The Wave

[wazatherfisherman]

A group of us had planned a trip on the rocks, but the forecast of a really big swell had us change plans. Narrabeen Lake was the new location and as it was "safe" fishing compared to the usual cliff climbing expedition, a few extra guys were going to come. No problem, except there wasn't enough gear to go around, as the group was six regular fishers and seven newbies. As young blokes (I was 17) we only had a limited amount of outfits and some of them were stashed at the usual spot- the Mattens at Dover Heights. So it was decided to go to the Mattens at first light and retrieve a few more rods and reels before heading to Narrabeen.

On arrival at the cliff top park just after dawn, we had a look at the ocean below, which revealed a really large and powerful groundswell coming in and swallowing up most of the ledges. The swells were a bit apart, but really thick and massive, making gear retrieval looking pretty difficult. However, as we still needed a couple of outfits, we decided to climb down the cliff as far as the pulley- situated about 130-140 feet above the water, check the sea out and make a final decision then. It was a good chance for the newbies to have a look for future reference, without having to do the big rope climb to the bottom.

On reaching the pulley level, we sat and watched as line after line of huge swells came in from due east. It was a "westerly roll-back" swell, the kind that's most dangerous for fishermen and loved the most by surfers. These giant groundswells usually arrive within about 24 hours after a couple of days of really strong westerly winds. Big,thick, full lines of swell, that just engulf all before them. The stronger the westerly had been, the bigger the swell. They were lifting straight over our usual fishing areas, covering the rocks with about 8 to 10 feet of water, in some spots, right up to near the base of the cliff.

After watching for a while, a pattern was revealed, there'd be about a dozen huge swells, then a bit of a lull for a couple of minutes, as the mass of receding water and "back-wash" flowed off the submerged ledges, almost like levelling out the next oncoming swells. Then another.dozen or so huge sets would roll back in, covering everything with ease. The white water was so churned up, it stretched out about 300 yards from the rocks, all you could see on the surface was white foam. I remember thinking that not even the fish would be able to handle the ocean in close, if feeding, they would have had to sit right out the back, as nothing would have been sinking close in.

After having a long look at the sea, two of the guys- Fraser and Phil- decided that they were going to go down the ropes and see if they thought it was realistic to stay against the cliff wall- there was only one part of the route that looked hairy, if they waited for the lull, they could sprint the 150 or so yards on flat going, between swells to the relative "safety" of the drier, boulder-studded bay and go "high" and around the back, probably about 150-200 yards back from where the ocean met the rocks. No water would go up into the back of the boulder bay, it was both well back from the sea and up high enough.

So Fraser and Phil climbed down the cliff, while the rest of us sat near the pulley watching the swell. On reaching the bottom of the ropes, you walk down step-like ledges and then disappear from the sight of those above, reappearing about 100 or so yards further south, on a long flat section of rock platform. This was the danger area, as although you were a long way back from the sea and up about 15 feet in height above sea level, you would be on flat ground, with the cliff wall on one side and nothing to climb up or hide behind when one of the big swells flowed over.

They timed it well and ran the flat bit, making it to the boulder area well before the next big set of swells rolled in. They then went high up in the boulder bay, staying well up and away from the water. From the boulder bay, the next part of the journey was up high and back from the sea, then down a series of narrow stepped ledges that took you to about 15 feet above sea level, but protected from the swell by the higher "lake rock"- which was part of the main platform some 50 yards to the east of the cliff wall they were moving along.

The next stage, after climbing down opposite lake rock, was another dicey bit, even though they were well back from the sea. They had to run about 100 meters to the "cave", again, up high, but not that far back from the big swells flowing in. From the cave, up about an eight foot rope, then up a few easy climbs, finally getting you to a small, wind-eroded ledge, nestled into the side of the cliff wall, probably about 80 feet up above the sea.

This was our "rod-stash" spot and it provided a hidden, grooved crevice, where we left about half a dozen 2 piece rods plus reels.They were hidden from sight and in a place on the cliff where nobody would have any reason to be, besides, everyone fishing the location, pretty well knew each other and for many years, theft was not even a consideration. No outsiders fished the location, you only knew the way down if you were taken down by one of the regulars, it wasn't just a place transient fishers would ever turn up.

