Gallery: Up Close and Personal
Deadmans is unique in that it provides an up close and personal vantage point to one of the biggest, heaviest waves in the Sydney region. It's one of the most accessible big wave breaks to the general public (if you can snag a park) while also preserving that feeling of rawness thanks to the national park it backs onto.
Perched up on the the cliffs you get to a great perspective of the super-sized sets running down the rock shelf, but what you can't see is the sheer volume of water in the waves and how thick and wide they throw out over the inside shelf.
Saturday morning was always going to be something special.
The southern NSW coast is open to a myriad of swell generating systems, from East Coast Lows, Tasman Lows, and extra-tropical cyclones to name a few, with most weakening or being pushed slowly east away from the continent in their final stages. This sees surface conditions only starting to really improve once the swell starts receding.
What was unique about the severe low that formed off the southern NSW region late last week is that after projecting a severe-gale fetch up into the coast on Friday, it was forecast to retro-grade back to the south-west, allowing winds to swing offshore as the swell peaked. This is rare and on waking up in the wee hours Saturday, my initial gauge of the buoy readings at the entrance to Botany Bay was one of shock.
Significant wave heights were steady around 6m from a south-southeast direction with periods of 15s under a fresh west-southwest breeze. Go time.
I was the first in the car park, wanting to get a gauge on the size and possible rogue clean-up sets in the lineup for a good hour before light. It was hard to get a true handle on the size and it looked a little slow but my first estimate was sets in the 12ft range.
The car park and lookout slowly filled over that hour, along with the buzz and energy. Light drizzle set in just before dawn, keeping the lineup cloaked in darkness as those willing to take it on continued to assess the size.
You could sense a slight feeling of hesitancy from those watching on but that was soon broken after Max Dodshon made a clean entry to the line-up, only to be met with an 11 wave, 12ft+ set, creating a 500m long point break.
The car park erupted into a frenzy of activity and it was game on.
Infragravity waves were surging in and out of Shelly Beach, creating destruction on the shore and pathway, and once approaching the outside of the lineup, dodging sets breaking 100m wide of The Bower proper, one can hardly convey the release of energy and violence witnessed at sea level.
Monstrous sets were standing way up outside the ledge, allowing a slight entry just before the reef proper, gurgling and stepping down the line before turning inside out on themselves. Every part of 12ft and 100% unpredictable. Some would turn out to be huge foam balls, blasting anyone in their path while others would freight-train down the reef so perfectly, the water colour and shape reminiscent of super-sized Nias.
As Tom Myers put it, “the imperfectness is so dangerous, it lures you in to potentially the wave of your life and just says 'nah, not today'.”
Many would make the drop, only to lose their footing at the bottom step or have the board knocked out from under them by the avalanching foam ball. There were more wipeouts than makes but those makes were something to witness.
The images below feature surfers from the greater Sydney region with the standouts being Max McGuigan from Maroubra, local style-master Mikey Lavers, Max Dodshon, Tom Myers, and Avalon charger Joey Keogh. Props also go to young Anne Dos Santos, paddling into two bombs before losing her board.
Unfortunately I left the water half an hour before Josh Ku scored 'that' bomb.
While many hit the bottom, snapped boards, and suffered long hold downs, thankfully there were no major injuries sustained or rescues needed. All live to fight another day as another swell event looms on the radar.
Richie Vas' (above and below) first surf over 4ft in 18 months
Anne Dos Santos
Ben Morgan
Tommy Myers (above and below) slipping on his first wave
Tommy redeeming himself with this make
Max McGuigan (above and below) moments before being swiped by the foam ball, snapping his board
Harry Steele
Max Dodshon
Joey Keogh (above and in sequence below) on a bomb
Mikey Lavers (above and in sequence below) cool as a cucumber
Max McGuigan (above and in sequence below) on one of the waves of the day
Billy Langley fully focussed
Comments
Sick!
Not trying to take anything away from these people but is the flogging not as bad as it would seem from these pictures/water angle footage? Seems like such a large volume of water in each wave.
Great said pics Craigoss!!
More likely that those willing to have a dig are prepared to get absolutely flogged and not quite like the rest of us surfers. Most who got smoked were fairly rattled and had to gather themselves before taking it on again, or paddled in.
Absolutely nuts. Don't know how you managed to swing out with a housing on your board Craig! Way too much other stuff to think about than padding with an anchor on your deck.
Made it easier this time with a backpack ;)
Epic shots Craig!!
Thanks Tim!
Ripper pics- Any Boards have Go Pros fitted and where was Red Dawg ?
---------------------------------
Edit: found him
Great work, Craig. Photos look great
Good work Craig, didn't swim it?
Paddled :)
Fan-farkin-tastic.
As I asked in the other thread Craig, you remembered your batteries this time?
Thanks Batfink, haha I planned this one out very carefully as to not miss anything this time.
incredible wave for Australia's largest city.
epic shots Craig.
