slideaholics Journal - The Little Low That Could

Journal

The Little Low That Could

TC June formed around 2.30 pm on Friday the 17th of January. It just managed to squeeze out thirty six hours of life as a named cyclonic system, before it was downgraded to a tropical low once again. Most would call it a fizzer at best. But there was more to it than meets the eye. TC June was the first cyclone for 2014 and it also broke the grip of the late spring, early summer, highs. We like to think of it as The Little Low That Could, and we reckon it deserves a mention.

Now don’t get me wrong here, TC June did not, by cyclone standards, deliver the goods. In fact it didn’t even come close. Sure we got a few lumpy waves, most of which were actually delivered by the un-named tropical low. But TC June did something else. Something that nearly every slideaholic north of Port Macquarie has been hanging out for since summer started. She flicked the switch that broke the north wind cycle and opened the door to the summer trades.

Our region had been in the grip of a weather pattern that had gone well beyond its use by date. We had been inundated by almost non stop northerlies and not much swell for months on end. When along came this seemingly insignificant little low. Most never believed that it would go cyclonic, myself included. Although spin up she did, albeit briefly, and in a none too impressive way. The little tropical low became a named cyclone for just a little more than one day.

Brief though it’s life was. TC June delivered a steady stream of small to medium easterly swell coupled with south to southeast winds. It never really got huge but it did get fun.

As the system passed out wide into The Tasman it gave Norfolk Island a bit of a worry up, and sent us an extra pulse of northeast swell. It didn’t last long and it took longer to arrive than the life of the cyclone itself. But the deed was done, we got our first taste of cyclone swell for 2014.

Downgraded and nameless once again. The system continued heading south. It sucked a strong northerly into it for a day or so blowing the waves to pieces. But that northerly didn’t take hold. TC June had opened the door for the trade winds to flow, and flow they did. Bringing a steady east swell train to the northeast coast. So here’s to TC June. You may not have turned on great waves, or even held your name for little more than a day. But you smashed the grip of the blocking highs as you passed our way, and that’ll do.

slideaholics journal # 3
The Little Low That Could

publisher | longboard clinic pty ltd
photography | yoko & bear bennink
editor | bear bennink
digital production | yoko bennink
copy writing | bear bennink