Watch: May the Fourth be with you, at pumping Burleigh

Ben Matson (thermalben)
Reels

Ain't autumn grand? Lingering, pulsey trade swells, light offshore winds, bright sunny skies and scalloped banks.

All of the elements came together on the Gold Coast on Tuesday - and indeed, most of Southeast Queensland and Northern New South Wales - to produce some classic sand bottom barrels. Craig Halstead was on the spot at Burleigh to capture the action.

Comments

Bob Sacamano Wednesday, 5 May 2021 at 12:38 pm new

Backlight emerald green barrels at Burleigh always look nice

joshea78 Wednesday, 5 May 2021 at 12:40 pm new

F*&king scorching licks

Queef Jerky Wednesday, 5 May 2021 at 01:12 pm new

slaying the harmonics like boss

JackStance Wednesday, 5 May 2021 at 02:11 pm new

Is it a cover of one Poison's instrumental tunes?

Roker Friday, 7 May 2021 at 11:55 am new

'The Final Countdown'? Europe?

dawnperiscope Wednesday, 5 May 2021 at 01:21 pm new

And may de turd be behind you!

zenagain Wednesday, 5 May 2021 at 08:54 pm new

Took me awhile- duh!

Finally got that Dawn ha ha!

Sprout Wednesday, 5 May 2021 at 01:36 pm new

3-4ft

Stok Thursday, 6 May 2021 at 10:06 am new

3-5ft

AndyM Wednesday, 5 May 2021 at 01:40 pm new

No way Sprout, it's heaps, heaps bigger than that ;)

Ben Harding Thursday, 6 May 2021 at 04:08 pm new

For an old fella you sure sound alot like that 15 year old you work with Andy. Better sort that hate speech out above on Sprouts comment. Gotta let em know what's up man.

AndyM Thursday, 6 May 2021 at 05:26 pm new

Piss off ya drongo.

Go surf some waves.
I mean, if yesterday had 6 foot sets today must have had 7 1/2 foot sets.

Ben Harding Thursday, 6 May 2021 at 06:32 pm new

Weak as piss, give it but cant take it.

It was Tuesday, not yesterday. I see the memory loss is settling in nicely.

Catch ya later!

Gowsa Wednesday, 5 May 2021 at 03:12 pm new

They dont seem to drop in at Burleigh like they do at Super Bank
Or is this just editing?

Ted from the moon Thursday, 6 May 2021 at 08:27 am new

Oh yes they do. Lots of selfish pricks in the water the last 3 days and every other day it's half reasonable.

burleigh Wednesday, 5 May 2021 at 04:01 pm new

and here come the crowds.

mattlock Wednesday, 5 May 2021 at 08:29 pm new

The music sounded like a parody of Spinal Tap.

savanova Thursday, 6 May 2021 at 08:32 am new

Parody of a parody, bit like the WSL at Narrabeen

Stok Thursday, 6 May 2021 at 10:13 am new

Two things:

Firstly - this looks fairly quiet? Question for photogs, how long do you spend editing to only keep the shots which somehow hide the crowds?

Secondly - As a Victorian, we always crap on about how it's less crowded here and we can put up with the cold because of that. But far out...you can really see just how many waves there are in the swells you get up there. Sure we get less people in the water, but it's not uncommon to only get 4 wave sets rolling through every 10+ mins!

birdfood Friday, 7 May 2021 at 05:22 pm new

I've only just starting timing the sets in the last 12-18 months and we do sometimes get swells like this, but no where near as big! Had a lonesome session sitting wide on a point and waiting 15 minutes for shoulder high waves, another where I think it was 20-30 minute wait for a chest high set of 4 waves, otherwise knee high at best.

kaiser Thursday, 6 May 2021 at 09:01 pm new

Mate I don’t need to be the only one to tell you... in a city with 600,000 people who are ALL within 30 min of the beach, plus circa 3 mil another 30 min away, during a swell that (at least in the early stages - this stage) favoured the points, nowhere was uncrowded. And nowhere was immune from the worst of humanity, which is horribly exposed when the waves turn on. And it’s always the case. To think there’s a secret, less crowded pointbreak in this seething mass is folly.

You might score an uncrowded beach one day or another, but it barely makes up for having to deal with all the dickheads on the daily

On the bright side though, ice cream headaches are only experienced out of the water when you hit the açai too hard. Honestly don’t know how you guys do it...

clif Thursday, 6 May 2021 at 11:46 pm new

As an ex-Gold Coast surfer I couldn't be happier having left that shit fight behind. Now it is very very cold but only ever a couple of us out somewhere on a barrelling reef/slab, pointbreak, beachie, and the like (not Aus). It may be inconsistent but that is fine. No tourist surfers to speak of. Make the move.

zenagain Friday, 7 May 2021 at 12:28 am new

I'm ex Goldie too Clif. Kinda same for but not. Bitterly cold here in winter, 5mm rubber 5 months of the year, usally empty or very few out. Can get unbelievably perfect as well. Also, close to incredible powder snow if that's your thing (which it is mine).

But, those clear, warm water sand barrels, sun on your back and scabby nipples. I really miss the Goldy sometimes.

(and pies)

clif Friday, 7 May 2021 at 05:07 am new

6mm in winter to 4/3mm only at height of summer. So i get what you mean about sun on the back hahahaha

carvin60 Monday, 17 May 2021 at 06:45 am new

Anywhere north of the 49th parallel eh? Just bought a new ripcurl 3/2 flashbomb heatseeker for my SUMMER suit!haha

Crab Nebula Friday, 7 May 2021 at 09:21 am new

Spot on.

birdfood Friday, 7 May 2021 at 08:01 am new

Best season of the year and 3 months too short

Plasticspastic Friday, 7 May 2021 at 10:00 am new

yeah the goldy is a funny place. the points are wedged, and people are carnts in the water.... but every so often you get one.. .. which brings you back. I vowed never to surf Burleigh again (living in that postcode) and just surf the beachies, but then had a magic day out there just after easter.. .. and now back into it.. sure I will turn bitter soon again. the video exposure does't impact the regulars... but may sway some people who are happy to travel a little.....

burzum Friday, 7 May 2021 at 11:03 am new

Uncrowded beachies for 6 days straight. Not too bad here on the Goldie... I'd love to live somewhere with reefs and slabs, but a mans gotta work.

Plasticspastic Friday, 7 May 2021 at 12:28 pm new

yeah has been epic..... big enough to keep the crowds down.. but not too big to be unpaddlable..

hamishbro Friday, 7 May 2021 at 06:24 pm new

Epic choice of soundtrack, goes with the epic conditions and hollow take offs.