7.45am Wednesday 7 June 2010

The swell has dropped to almost flat with a light force 2 southwesterly breeze.

Tides
Low 03.03 0.8m
High 09.13 3.5m
Low 15.13 1.0m
High 21.23 3.7m

7.00am Tuesday 29 June 2010

Swell is 1 foot with a light force 2 westerly onshore breeze.

Tides
Low 02.25 0.8m
High 08.33 3.6m
Low  14.37 1.0m
High 20.42 3.8m

7.15am Monday 28 June 2010

Swell now at high tide is a good 2 foot peaking nicely in a force 2 offshore south easterly breeze. It should be even better as the tide drops back in an hour or 2.

Tides
Low 01 45 0.7m
High 07.52 3.6m
Low 13.58 1.0m
High 10.01 3.9m

7.00am Sunday 20 June 2010

Swell is 2 foot right now - it should be bigger but flattened a bit by a fresh force 3 cross-shore southwesterly breeze. It's likely to shape up a lot better later this morning as the tide drops.

Tides
Low 01.03 0.8m
High 07.10 3.6m
Low 13.16 1.0m
High 19.20 3.9m

7.00am Saturday 26 June 2010

swell is half a foot with very light force 1 onshore westerly breeze. Good surf is forecast for this evening.


tides
low 00.15 0.8m
high 06.28 3.6m
low 12.33 1.0m
high 18.39 3.9m

6.45am Friday 25 June 2010

Clean 2 foot sets with force 2 easterly offshore breeze.


Tides
High 05.42 35m
Low 11.45 1.0m
High 1756 3.8m

UPDATE WITH PICS 10.50am Thursday 24 June 2010

Swell is still 1 and a half foot now at low tide so there's a good chance it will be bigger and better as the rising tide starts pushing. Breeze is light 2-3 northwesterly onshore.

Tide times in earlier post below.

Here's a photo of last night's 3 foot sets. 23 June was Saint John's Eve, Bonfire Night with bonfires lighting up after sunset. Environmental concern seems to have trumped tradition last night with just 1 big toxic smoke cloud on Saint John's Point and a very small fire on Rossnowlagh Beach.

7.00am Thursday 24 June 2010

This morning the swell is 1 and a half to 2 foot with force 2 westerly onshore breeze. My camera has been misplaced. Photos as soon as I find it.

Tides
High 04.54 3.4m
Low 10.54 1.1m
High 17.13 3.7m
Low 23.25 0.9m

7.10am Wednesday 23 June 2010

Swell is about half a foot with a light southwesterly force 1 cross shore breeze.

Tides
High 04.01 3.3m
Low 09.57 1.1m
High 16.25 3.5m
Low 22.30 1.1m

6.50am Tuesday 22 June 2010

Swell is a very small 1 foot right now with light force 1 offshore breeze.

Tides
High 02.59 3.2m
Low 08.56 1.2m
High 15.32 3.4m
Low 21.30 1.2m

7.15am Monday 21 June 2010

This midsummer morning's low tide swell is a small 1 foot with a very light force 1 offshore easterly breeze.

Tides
High 01.47 3.3m
Low 07.50 1.1m
High 14.29 3.3m
Low 20.23 1.2m

And below last night's surf 'n turf in Rossnowlagh, when swell was 3 foot.

7.30am Sunday 20 June 2010

Swell this morning is a good 1 foot and very clean in a light force 2 north northwesterly onshore breeze.

  Check post below to support John Lally's Triathlon campaign

Tides
High 00.37 3.4m
Low 06.43 1.1m
High 13.20 3.3m
Low 19.11 1.3m

In the absence of a surf report..

I'll be taking part in a triathlon on Sunday 27th June. The link to my charity fund raising page is below, all donations greatly appreciated!

http://www.justgiving.com/John-Lally

6.40am Wednesday 16 June 2010

This morning's swell is a small 1 foot with no wind.

Tides
Low 03.14 0.6m
High 09.27 3.9m
Low 15.27 0.9m
High 21.41 3.9m

6.45am Tuesday 15 June 2010

Swell is a good one and a half foot with light offshore north easterly force 2 breeze.

Tides
Low 02.28 0.6m
High 09.27 3.9m
Low 15.27 0.9m
High 21.41 3.9m

7.10am Monday 14 June 2010

This morning's swell is a good 2 foot with north easterly force 3 offshore breeze.

Tides
Low 01.43 0.6m
High 07.48 3.9m
Low 13.55 0.8m
High 20.01 4.0m

7.00am Sunday 13 June 2010

Small 1 foot swell, a bit choppy in a light force 2-3 onshore northwesterly breeze.  There's a good chance it will be bigger and cleaner later on.

Tides
Low 00.57 0.7m
High 07.02 3.9m
Low 13.55 0.8m
High 19.16 4.0m

6.45am Saturday 12 June 2010

Swell is 1 foot, still being flattened a bit by a force 2-3 cross-shore breeze blowing from north northwest.

