Hey all. I was disappointed to see that BOM has shut down live wind reports from Ocean Reef. To make things worse, now the Hillarys station is also off line. In typical style, the BOM web site gives no useful information about it. Has anyone heard what is happening?
Yep, plus the one at Swanbourne. I recall a few years ago, the Swanbourne one was out of action for nearly a year. At no point did BOM put anything on their site to let the public know what was happening. I sent an email to enquire, and after a few weeks they replied "It will be back in action sometime in the next few months."
I haven't tried again, because their site says their on line enquiry form is not working at present! 
Oops, I just realised it wasn't the Swanbourne weather station, but the Cottesloe swell buoy that was out of action for months, so it was DOT not BOM keeping us in the dark at that time. In any case, you would expect better communication from our so-called public servants. Surely if something in your organisation is broken, it's only common courtesy to let your customers know what is happening.
Yep. I wrote to them and got this reply:
"This message is to notify you that your enquiry to the Bureau of Meteorology # CAS-XXXXX-XXXXXX has been resolved."
However, it hasn't been resolved! Hillarys and Ocean Reef are both still down with no explanation. Rottnest is back online, but Seabreeze don't seem to collect the data???
I have an update. I emailed BOM yesterday, and got a reply today, so all credit to them.
The Ocean Reef weather station was removed as part of the redevelopment. They haven't selected a site for the new one yet, and once they do, one would expect it will be ages before it's installed and operational.
The good news is that the Hillarys station is expected to be back in operation on October 27. Yay!
They could install the Ocean Reef station on the Volunteer Sea Rescue building - I am sure the boaties want the service back too...?! Or is that where it used to be installed?
Select to expand quoteGPA said..
They could install the Ocean Reef station on the Volunteer Sea Rescue building - I am sure the boaties want the service back too...?! Or is that where it used to be installed?
Im fairly sure that's where it was.
The kitesurfing instructor at Pinnaroo Point has a wind meter but unfortunately only when he is there i.e. it's usually windy.
www.kitebud.com.au/wind
Another update folks. Mixed news though, some good, some bad, some weird. Firstly, the new Ocean Reef weather station is up and running. Secondly, they still haven't got the one at Hilarys going. And finally, the one at Swanbourne is sending wind speed, but not direction.
Mind you, not that we've had much in the way of swell and banks to make use of favourable wind. Looks like another pretty lean summer ahead.
....^^^ I think I have forgotten how to surf it's been that long... just swan 2.2km laps to try and keep the shoulders going just on the off chance that there is a day when we have waves (shared with 10,000 of your best mates).