We watched from the safety of the pulley area, as they took the furthest route from the water for all the stages, making the usual 15 minute scramble into a safer, albeit slower route and it took them over 30 minutes until out of our line of vision. We couldn't see them for their final 100 yard dash and climb until they reappeared about 20 minutes later, retracing the same high path on the way back.

The guys had been down the bottom for over an hour and the tide was on the rise, enabling the big swell to flow over and reach just a bit higher into the boulder bay, meaning they had to do a fair bit of climbing up onto some of the huge boulders that were normally walked past. As set after set of big swell swallowed up the last section, they had to wait it out until another lull appeared, but no lull came, just more sets of the massive groundswell. 

It appeared from where we were, they were going to have to take a bit of a chance at some point, as the sea was still on the rise and the last 150 or so yards back, across the long flat stretch was definitely the most dangerous of the whole exercise. Plenty of water was flowing over the last section, it seemed like it was almost permanently under about three feet of foamy water, that flowed along the rocks like a fast flowing river. Each time the flow on the flat stretch finally receded to reveal the rock underneath, another series of swells would roll in and cover the area again.There was no way of getting back until another lull appeared, so they just stayed on the boulders and waited.

Then we saw it, right out on the horizon. At first, it was almost like an optical illusion, even from our high vantage point, it didn't seem real. It was a line of swell, much, much higher than the already massive lines rolling in. Everyone up at the pulley level instinctively started screaming to Fraser and Phil, but they'd already spotted a lull and were off sprinting the flat section, through ankle deep water. They couldn't hear us in any case, the sounds of the ocean were simply too loud.

They were running, sprinting along the flat section, right up against the cliff wall. Fraser about 15 yards in front of Phil and they'd soon be out of sight to us above, as the path took them well under our vantage point.

Looking back out to sea, revealed not one large swell, but in fact there were three, all huge, much bigger and thicker than what was already a scary ocean.

Fraser and Phil had been out of our vision for well over a minute when the first swell hit the platform below, just gliding over the whole area and leaving it totally underwater, the second swell flowed over the already submerged area below us and it looked from above that there was about 8 to 10 foot of water on the level the guys had just been running across. Leaning over the edge near the pulley, mate Ross called out "Fraser's on the ropes" and we all stuck our heads over the edge for a look. Sure enough, Fraser was on the climb ropes below and the third, massive swell hit the rocks and pushed up the cliff, but Fraser managed to keep hold of the ropes and although totally immersed and soaked, was still there when the water receded. Phil however, was nowhere in sight.

The pulley itself sits on the northern-most edge of the ledge and after seeing Fraser still clinging to the climb ropes almost directly below it, thoughts turned to Phil, still unseen, somewhere below. Most of us raced about 20 or so yards to the southern extremity of pulley ledge, to see if we could spot Phil.

Personally, I thought the worst, having been cleaned up by a large wave myself once, I knew how impossible it is to either resist or even go with the water flow and this was a series of 3 huge waves, that completely covered all the ledges below with over 10 feet of fast flowing water. I admit, that I was looking for Phil's body in amongst the whiteness of the foam, fully expecting to see him floating helplessly, somewhere over the edge in the sea.

Meanwhile, Fraser to his credit, climbed back down off the ropes, to the unsafe level he'd just got away from, in order to look for his mate Phil. To say it was an act of bravery, was an understatement, considering he'd just had a near death experience himself. He disappeared from vision for only a minute and was back with Phil, who was still clutching an armful of rods (Fraser had the reels in a backpack)- what a relief! After making sure of no more of the gigantic swells were anywhere near, they tied the gear on the pulley rope and climbed up to the pulley level. It was all smiles at the pulley level and everyone marvelled the guys had each got back in one piece

The question we all needed an answer to was- how on earth did Phil manage to stay on the platform? We all stopped talking and let him explain how he'd cheated certain death.

