Newcastle vs Cronulla surf culture
Go for a surf at Cronulla when the swell gets thick,its not a long drive.
No waves at Cronulla boys!
PS: Under estimate Cronulla point at your own risk.
Really? What power do clubbies have to designate to police when you can surf?
Absolutely no power at all. At a stretch if it was a 50 year storm, maybe then it would be a matter of public safety, where the Police may get involved. "may" being the operative word.
Surf Life Savers can only advise people in regard to conditions. They have no power to enforce. (nor can they confiscate boards, which North Cronulla Thru to Wanda used to do.
South Cronulla SLSC did not. (covering point, cabbage, shark Island)
I think back in the day the clubbies did have the authority to confiscate boards, but I think only if you were surfing in between the flags. I have seen days when they "cross" the flags on the beach as in its closed, but we'd still surf and they wouldn't stop ya. I remember heading for a surf in the Arabian Sea many moons ago, and the life guard would not let me because of "dangerous" surf, it was a decent swell, but not dangerous. Anyway I had to debate with him, and finally he let me go in only if I would sign a waiver, absolving him of any responsibility in the event if something happened to me out there. I remember seeing some good old footage of Cronulla Point, maybe late 70's or early 80's, I think it might have been a comp, it was solid and heavy. Also see occasional pics of guys surfing pretty big Dixon Park when its on.
So if the cops do get involved what are you going to say when Sgt Smalls pulls you up in your boardies on the footpath and asks "What is your name and address sir?".
I haven't had a paddle there for a while , lived around there many years ago when guys like MR , Hoyo, Egan , Lawry, Woodsy, McCabe plus many more underground guys would lay waste to that small wave culture claim.
Never seen clubbies enforcing beach closures to surfers, nor call cops,, though I have seen them question some about their ability level before paddling out, which is a good thing.
There's lots of unpatrolled areas around Newy fire when bigger conditions are right and are a hell of a lot more consistent than the harbour.
Do what Goldie Qldurrz do...just close the beach every other day.
'Is our beach closed Today...Yesterday...Tomorrow!'
Yes! Yes! Yes! Why wouldn't it be?
'Is there Lightning & Wild driving rain & fierce wind & Big Surf.'
No! What's that got to do with anything?
GC Beaches are now closed for around 2 months a year in total.
Premier & Mayor are martyrs fighting off Q1 in 100's.(Need more Crisis interpreters)
Best solution to yer local Ghost town craze... [BEACH CLOSED SALE] >
Strange how the only time we get a packed beach is during a tsunami warning...
Get onboard the Govt's BOM plan people.
Another storm is likely to approach every day over the next 8 days to 8 Years...
[ BEACH CLOSED] Private Seachange Resort Storm Cloud brewery in operation.
Please follow the [BEACHED CLOSED SALE SIGNS] & Shop till ya drop...
Life was once on our beach! Now it's theirs...Please don't go spoiling their view!
Dixon park towing.
Now i don't know what happens down bar to merrewether, as i have no interest at all in beach breaks.
However. Every single time i surf big ben (by myself, never ever seen anyone else out there besides a tow crew twice) I have had either a member of the public walking on the breakwall call the police, or the lifeguards call the police or give me a talking to.
I did have a deal with the last head of lifeguards to come see him and let him know it is me before i head out. Then he retired.
Ive got footage it looking like a 12ft backdoor. And i can't find anyone, and I've tried to find to join me out there.
Lifeguards hace admitted they dont want people copying me.
I've been told i need a ski and or someone else out there with me and they back off.
A local with a bit of sway did put in a word for me, explaining my capabilities.
However i find it bazaar. A ying yang to growing up in cronulla. It was all about big wave riders. They were who we idolized, who we tried to be, to impress and one day better.
Up here it'll be huge. No one in the ocean at all. Maybe Garth. Everyone else in the harbour.
Watch next time its really big. Not a soul out.
marcus...it pays to look across the board at levels & timing of the danger.
In other words the authorities may not know half of the dangers themselves.
(Newcastle/SEQ) have Recidivist Settlement Sea Laws with overarching power.
Both are recognised locally as move on powers.
