Cottontree

This year the end of year celebrations for the Queensland Sea Kayaking Club were held at CottonTree on the Sunshine Coast.  I was fortunate enough to get a public holiday on the Friday thanks to the G20 so joined with the crew for a fun day out on the ocean as well as the on shore social activities.

I assisted a new trip leader with taking a small pod out through the Cottontree bar for a circumnavigation of Mudjimba Island.

The wind was pushing 10+knots from the north as we paddled out to the island.  There was a meter of easterly swell running, with the winds predicted to rise to 20 knots later in the day.  The lee of the island offered good protection from the strengthening winds and swell which was starting to run from the north.

There was a nice wave on the north-west corner of the island (right hander), and the left hand reef break was starting to fire on the south-west corner of the island.

I took the opportunity to surf the left hand reef break - I was tempted to stay out for a few more hours as the waves were a perfect shape, breaking over the shallow reef.

We had a great down wind run on the way back to the Pin Cushion and a uneventful crossing of the bar.  A couple of us stayed out on the bar for some more waves before paddling over to Pin Cushion for some chill time.

More photos at: QSKC Christmas Weekend