He explained- as the first wave got near the rocks, he knew he couldn't make it around to the ropes, so he ran up into a crevice that ran north, up into the cliff wall, luckily for him, it also had a "honeycomb" texture each side and he went up in it sideways, as far as he could get, then turned his body 90 degrees, so he was physically stuck in there. When the water engulfed the platform, it of course pushed up in where he was and he was totally immersed, but due to being wedged in, as the water pulled out from the crevice, he was physically stuck in by turning sideways. The honeycombed sides gave a bit of foot, elbow and hand grab, but the simple turning of his body, undoubtedly saved his life, as the "suck-out" of the water had prised his grip free, but he just wouldn't fit out of the narrow crevice while turned. 

Being totally engulfed by the water was frightening, at platform level, he had no idea there were three waves, the sets had been around a dozen swells each time. All he was hoping for was that he wouldn't get sucked out of the crevice or drown from being underwater while the water flowed from the ledge. It was a big decision to leave the safety of the crevice when the water receded also, as he had no view whatsoever of the sea, bar the water flowing off the platform. He made the decision to go when the majority of the water was off the ledge, but just as ready to run back in again if more giant swells were going to hit. Fortunately no more swells after those three, and he ran the last few yards and resumed his climb up the stepped ledges to the ropes, some 20 odd yards around the front from where his crevice was.

Tale told, Phil was still pretty keen for a fish, so we all climbed back up and headed for Narrabeen.

A couple of hours after we left the cliff, another series of giant swells hit the coast and three fishermen were drowned at Bondi Murk, about a 3/4 mile south of the Mattens. These guys, were in a party of four and had only just walked down from North Bondi Golf Course to start the descent to the Murk, three were on the old iron ladder fixed to the wall when the swells hit and one above them on the ledge. I got this info from the survivor, when he came in to the tackle shop to buy a whole new kit of gear a few weeks later.

They'd just gone to have a quick look to see if there was anywhere safe enough for a fish, where they were hit by the wave was almost inconceivable, well back from the water and not far down below the greens of the cliff top golf course.The survivor, only lived because he dropped his fishing gear and clipped his home-made belt to the ladder, which was cemented into the wall. The water ripped his hands and feet from the ladder, but his belt- which he'd made only a month earlier- had kept him attached to the the rung of the ladder. A companion below and above on the same ladder were both washed off and not found, as for the other victim, he was nearly 20 feet above the ladder.

The story of the washed in fishers at North Bondi was broadcast on both TV and Radio stations throughout the day and due to our large group, someone's family heard the broadcast and frantic phone calls were made by most of our families, thinking it could have been us. We of course, were happily fishing at Narrabeen, oblivious to the news.

Haven't seen Phil for many, many years, but Fraser and I are still great mates and we were talking about "THE" wave only recently, it was the inspiration for posting the story.

[Burger]

Holy hell! Another gripping tale Waza

[Green Hornet]

I thought cats were the only buggers that have nine lives Waza.

You and your mates must be getting up there.

[wazatherfisherman]

18 hours ago, Burger said:

Holy hell! Another gripping tale Waza

Hi Burger it could have so easily been a tragedy!

[wazatherfisherman]

16 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

I thought cats were the only buggers that have nine lives Waza.

You and your mates must be getting up there.

Hi Pete I "um'd and ar'd" whether to go down with Fraser and Phil, so glad I didn't. It was scary from our safe height. Only good fortune saved both Fraser and Phil that day.

When we returned about a week later, a rock the size of a shipping container that made camp number two- complete with a Tooth's Brewery tarp attached between the rock and the cliff wall was also gone. Hard to imagine, but it ended up washed in over the edge, about 40 yards due east of where it sat against the cliff wall. Became a prime ambush spot for both Jew and Kings! To move that big an object it must have been a series of even bigger waves.

[Green Hornet]

5 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

Hi Pete I "um'd and ar'd" whether to go down with Fraser and Phil, so glad I didn't. It was scary from our safe height. Only good fortune saved both Fraser and Phil that day.

When we returned about a week later, a rock the size of a shipping container that made camp number two- complete with a Tooth's Brewery tarp attached between the rock and the cliff wall was also gone. Hard to imagine, but it ended up washed in over the edge, about 40 yards due east of where it sat against the cliff wall. Became a prime ambush spot for both Jew and Kings! To move that big an object it must have been a series of even bigger waves.

Interesting you say that about the big rock Waza.

Do you remember the big rock that used to sit at the entrance of the cave at Big Beecroft?