Both regions currently exploit such laws to share a ban on Storm Riders.
Ok! So boating is grounded...so a surfer is no threat to sea salts...
When Reserve is in danger they have a sworn duty to rid outside threat.
Threats...
*Unseen fast flowing irregular large debris...(GC debris: Trees, Cars, Livestock..)
*Flooded Raw Sewage + Pathogens gather at harbour outfall
Note: The beacons on each Breakwall
Despite recent Solar panels you'll find they are also by law hooked to Mains back up.
Beacon Masts are sitting ducks for Wind / Waves / Lightning.
*Beacon mast topples into sea spray or rock wash electrifying 20m afar.
Same for Marinas & Piers, very deadly...only takes one lamp/mast to endanger all.
Zapped trees also topple to electrify surfers.
Reservists by any name view a Surfer as a threat to their Reserve Liberties.
A corpse is viewed as an Insurance risk...shutting down international shipping trade.
That's one helluva expensive Surfing session + resulting in a ban on Oz river surfing.
The Surfers life is least of concerns...Loss of liberties due to surfer is an Oz tragedy.
Safety Tips for Breakwall Surfing.
Surf after Boating ban with clear vision on building swell prior to Storm Events.
Avoid (Mid-Late Storms) Winds, Lightning, Flooded Debris, Raw Sewage
As simple as we always thought & knew, ain't nothing clever about it!
Enjoy breakwall surfing responsibly.
Hey true blue basher.
Thanks for replying with your thoughts.
But i'm not surfing in the harbour.
I surf big ben on the ocean side of the breakwall.
Interestingly i had the same problem early 2000s in wollongong when i lived down there going to uni. surfing walebone bombie and north gong bombie the police would get phone calls from tourists up in the Novotel. They'd ring up and say hey there's a person out there in trouble.
Didn't have it happen at the northern Illawarra bombies though as there were crew that surfed those spots on photogenic days.
However i won't be heading out this swell. In some pain with age and old injuries catching up with me. Time to see a physio.
edited mobile spelling
Thanks for sharing these lock-downs marcus...my bad over seaway!
That Woolongong call is trademark for basherz...many point at us as if drowning.
At the Spit..had VMR jetski chase tbb out & up onto the beach.
VMR even said they were responding to a call from Jetty dogooder. (BasherWatch)
"YouTube decides who surfs off our shores!"...Everyone is an online Cop now!
Growing number of folks rescuing Kangaroos & Koalas fleeing danger...Why?
Few realize that near all Oz wildlife swims better than Oz Olympian Team.
Wildlife needs to flee incoming floods, fires, predators more often than we humans.
tbb studied this & is yet to find an Oz critter that can't swim a creek, river or Bay.
Note: Only sea creatures & birds wash up on our shores, rarely if ever Oz Critters.
Echidnas are ultimate Athletes...Surf from Island shore or Climb Snow Peaks.
o/s land surfers.
(Sloths can swim fast over 10 miles in the Sea & hold breath for 40 minutes.)
(Iguanas are expert Surfers > Cliff diving 30mins underwater) .
https://video.nationalgeographic.com/wild/00000144-169b-dcf1-a954-57db6b...
Kangaroo Rescue
Half way across a bay dogooders hotline Dutto to mount a Baywatch Rescue .
Hoping to get on TV for their 15 seconds...stranding creature to try again.
Once interviewers ask tough questions like...Why? Heroes are all at sea...Durr!
Each assume that critter was both tired & in distress, in need of loving torment.
No NP or Marine Park Authority...can't help themselves, just see stars in their eyes.
Cops Roo Rescue lost out to Fireman's kiss of life to Lizard & Couch Puppy Rescue.
Note: Kangaroo was likely fleeing recent East Coast battering of Nth Straddie.
Cop returns Kangaroo to stormfront...we got this...well it is 2020 after all. OMG.
Roo's Bay Xings is so common it required Roo Xing Signs.
https://www.cairnspost.com.au/quirky-sign-on-river-warning-of-kangaroos-...
Here's a Goldie Kangaroo learning to use the Xing signs.
https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/lifestyle/gold-coaster-captures-isl...
