Melbourne part of your trip.
I’d add that it also depends on what you are used to. I have used a 4/3 even in summer in Victoria and wasn’t hot.
Have a look at: http://www.surf-forecast.com/breaks/BellsBeach.seatemp.shtml
For more real time data: http://www.portofmelbourne.com.au/wavedata.asp
Could also check: http://www.marine.csiro.au/remotesensing/oceancurrents/
Bob
Paul I would go thicker bc you get cold.
As a former jetty surfer in my previous life by Washington standards the water will be pretty warm - should be between 60 and 65F in Victoria and perhaps warmer in SA and WA. I generally don’t switch to a 4/3 and boots till June - some guys down here go barefoot all year. With that you may consider booties to protect your feet from the relatively sharp limestone of some breaks depending on where you surf - not as much weed, nor as rounded as the typical PNW reef. PM me if you want info on where to surf and comparisons to Wa state spots.
Don’t worry about the cold, sharks are a menace on land and in the water. 3/2 should do. maybe a spring suit as well.