I couldn't believe that rock was washed in as well, considering how high and far back it was from the water.

 

[Burger]

11 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

Hi Burger it could have so easily been a tragedy!

Not bloody wrong there Waza . . . 

Fraser was lucky that he was quick and Phil that he was a quick thinker! 😲 

[wazatherfisherman]

5 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Interesting you say that about the big rock Waza.

Do you remember the big rock that used to sit at the entrance of the cave at Big Beecroft?

I couldn't believe that rock was washed in as well, considering how high and far back it was from the water.

 

Wow must have been a similar event- you wouldn't think objects that size could get washed in. 

I remember seeing pictures of heaps of big boulders that were deposited on the oval at Terrigal behind the Skillion years ago and also remember 3 bushwalkers being washed off the headland at Grotto Point in Sydney Harbour near the lighthouse- having been to all these places it is almost hard to believe water could get that big in the locations.

[wazatherfisherman]

4 minutes ago, Burger said:

Not bloody wrong there Waza . . . 

Fraser was lucky that he was quick and Phil that he was a quick thinker! 😲 

Hi Burger Fraser read the story on Raider and we were talking about it on the phone before and after the post, he said from ground level it looked as big as a block of flats moving at them! If anyone was washed in that day there would have been no hope of survival

[Rebel]

Another Super Story. Thank You.

[joshGTV]

9 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Interesting you say that about the big rock Waza.

Do you remember the big rock that used to sit at the entrance of the cave at Big Beecroft?

I couldn't believe that rock was washed in as well, considering how high and far back it was from the water.

 

Also the huge rock on the south side of Ben Buckler... washed up out of the sea during a storm in 1912 IIRC... can't remember the weight but it's written on a plaque attached to the boulder. Would've loved to see something like that happen.

[Blackfish]

Waza, that's another great piece of writing mate.

Great story that could have ended in tragedy but didn't through some quick thinking and a bit of luck thrown in.

[61 crusher]

Wow balls of steel with a lot of bravado & guts thrown into that story Waza & thankfully with a bit of quick life saving luck & common sense 😲

[61 crusher]

2 hours ago, joshGTV said:

Also the huge rock on the south side of Ben Buckler... washed up out of the sea during a storm in 1912 IIRC... can't remember the weight but it's written on a plaque attached to the boulder. Would've loved to see something like that happen.

Is that the one that had the 3 mermaids on top of it

[wazatherfisherman]

2 minutes ago, Blackfish said:

Waza, that's another great piece of writing mate.

Great story that could have ended in tragedy but didn't through some quick thinking and a bit of luck thrown in.

Hi Blackfish and thanks! Always been pretty careful since that day, but it was just good fortune

[wazatherfisherman]

6 minutes ago, 61 crusher said:

Wow balls of steel with a lot of bravado & guts thrown into that story Waza & thankfully with a bit of quick life saving luck & common sense 😲

Hi Dieter a big lesson learned that day- stay away when it's rough! Even though we weren't fishing

[Yowie]

Another interesting story from you about rock fishing.

 

During high school, a couple of the boys said, "lets go camping and rock fishing in the Royal National Park", so we did.

One of them took a tent big enough for the 3 of us, only he forgot to pack in the floor section of the tent, so we had the sleeping bags on the ground, where we watched big spiders crawling between us during the night.

We were near a rock platform, somewhere north of Marley. There were a few waves breaking over the platform, nothing dangerous, so we looked for a while. All seemed good.

I found a large boulder on the edge of the platform, and though it would be safe to fish from there. I climbed up, and guessed it was about 8 foot high. Cast out and all looked O.K. Some time later, one large wave appeared out of nowhere, just way bigger than any other waves before or after.

Nowhere to go so I stayed put. The wave was about chest deep over the platform, not a time to climb down the rock and run away. I crouched down, turned my back, braced my legs and jammed my bare feet into the boulder surface. (seemed like a good thing to do at the time)

The wave hit the boulder, and it surged over the top of me (I'm already about 8 feet above the platform) I just dug my feet into the boulder and hoped for the best. I could feel my feet slipping along the rough boulder surface, but did my best to stay upright. When the water had disappeared, my toes were hanging over the edge of the boulder, a bit further and I would have been down on the platform into the water.