Tides
Low 00.12 0.8m
High 06.19 3.7m
Low 12.24 0.9m
High 18.33 3.9m

Below is the Marine Institute's report on the algal bloom that we've seen round the coast in recent weeks. The good news is that it's friendly. Thanks to Irish Surf Association for drawing Rossnowllagh Surf Report's attention to this:

Giant Bloom of Harmless Plankton Visible from Space

 

 

Both the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA in the USA have recently released dramatic photographs of a giant “bloom” of harmless microscopic plants, known to marine scientists as ‘phytoplankton’, off the West Coast of Ireland.  
Satellite image from the European Space Agency (ESA) showing the swirls of phytoplankton blooms south of a cloud bank off the coast of Ireland (photo: courtesy ESA)

 “Blooms of phytoplankton are important events in the sea and occur mainly during the summer months,” said Marine Institute scientist Joe Silke. “Phytoplankton are freely drifting, microscopic plants that convert sunlight and chemicals into plant material, just as plants do on land. They form the base of the marine food chain and are important contributors of atmospheric oxygen and essential components of a healthy oceanic biodiversity.” 

In recent weeks and in response to the fine weather, there have been reports of several blooms around the Irish coasts. The most dramatic of these - shown in the ESA photo of an algal bloom to the west of Ireland – was taken on the 23 May. The large swirls of turquoise water, south of the large cloud mass, are due to the presence of a species of phytoplankton known as Emiliania huxleyi.  

These phytoplankton are members of a group called the ‘coccolithophorids’ and are covered with an ‘armour plating’ of chalk plates. Each microscopic cell measure approximately four one thousandths of a millimetre in diameter and is therefore invisible to the naked eye. However, in response to warm surface waters and sunlight these tiny plants form blooms where billions of these cells can accumulate and cause the sea to turn a  milky white colour.

NASA satellite image showing the bloom extending down along the west coasts of Ireland, France and Spain. (photo: Courtesy of the North American Space Administration - NASA)
“This is clearly visible in the satellite images,” says Joe Silke. “The colour due to tiny calcium carbonate platelets that cover the cell and act as tiny mirrors reflecting light that strikes them, resulting in chalky white water. This resemblance to chalk is not incidental as the same coccoliths form chalk deposits including the famous White Cliffs of Dover and many other calcium carbonate coastal formations".  

Coccolithophores including Emiliania huxleyi could be susceptible to ocean acidification over the next 50 or so years as carbon dioxide diffuses across the sea-surface making the surface ocean more acidic, resulting in a detrimental impact on the occurrence of this beautiful natural phenomenon.  
“The presence of this bloom is a good sign that the waters to the west of Ireland are currently in a healthy state," says Silke. "Blooms such as these are important producers at the bottom of the food  chain and generate oxygen both in the sea and the atmosphere."
The Marine Institute National Phytoplankton Monitoring Programme is carried out year round to monitor the presence and impact of harmful species but also to identify occurrences of widespread  blooms of  public interest and to study trends in water quality.    
Picture credits:
ESA Image courtesy of the European Space Agency.
NASA Image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Rapid Response Team.
Instrument: Terra - Modis.

  

For further information, please contact: Dr. John Joyce, Marine Institute.
Ph: 087 2250871

 

7.10am Friday 11 June 2010

There's a small swell, almost a foot but it is flattened out by a northerly cross-shore force 3 breeze.

Tides
High 05.36 3..5m
Low 11.38 3.7m
High 17.54 3.7m

6.40am Thursday 10 June 2010

Mostly flat with a half foot swell close to shore. No wind just now.

Tides
High 09.04 3.1m
Low 10.52 1.1m
High 17.15 3.5m
Low 23.27 1.0m

Algal bloom

Satellite photo showing algae bloom around the coast of Ireland. Donegal isn't the worst but it explains some of the strange water colours we've been seeing and the muddy residue that the tide has dumped at both ends of the beach.

The calm seas for months past and recent warm weather are contributory factors. At least we don't have an uncapped BP oil well gushing anywhere close by.

7.00am Wednesday 9 June 2010

Almost flat, a small half foot swell with light force 1 northerly cross shore breeze.

Tides
High 04.09 3.1m
Low 10.05 1.2m
High 16.37 3.3m
Low 22.42 1.1m

Dave, Shark Attack Rossnowlagh.MP4

6.45am Tuesday 8 June 2010

Flat again with the first rain in a long while. No wind.

Tides
High 03.19 3.0m
Low 09 .15 1.3m
High 15.56 3.1m
Low 21.54 1.3m

5.00am Monday 7 June 2010

Swell is a good 1 foot in good clean lines with a very light force 1 easterly offshore breeze.

Tides
High 02.19 2.9m
Low 08.19 1.3m
High 15.07 3.0m
Low 21.01 1.4m

Below this morning's pre-sunrise sky. Worth getting up early for (or going to bed late for. The cars the beach belong to a couple of savvy campers who have taken advantage of neap tides to pitch their tents above the tideline.)