Omagasa October 2019

Omagasa Session October 2019

We were right in the middle of Typhoon season & Hebara had been under attack in a big way by Typhoon Hagabis which had taken a lot of sand from the beach but then quickly followed by a further two Typhoons Neoguri & Bualoi the later of the two was setting up to send mid to long period swells direct at Chiba from a NE direction as it passed well offshore.

The morning after the storm had passed i awoke at Splash guest house based here in Hebara & looked out to the south and the outer reef of Omagasa (some locals call it a mini Sunset like the famous one in Hawaii)

The winds were strong offshore the waves were perfect backlit from the early morning sunrise & the local surfer Shunsuke Ezawa and some of his friends were already paddling out.

It was not long before word got out & many of Chiba's famous riders from north and south were taking the long walk down from the main car park to paddle out & enjoy the classic big conditions on offer.

Often plagued by strong winds but with a lot of swells, this day mother nature played nice & the winds remained light with the right tide as well all in all it was a great day here in Japan.

The story was written by Dane Gillett, photos by Dane Gillett

More Information:

Hebara is the best-known surf spot within the Katsuura area. Often referred to as 'The Swell Magnet' or 'The Jewel in the Chiba Crown' due to the vast array of breaks and swell directions caused by varying winds. With its central location and abundance of amenities including accommodation, restaurants, shops, free parking, public toilets, and shower, alongside surf schools, rentals, and guides, Hebara is the perfect base for any surf trip - long or short! Hebara, as you would expect, has a great and friendly surfing community who are happy to share their experiences but please do play by the rules to enable everyone to have fun.

Omagasa

Bottom Type: Deep Water Reef

Wave Type: Bombora

Best Swell: NE + E

Best Wind: SW + W

Best Size: 6ft +

Rider Level: Expert Only

Crowd Factor: Not Busy

Notes: Local wildlife. Very strong currents - do not surf on your own at this spot. Needs a big swell to break.