Very soaked, rod and reel soaked, but thinking , Farrrkkk, that was interesting, the other 2 bastards laughing at me.

Don't under estimate the ocean!

[wazatherfisherman]

1 hour ago, Yowie said:

Another interesting story from you about rock fishing.

 

During high school, a couple of the boys said, "lets go camping and rock fishing in the Royal National Park", so we did.

One of them took a tent big enough for the 3 of us, only he forgot to pack in the floor section of the tent, so we had the sleeping bags on the ground, where we watched big spiders crawling between us during the night.

We were near a rock platform, somewhere north of Marley. There were a few waves breaking over the platform, nothing dangerous, so we looked for a while. All seemed good.

I found a large boulder on the edge of the platform, and though it would be safe to fish from there. I climbed up, and guessed it was about 8 foot high. Cast out and all looked O.K. Some time later, one large wave appeared out of nowhere, just way bigger than any other waves before or after.

Nowhere to go so I stayed put. The wave was about chest deep over the platform, not a time to climb down the rock and run away. I crouched down, turned my back, braced my legs and jammed my bare feet into the boulder surface. (seemed like a good thing to do at the time)

The wave hit the boulder, and it surged over the top of me (I'm already about 8 feet above the platform) I just dug my feet into the boulder and hoped for the best. I could feel my feet slipping along the rough boulder surface, but did my best to stay upright. When the water had disappeared, my toes were hanging over the edge of the boulder, a bit further and I would have been down on the platform into the water.

Very soaked, rod and reel soaked, but thinking , Farrrkkk, that was interesting, the other 2 bastards laughing at me.

Don't under estimate the ocean!

Hi Yowie great story! Glad you survived! Have had a couple of "wet" moments at Burning Palms platforms myself when fishing the blowhole there and one while just swimming at the figure eight pools

[GoingFishing]

Another great story Wazza. Glad to hear everyone made it out safe.

2012 I was fishing off the rocks at garie beach. Enormous unexpected swell came over the ledge and mowed down me and what would have been 7 other fishos.

All survived with some bumps and bruises but what always amazes me is how what seemed to be placid and reasonable conditions suddenly turned into a freak wave without warning 

[wazatherfisherman]

1 hour ago, GoingFishing said:

Another great story Wazza. Glad to hear everyone made it out safe.

2012 I was fishing off the rocks at garie beach. Enormous unexpected swell came over the ledge and mowed down me and what would have been 7 other fishos.

All survived with some bumps and bruises but what always amazes me is how what seemed to be placid and reasonable conditions suddenly turned into a freak wave without warning 

Hi GF about my third or fourth trip to the Mattens there was a fairly smooth sea, but our mentor Wally said no going down on "Greeny" today boys-  I thought it looked really good and it was the prime spot for huge Blackie's - one of the other regulars started fishing there and had to run for his life a few times when a set of those thicker swells came in.

I got washed in twice on the same day fishing the "Bombie" wash there and I was the only one at the Mattens that day, going to write it up shortly.

We often fished the wave swept low ledges at night, but usually in a group- not saying that's a safe idea, but you had to pick the right conditions. That's where the truly giant Bream lurk- where the red crabs live

[Yowie]

21 hours ago, GoingFishing said:

 what always amazes me is how what seemed to be placid and reasonable conditions suddenly turned into a freak wave without warning 

No two waves are the same, which is what inexperienced fishos cannot work out. All looks good, then one big mother of a wave just appears out of nowhere. They do not have a plan of escape when the big one pops up out of nowhere.

Like the time I described fishing on top of a large boulder, all looked good, then the big mother suddenly built up out of nowhere, with nowhere to escape. Dig your toes in and hang on. 

I have fished, in younger days, on higher platforms, then one wave will still froth around your feet. Stand your ground and brace for impact, and expect backwash to hit you again. I have seen people try to outrun a big wave, not a good idea, they were bowled over.

[61 crusher]

14 hours ago, Yowie said:

No two waves are the same, which is what inexperienced fishos cannot work out. All looks good, then one big mother of a wave just appears out of nowhere. They do not have a plan of escape when the big one pops up out of nowhere.

Hence the old saying never turn your back to the sea & always have one eye on the water