Session of the Season // Southern Hemisphere Winter // Wade Carmichael

The East Coast of Australia has had a good winter. Normally a quieter season wave-wise compared to the cyclone season of late summer, this year there have been some big swells generated by low pressure systems off the East Coast through the winter months. C-Skins team rider Wade Carmichael has been on the road a fair bit the last few months, but managed to time a stint back home in July with a solid swell that lit up Kirra. Photographer Andrew Shields was on hand on the back of a ski to get this session of the season shot. Over to Wade for the details:

Date: July 2022

Swell height and period: 2.7m at 14s

Wind direction and strength: south swell south wind

Location: Kirra Point

Board: 6’4 blade by Rusty Surfboards

Wetsuit: 3/2 Re-wired steamer (team-rider version)

Tell us about this run of swell…
It was pretty slow before this swell but I had seen it coming and was ready to go, knowing that the south swell was going to be sweeping a lot of water down the point, the jetski was a must to really capitalise on the swell and get the most out of the session.

About this session:
When we pulled up on the ski there were only a handful of people out, but then the first set rolled through and we knew it was on straight away. There were 6-8 waves all lined up, tubing the whole way through! It was cooking.

Talk us through this wave…  
I was sitting down the line a little and a wedge just popped up with no one around, and was lined up perfectly. I just slid straight into the barrel, and a few pumps later I was down the end with a huge smile on my face!