Why Gold Coast beaches are so spectacular during the winter months
THERE’S a secret Gold Coast locals have long known but social is making it harder to keep a lid on it. We look at why winter here is unlike anywhere else.
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There’s a secret Gold Coast locals have long known but Instagram is making it harder to keep a lid on it. It’s that our beaches are at their most spectacular during winter when the crowds are thinned, the water is crystal and the skies are cloudless for days on end.
A dedicated army of local photographers — professional, amateur and smart phones — have captured some cracking coastal images documenting the Gold Coast winter of 2018. “You just can’t beat the clarity of the water at the moment,” says Mermaid Waters photographer Ty Sheers.
Anyone who’s donned the wetsuit lately knows it instinctively but what is it about the winter months that turn the ocean postcard blue with visibility to infinity? Marine biologist Professor Rod Connolly of Griffith University says there are a few key ingredients.
“Firstly, you need sunlight and clear days,” he says. “We get them all year but we often get long runs of them in winter with not a cloud in the sky.
“The second factor is not having algae growing in the water, which is what turns it green.”
The algae are microscopic organisms that grow more profusely in warmer water. They’re fed by nutrients delivered from river and creeks, flushed into the ocean after rain. “In summer with the rain and storms, there are plenty of nutrients and there’s much faster growth,” Rod says.
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“But it also depends on the winds. In winter, we tend to get quieter oceans because of the westerlies and in summer with the northerlies, we get what’s called upwelling of the cooler water underneath which brings up the nutrients again. So it’s not as clear cut as being strongly seasonal, it’s just that we’re less likely to get the conditions that feed the algae and create the turbulence in the winter months.”
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For those less interested in the science and more in the aesthetic, the conditions in recent weeks have kept the local Insta crew snapping.
“I usually like to photograph the sunsets but the water clarity has been just beautiful,” Ty says.
“Not to give too much away but my favourite spots are around Tallebudgera Creek and Burleigh.”
Ty has been putting up the drone to find new perspectives not so widely posted on social media, difficult as that’s becoming.
“I’ve really enjoyed the drone because it just opens up a whole new side of creativity,” he says.
His mate and fellow Gold Coast Instagrammer Mitch Gilmore can’t keep himself above the surface at the moment. Mitch has made a name for himself for his images of Gold Coast beaches and, last year, one of his underwater shots was named in GoPro Australia and New Zealand’s top five photos of the year.
“I love going out in the smaller surf when there’s less turbulence,” he says. “It’s a lot clearer for what I do.”
Mitch started out taking pictures of waves but it’s under the water that’s captivating him these days.
“I’m a bit obsessed by surfers duckdiving at the moment,” he laughs. “There’s a real grace and power about it, sort of going against Mother Nature.
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His pick photo spots are from Kirra south to Fingal.
“It’s a bit clearer and quieter down the southern end,” he says. “You get to know the conditions and what to expect before you get there.
“But some days I’ll check the winds and stay in bed and I’ll be proven wrong by my mates. I should have gone out but that’s all part of it.”
Far from being a competitive pack, local Instagrammers are a supportive bunch who take a keen interest in each other’s shots.
Katie Jones is one of five administrators of @igersgoldcoast, a loose collective of Gold Coast photographic Instagrammers.
“We hold instameets once a month in varying locations to take a few pictures and get together with other people who all share a common interest. Sometimes we get up to 80 people and sometimes we might get a dozen. It doesn’t really matter. It just provides a lovely social side to photography which is otherwise quite an individual thing,” she says.
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There are similar igers communities all over the world, including in most cities in Australia. Interestingly, the Gold Coast has by far the most active igers account in the country with the most followers.
“We’ve got the most beautiful city,” Katie says.
Clockwise from main: Palm Beach by Ty Sheers; Burleigh Headland by Ty; Mitch Gilmore’s underwater world; Tallebudgera paddle-board perfection from Ty.