Augusta

There’s somewhere to ride behind both headlands, 'Cape Naturaliste’ in the north and 'Cape Leeuwin’ in the south where the Indian and Southern Oceans meet. Near the spray-lashed Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse is the estuary of Augusta. In SE winds there’s sheltered fresh water behind the long sandbank, perfect for freestyle and beginners too. In stark contrast the location of The Zoo mid-way up the west coast ensures the beach receives a lot of swell, but the wave’s basically a massive shorebreak and even dangerous for pros! More approachable wave action can be found at the beach-break of Redgate, a lovely beach 6km south of Prevelly and a gentle alternative if Main Break gets too crowded, or for anyone that finds the mast-high waves on the reef to gnarly. Naturally there are big days too, so even Redgate’s best on small to medium swells. Boodjidup has very similar conditions but isn’t visited so often as it’s about 400m from the parking down to the beach. Prevelly’s vast bay opens up 2km further north. At the south end, the locals launch their fishing boats and tow-in jet-skis from Boat Ramp Beach. The bay’s so well protected by the reefs that only small waves hit the beach, even in big swells. Meanwhile, long thick lines form 500m offshore on Boat Ramp Reef! The first peak breaks on dry reef, so you’re better off getting used to the wave on the second. Although as big and breaking as well as Main Break, it’s rarely kited or windsurfed so is a good call if there are crowds about. Breaking 500m north is Bombie , the bay’s largest and most powerful wave and a challenge even for the locals! The left-hander is mellower, while going right almost always ends in a tube. The best days arrive in winter with thick swells and north winds. Even though it can easily top 6m, Bombie is better when it’s bigger as the wave breaks way out in deep waters. Margie’s headliner is Main Break where hollow, powerful waves peel clean over a very shallow reef. You’ll see heads flashing by below as walls of water chase you down-the-line. Even the rocky launch through a small channel in the reef is experts-only. Strictly speaking it’s really a surf-spot, so wait until building winds drive the surfers away or a couple of local kiters or windsurfers are out. Further along the same reef is the right-hander Suicide. Jumping in SSW or it works perfectly in winter NNW, but it’s all in the name – wipe-outs land on dry reef. 40km north, Yallingup is also normally a surfing break, but with plenty of space on the beach it’s good for kiting and windsurfing in southerly winds. There’s a hefty shorebreak in big swell though. Bunker Beach behind Cape Naturaliste is an option when it’s dead-onshore in Margies in W-NW. It’s clean beach-break onto a pristine beach with a restaurant – and in true WA style, next to that showers and toilets for surfers. While Bunker gets good swell, the shelter from Cape Naturaliste ensures flat water inside Geographe Bay. It’s particularly smooth in Dunsborough, where a small lagoon has formed between the beach and reef. It’s dangerously shallow for windsurfing but you can take a kiteboard over the reef and use the small kicker waves for jumping in NW.