Crystal Clear

Friday, 03 February 2012

Taking a holiday in South East Queensland or Northern NSW at this time of year is a gamble with all the sub-tropical lows that have the potential to pound the coast. With the devastating Brisbane/Ipswich floods last year, and the current floods talong the Queensland border right now, it's probably a good thing that Tourism Queensland got rid of their slogan "beautiful one day, perfect the next".

The world's best young rippers in town for the Billabong World Junior Champs felt the full force of the region's wild weather, surfing in chocolate brown water, dodging driftwood, logs and twigs while a series of polluted beaches were closed to swimmers across the Gold Coast. And since then, as the coastal rivers keep on sweeping the Hinterland mud out to sea, and the skies stay mostly grey, surfing on the Gold Coast right now doesn't quite feel like a surfer's paradise.

This week the Oakley Pro Junior has been happening not too far north at North Stradbroke Island. ASL headed there to catch the young guns surfing in and around their heats ... and after seeing how crystal clear and inviting the two foot barrelling waves looked we seriously considered moving our office 100k's north. Take a look ... wouldn't you like to be there right now too?

For more information about the Oakley Pro Junior North Stradbroke click here.

›› MORE PHOTO GALLERIES

Labour Of Love
7 May 2012 | 7:00 am
Pumping surf coincided with the Queensland Labour Day long weekend ... but Andrew Shield didn't stop working.
The Madness Of Men
3 May 2012 | 7:00 am
What does it take to drop into heaving mountains of water far offshore? With Pete Mel just crowned the Big Wave World Tour Champion, take a look a gallery of the madness.
Super Dooper D'Bah
26 Apr 2012 | 7:00 am
With Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Dean Morrison and co in the water D'bahs wedges were never going to stay in one piece for long.
Epic Indo April
25 Apr 2012 | 7:00 am
Have you booked your trip yet? Brad Masters gallery will make sure you do.
Four Glorious Days
22 Apr 2012 | 7:00 am
Andrew Shield found an all-time northern NSW reef ... and came back with the goods.
Battle Of The BFFs
12 Apr 2012 | 7:00 am
What have you got planned this weekend? Let Surfing Life and Dragon's BFFs give you some tips...