Red Bluff

Red Bluff

After Cape Range NP a place like Coral Bay is a bit disappointing. Not sure what I was expecting, my imagination seemed to ignore the town description - "Resort Town". None-the-less once under the water the town disappeared.

We jumped on a glass bottom boat tour. Both Kaiden and Jamala loved it. Kaiden was running around pointing out all the things he was learning about - picking out scissor fish, spangled emperors, various corals, tusk fish, angel and butterfly fish, moon wrasse, assorted damsels ... the tour guide Amber was impressed by Kaidens 'sponge' abilities and clear articulation.

Off to Carnarvon and as described by the lonely planet - a non-descript town ... the key thing happening here is fruit and veg, most of which was out of season. So with excitement and some nerves we headed for the infamous Red Bluff on Quobba Station.

In Mark Warrens surf guide Red Bluff is described - "The Bluff features a steep, jacking take off, followed by a long hollow, bowling section before it backs off into the deep hole around the point called the shark pit (don't ask). Breaking over extremely shallow, urchin-infested coral and limestone bottom..... A good first aid kit is recommended as meeting with the bottom is inevitable here...."

Arriving at Red Bluff was a dream. Stunning desert-scape with fringing shoreline reefs, low key camping set ups with abundant marine life... plus off course one of Australia's best left hand reef breaks. My nerves settled when I saw that the waves were only 3 foot (about shoulder high faces) with the occasional larger sets pushing through. Phew, I was not going to die ! Unfortunately, the waves have been a bit bigger for a duration of about 4 days before we arrived. Oh well, the point was empty which was an added bonus, yet I suppose less for the sharks to choose from changing stats.

I meet a couple who had been staying there for two months and plan to stay for another month or so (teaching the kids on the station - about 14 of them), although they do miss their own grandchildren. These grand parents were chargers both had a full quiver of boards, John, said the day they arrived in September the swell hit 12ft (to non-surfers this means a wave face and tube big enough to fit a truck or there abouts). He said within 1.5 hours 7 surfboards were snapped in half in the first session. He said everyone was relaxed, and guys who wanted to go deeper would ask to paddle on the inside and offer the next wave - a rare thing on the east coast (not that I would have enjoyed surfing the Bluff at 12ft !!). The swell remained 12ft for several days, slowly dropping over the month (BTW the waves were coming in 7-9 wave sets !!). Once it gets over 8ft here there is no bottom turn without consequences, it is straight into a fast hollow tube ride to the end.

The few people I had met that loved to surf here seemed unsatisfied unless the surf was at least 8ft and happy with 10ft plus. This is probably why the place was empty with mere 4ft waves. Back at Coffs Harbour if a wave was breaking this hollow and mechanically over a shallow reef at 4ft, I am sure many surfers would be paddling over the top of each other to have a go at it.

It was not an easy place to leave - a paradise for sure and a stark contrast from resort towns like Coral Bay. Why are we leaving ? I am not sure.... hmmm ....

Anyway Shark Bay area next....