Surfing with Winter East Coast Whites | Far North Coast NSW

The clear crisp days of winter and westerly winds are well worth the wait on the NSW coastline. For surfers, this time of year means clean and hollow waves on the back beach breaks. Sand banks that shift around daily with the changing current direction or swell size can create perfect A Frame peaks to be found for the early morning riser willing to brave the cooler water temperatures and chilling morning air.

The wind direction and wave quality on the Far North Coast are not the only thing to change during Winter. Below the surface is the change in water temperature and current direction (oceanographic factors) triggering movements of marine species on annual migrations for the purpose of spawning or feeding.

This change in oceanographic factors and marine species migrations have a direct effect on the likely locations of marine predators. On the East Coast of Australia, the apex marine predator effected is the East Coast population of Great White Sharks.

Some statistics to show seasonal White Shark Abundance on the Far North Coast can be seen in the below figures from Shark Catch Data.

NSW SMART Drumlines Report, Ballina and Evans Head

 With a clear preference shown for Winter and Spring in White Shark abundance on the Far North Coast of NSW, let’s look at the food source and conditions likely to increase the abundance of White Sharks on the Far North NSW coastline at this time of year.

A well-known food source for the Great White Shark is the Whale, the annual Northbound migration of the Humpback Whales from Antarctica, travelling up the East Coast of Australia from May to July towards the subtropical breeding grounds off the QLD coast and returning to travel down the NSW coast from September to November, providing a perfect food source whether it be from a dead whale carcass or a whale calf separated from the mother. The travel path of the Whales most definitely coincides with the increased numbers of White Sharks during the Winter and Spring months on the Far North Coast.

Other food sources such as the mullet run, beginning in May on the NSW coastline, head in a Northbound direction over the course of Winter in large volumes. The retreating pelagic species such as tuna and mackerel returning to the warm waters of QLD are added annual cycles of food sources for all marine predators like the White Shark and fulfill another reason to head north up the NSW coastline.

Features of this stretch of coastline including several large rivers and several coastal creeks feed additional nutrients into the area, and Byron Bay being the most easterly point of the coastline deflects the East Australian Current eastward, often creating a coastal cool water upwelling at times to create water temperatures suitable for the White Shark and a dense level of nutrients against the coastline and increasing marine activity.

The results of a study of “Environmental correlates of relative abundance of potentially dangerous sharks in nearshore areas, southeastern Australia” (K. A. Lee1,2,*, M. Roughan3,4,5, R. G. Harcourt2, V. M. Peddemors6), found the abundance of White Sharks to increase in water temperatures of 17-18 degrees and decrease in water temperatures above 19 degrees. As water temperatures on the Far North Coast of NSW decrease to the low 20’s and high teens during the approach to winter and remain lower leading into Spring, the water temperatures correlate with the results of increased White Shark abundance found in the above-mentioned study.

As we have looked at factors showing White Shark abundance increases on the Far North coast in Winter, anytime you enter the ocean you are at risk of a shark-human interaction. To remind us of this, the Australian Shark Incident File supplies statistics, since the year 2000, during summer months, there have been 7 White Shark-human interactions between Evans Head and the QLD border, but there remains little doubt if you surf here in Winter, you are most likely at an increased risk of at least being in the presence of a White Shark and therefore at an increased risk of a negative interaction.