Photos: Right Said Alfred

He's already been spinning in the Coral Sea for a fortnight, yet the first week of Tropical Cyclone Alfred's existence offered limited surfing opportunities: a few mysto waves north of K'Gari and jumped up beachbreaks on the Sunshine Coast.

Once Alfred moved far enough south, however, a new stage began. With the increase in energy, waves moved beyond the beachies and onto the points - which in South-East Queensland means rights....long rights that test your straight line speed and your leg strength. They'll test your paddling fitness too.

On Sunday March 2nd, photographer Andrew Shield had the choice of shooting yet more lumpy not-quite-doing-it Kirra, or truck north towards the eye of Alfred. 

He chose the latter.

"I've been up that way a few times," said Shieldsy, "and it’s usually the funnest 2-3 foot waves you’ll find anywhere but this time it was the next level up."

With just 200 of his best mates, Shieldsy scored long 3-4 foot rights marked by their consistency. There were even "a few decent-sized barrels" said the always understated photographer. Late in the day, the rising tide slowed the too-fast sections and the foreshore carpark emptied leaving only those who were camping the night.

By Monday, Alfred's south-bound track had shut down the fun factory so Shieldsy pointed his chariot in the same direction.

The ocean around Coolangatta was cleaner than it had been for a few weeks, while, according to Shieldsy, "the swell was large but not overly big for the fairly straight banks at Kirra." 

The north-east direction made for minimal sweep but very fast waves, verging on closeouts. The morning low tide passed and the incoming tide saw an increase in quality - which goes against the prevailing wisdom.

"After that empty Kelly Slater Kirra session last year," explains Shieldsy, "a lot of crew have learned a that waiting for a lower tide can be a myth when the swell is solid."

The higher tide, for Kirra at least, makes for slower running and more makable waves, while no less hollow.

"It was crowded but not ridiculously so," said Shieldsy, "and a lot of young guys and girls scored some crazy waves."

Clean cyclone lines sweep into Coolangatta Bay - aerial view

Similar angle as above but taken from land

Mick O'Rafferty gets the horns and a shaka

Cal Robson teasing the shocky

By Monday afternoon, sets were beginning to wash through Kirra so early on Tueday morning, says Shieldsy, "everyone was holding their breath to see if the larger swell would still be surfable at Kirra."

As it happened, there were still wash throughs yet as the tide rose through the morning the conditions changed - it was some of the best Kirra seen in years.

"I grabbed a few land angles," says Shieldsy, "then sat on my ski down the end of Kirra watching the surfers get barrelled."

"It was a nice few days," says Shieldsy, who, if you need to be reminded, is fond of an understatement.

Ten wave sets were common, sometimes more, as Alfred sat at the optimum distance and direction from the Gold Coast

When cyclone swells hits the Gold Coast, everybody wants a view

Harry O'Brien on top of his speed management

We still haven't figured out who this is yet

Young Max McGillivray

The slumped shoulders of the surfer inside says it all

Token empty photo - there may have been one or two all day

By late Tuesday, and even more so on Wednesday, the swell had largely overpowered Kirra and the swell energy moved to the outer banks. This made for tricky conditions inshore that lent themselves towards ski assistance.