YouTube 'had' a great vid of WA Roo surfing ashore & leaping beach as a sand pit.
This vid equally shows their surf'n'beach skills & endurance...Don't call the cops!
Roos have been swimming, surfing, bossing beaches long before we rescued them.
Oz surfers are fleeing from new online world fast bossing ye olde outside world.
'No worries...we'll save the drowning Turtle...soon as we get Torch batteries'.
I remember stories that years ago guys used to be able to surf from big ben to stockton when the sand was right .
yeah i've heard that too, apparently before the breakwall was extended im told.
recently i caught a wave from big ben across into the entrance of the harbour, just missing the end of the breakwall.
that day some people watching me, a couple were washed off the breakwall, the female got a few cuts and bruises
same day i paddled to stockton from big ben(out from the rock wall near the child care place) to get in as the floodwaters i rode into were shooting out of the harbour too fast to paddle against.
see i surfed passed the end of the breakwall into the harbour, but tide dropping and floods ripping out of there i was going way out to sea quick. so next option, my back up plan, paddle to stockton.
all good, nice leisurely paddle while mr lifeguard had a panic.
that's another long story with the lifeguard threatening to call the helicopter if i didn't get a lift back on the jet ski rather than catch the ferry back. i reluctantly hopped on, and my nemesis lifeguard has called win news and the police to meet me at horseshoe beach where i was dropped off. he was trying to make an example of me.
cop was good about it though.
^^^
I’ve never known one person to have so much drama with lifeguards
Going surfing with marcus...
https://www.facebook.com/eggbeaterproductions/videos/743417619084314/
Still looking for someone to join me. Why doesn't anyone surf this?
If this wave was in cronulla, how many fellas would be on it?
It's been a long time since I've seen someone posting videos of waves they have to themselves saying "please come join me what is wrong with you".
What are ya talking about?
That sums up about 90% of surf camps in Indonesia I woulda thought......
marcus, a lot of basherz 'd slot the takeoff & tbb could also roll out the shoulder.
But would never ever get near it...that undertow is outta some Holy Moses Movie
Like the Sunset Beach Rip, but yes... the wave is as good as you say marcus.
Sorry marcus but that inside brew is boiling, need to sacrifice a Bunning's Trolley.
More shit you feed it the less beastly your wave...marcus just needs more stickerz.
Won't strap tbb to no rails no more, flying by the seat of me pants or topsy-turvy.
There area few reefs north or Norah head you should surf they handle big swells and are a grade. Similar to redsands.
How often do you surf big ben? Every couple of times i surf there someone calls the cops or the lifeguards make a fuss.
Merrwether aint big ben mate
Only time I've seen police rescue surfers was on Stockton beach on 6/6/16 (Cape Fear swell). Rescue might be the wrong word - I don't think they had a choice.
I think fundamentally nobody has the right to force you out of or from entering the ocean. That is a massive breach of freedom. We are capable of making our own decisions even if it results in our death. Extreme sports would not exist if safety was enforced. Sure I can think of examples where it would be appropriate to intervene; for example a tourist who has no understanding of the ocean or where mental health or substance might be affecting judgement e.g. manic episodes. How you ascertain this information I don't know. Will surfers need to be certified to prove their capability? do you have your "waves greater than 6ft" licence? What if wave heights increase during your surf? and if the safety of rescuers is a concern did that person read the job description? I don't know where I stand on that last point.
Edit: didn't realise how old this thread was I just saw Feb 10thand assumed it was this year
You said, " even the tame Cronulla point" you are kidding aren't you?
If its over 4-5ft here the lifeguards will call the police if you go out.
Had this happen multiple times surfing big ben bombie.
the life guards would prefer you surf in the river at the harbour.
on a 12ft firing day at big ben it was 3ft harbour.
today its 1-2ft maybe 2-4ft faces south facing spots.
radio is warning of dangerous surf conditions.
when its bigger than 8ft good luck finding anyone to go out besides the harbour.
however down in cronulla we had a crew of guys amped to get voodoo, the reefs, big outside shark island, cape solander, even the tame cronulla point at any size.
and the life guards would be all for you getting amongst it.
what's the deal with the small wave surf culture in Newcastle?