Inner harbour breaks

[nycwipeout]

Ha!

I can cough these up as I live in NYC now & have done so for 14yrs.
These places we snuck out of school to go to when it was mackin' huge and going to Vaucluse High allowed us quick access to these harbour gems.

South Head rocks! Great reef where the swell wraps around into Lady Jane. Beware of all the *** on the beach. Infact, walk past the beach and you can climb down the rocks right at the break and jump up there. There is a Shark Island style heavy takeoff right around the corner in the most exposed spot - few attempted it, very few survived it, the wave wraps nicely in big swells. Not bowly as it is very deep water there. Had a total of 12-15 surfs there from 1970s-1990s

Nelsons Park has a great reef set up in the Nth corner of the beach. Even when the swell hits 4-5m and decent interval but blown out on the coast, there can be a cool little peeling 2-3ft wave there - and when it is howling onshore (SE) it is offshore to this little gem. Sharky though. Had a total of 15-18 surfs there from 1970s-1990s

Also, there is a middle harbour reef that most surfer/sailors of the harbour should know about. Surfed it a few times, straight out from Nelsons.

Email me for more!

[Clif]

watched that reef off south head a few times. wasn't sure if it was surfable. it looked so but there was a lot of water moving out of the harbour. have to give it a shot. seems to pick up a lot of swell

[Longboarder]

In newcastle our harbour breaks insanely on big southerly swells, problematic getting in and out due to all the oyster shells and when this waves breaks it breaks on old metal, cars and jagged pointed rods. Its been in waves magazine a couple of times where Matt Hoy and Travis Lynch have been surfing it. It does however get very crowded although its great to watch

[fletch]

well done uther

I was thinking about this the other day hahaha

Years ago I saw photo's in Tracks of dudes surfin the harbour. I've always wanted to do it!

Next massive swell I say we all head into the harbour and see what there is to be had.

[I & I]

Don't mind saying Crater Bay is mostly a big fade back onto the point - BUT have had it pretty good . And a few guys out would be quite OK - even preferable as you could lose the real take off spot with all the deep water moving about .
But there are another 3 spots I know not mentioned yet , that are better kept quiet . Only been big enough once in 12 years that I know of . What a buzz - surfing Sydney harbour .
Enjoy the search and remember it needs to be monumentally HUGE .
PS : If it breaks only once in 12 years , can there really be any Locals ? If you're a "locals only" bully boy stay home - free spirits welcome !

[spotty]

I'm trying to list (so next time there is a big swell) all the inner harbour spots which can break.... so far i've got

1. Balmoral Point
2. Wyargine Point (chinamans)
3. The grotto (insane...dont know if anyone has surfed it)
4. North and South head (same insane factor as the above)

anyone know any other ones? Or surfed any of these spots...stories would be good!

It was before my time, but the Australian titles were held at Wyargine Point.I think it may have been just the finals.Nat Young may have been there.Legend has it that it was 6ft that day,(which probably means it was 2-3).

[chrisb]

I know wer'e talking Sydney but Fort Point in San Francisco Bay, directly below the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge (where the girl in Hitchcock's "Vertigo" movie jumps into the bay), is also a novelty break only picking up waves in huge swells and providing a short, fast and cold lefthander. Occasionally you'll see photos in surf mags and SF books.

[chrisb]

Oh yeah, try Botany Bay breaks such as:-
(1) Kurnell Point
(2) Bare Island bombora and point breaks

[infectious]

me and my mate ben have surfed grotto in the past, to be worthwhile it has to be ridiculous outside. one day though we were getting really long rides resembling a left hand bower. Probably a better spot if you have the means, inclination or balls is a beach in the same sort of area(noi names but it doesnt take a genius). its a walk and a climb down... and you have to avoid the dirty old nudists... but it is backwash madness, huge, heavy wedges and epic launch ramps. We have also tried towing into dobroyd bommie with our boat. That was a scary experience.now we just anchor and paddle. its an epic left (or right if you have a death wish) with a fast, very intense pit.only recomended for experienced surfers as there is an unforgiving bottom with lots of boulders and caves and it breaks at much the same size as the outside waves. All these spots are very sharky though and known haunts of some very large bulls.
if you want something easier, try fairlight. the reef of the pool sometimes gets fair good as far as harbour spots are concerned and the reef infront of the green channel marker can produce.
for the most part though you're better off heading to where the real waves are because the bigger the better in my opinion bring it on deadies and the bommie!!!

[matt...]

http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/Australia ... index.html

check the photos of balmoral point!

there is another huge swell-inner harbour break in the background of photo3 & is featured in photo4 at this link.

"infectious" mentions it as well, in his reply above.............

go the novelty!

I have witnessed newcastle harbour - only really small on a 4metre swell outside, but formed up well for the takeoff.

if i can locate the digital photos i took of it, i might post them

[nubby]

there are over a DOZEN breaks in the habour......spread between manly, middle harbour, the heads and the harbour itself. then you have got pittwater with another 10 or so, botany bay has a handfull and then down port hacking way has another dozen or so. im workin my way slowly thru them and am probably about half way there. the best bit about these joints is that sydney could never ever get to big to get a good wave in somewhere, the bad bit is it doesnt get big enough very much. and alot of these spots are not even novelty waves. kurnell point, bay surf, box and dobroyd bommie to name a few stack up against anything on the ocean coast and on their day can easily be the best wave in sydney.

[Bondi Boy]

The reef off Neilson Park can break real good when there is a huge open ocean swell getting in.

It's such a great place to surf with the city as the backdrop and the Ferries and ships going past. The boat wakes usually give it an added kick and it is a blast thinking you are surfing the wake off the Manly Ferry.

Everytime it works there's usually a local TV crew shows up to film the action.

[nubby]

i surfed it once breakin out past that red danger marker on a super low tide at about 4-5ft, and the shark net was down so all you had to do was duck the cable and you could ride it half way down the beach.