Suao/蘇奧。

Good waves, 3-5 feet, about 8 people out

I arrived at 620am having left Taipei at 4.50 am, the drive is about 80 minutes via the Shueishan Tunnel and there is virtually no traffic at that time of the morning. The only heavy rain was when I was around Suao and it was necessary to use the wipers. After ten minutes it abated make driving that little easier. Pic 1 above shows a good early morning swell and there were only 8 of surfers there then, with one in the water. There was no breeze at all and it was still warm, around 20 deg, not necessary in my view to wear a wetsuit. However, I was the only one not wearing one.

Usually you enter the water to the far right of the beach, near the hillside (seen in pic 2 below) to the right of the cars.

That is because the current is usually strong running from left to right but today it wasn't that bad, so yours truly went straight in front of the car park. The water was warm too, around 21-22, but definitely not cold and no wind at all. My friend Mr Zhang and I were straight in the water and paddling out quite easily. The first hour was sets 3-5 feet coming straight down but with high tide and a deep trench at the shore, were breaking and finishing 50 metres out, then reforming, breaking till 10 metres from the shoreline. Hence getting in would be tricky.

The main breaks I got were right to left, moving down the front (i am too slow) or if positioned properly on take off sideways, the run was good. I was able to get in few turns and we were the only surfers out in this section. A dream run again, indicating the earlier you get there, the beach will be yours for quite awhile. Long Ge a local i just met before hitting the waves and recently opened a new surfshop said that the last 2 typhoons had taken away all the sand on the beach. Now it is rocky, a real pity.

Read the next blog for more action