Reckon between these sessions (Deadies Saturday, the last time it was big in 2020, and a few others) it throws Oz surf culture in a new light. For me at least.
Australia is tanking on the CT and there appears no real light at the end of the tunnel save for a lone success story here or there, but no blanket success such as we had '70s to '90s.
Even on the big wave circuit we're outnumbered by Euros and Brazilians.
Much energy is focussed on 'lifestyle' surfing - the ads, the tech bros, the murfers - and I've a tendency to think Australian surfing is developing a soft belly; a nation of Audi-driving, longboarders who could give a shit about grit and performance.
But when these slabs are on they're filled with guys (and gals) who are operating at the very peak of surfing performance. I'd argue there simply aren't that many surfers worldwide who can do what's required at hefty East Coast slabs.
And most of them are unknown. Tradies and whatnot who by dint of economy or necessity haven't chased the spotlight of the world stage, but can blow doors down in heavy as fuck waves here.
Great to see.
Slab-salutely!
Hear hear!
I totally agree Stu. Talking with mates that day we were commenting how these guys you wouldn’t know from a bar of soap come out of the woodwork on heavy, heavy waves around SydCastleGong (and lots of other places, besides)
Makes you wonder how they get the game together to do that, but every heavy session they’re are a bunch of freaking champions having a solid dig.
Probably back in the office or on the tools today. Oz surfing can pull a rabbit out of the hat still, maybe competitive surfing isn’t where the best end up here anymore. I can understand that. I can’t understand the cojones to paddle into one of those beasts though.
I don't really care that Australia is lagging in the WSL ratings etc, but I will admit it was interesting surfing with JJF, Barron and Jack Robbo at 1-2ft Winki today. Made me feel like a right has-been.
But Oz surfing's developing a soft belly? I don't think so. Surfing is evolving (thankfully) and there's heaps of crew who see different lines in waves than a 5'10 thruster permits. I surfed very uncrowded and pumping 4ft plus Boiling Pot last week on a trip north with a handful of undergrounders on alt craft and they were simply stunning to watch. Deep 5sec+ tubes on mid-lengths, mad smooth gouges at warp speed on asym quads, highlines on singles and scarcely a thruster amongst them. It wasn't Wozzle hi-pi but it was something else to witness nonetheless. And I snagged a few to boot.
I reckon social media has a bit to do with this tendency for people to take on heavy waves, too. As I think I've said on here before, I lived over the road from the Bower a long time ago and surfed Winky/Bower a lot, but in all that time there were precious few people who'd takes Deadmans on. I paddled over once on a decent 6-8ft day and promptly paddled back with my tail between my legs. The only day that I saw it 8-10ft, clean and surfable - we were on the second button at Winky - there were only two mad bastards who had a crack, and that was Dayan Neve and Kai Otton...and they got absolutely farkin lit up by mutant things with 10 tons of water and steps you needed a degree in parkour to get down. This new crop seem to embolden each other, though I reckon there's a money shot element to it which is supported by the note about them needing to regroup after a proper hiding. I reckon the violence of it would catch a few aspirants by surprise.
And my other half drives a Volvo....
Well done Craig. Some proper sick ones in there!
Great photos mate!
I'm gathering you don't drive an Audi Stu.
Err, no.
Apologies to anyone piloting a four zero.
Audi drivers are the worst.
Nah, they're alright, I'm married to one.
Prius drivers on the other hand...
You may be right Zen.
Prius drivers favourite thing to do is sit in the right lane doing 10km below the limit.
Actually Matty, my wife pretty much does that too.
Bloody Audi drivers eh!
Great pics Craig, must have been intense witnessing that in the flesh.
No apologies necessary Stu.
Did you pull into any Craig
Looks mad
Fat shots. Heavy paddle,
Love ya work Craig, some truly epic shots , fck there’s some solid charges in this lot , it’s great to see from the water , the video’s from above don’t do it justice .
Great photos, Craig!
That Mikey Lavers sequence is so good.
Thanks IB, they're my fav with the style and light. So sharp as well.
Hey Craig (or anyone else), have you ever snorkled out there and seen what creates that mutant mid-wave dragon’s tooth?
Yep, a few times, but it's hard to really tell any real features that stand-out like the cobra fang. Next time will try and pick that exact bit of sandstone/rock out.
More so it just comes abruptly from so deep to the shallow ledge. Scary looking over the ledge into the abyss.
Speaking of the abyss, and pardon the complete thread jack: Anybody surf Mini Cloudbreak, the lefthander off Momi Bay channel (south of CB proper)?
Surfed it in 2001, and the water was gin clear, but completely black outside the lineup. Paddled out a bit and swam down, and just freaked out. So deep and dark and huge.
Happily stuck to the shallow lineup :-/
I did that at P-Pass. That wall on the channel.
Epic. Just drops into the deep dark blue
I did that once right on the outer GBR. Spent the day fishing then went for a snorkel. Swam over the edge and down. I reckon pretty close to 20+ metres down then lost my nerve and remembered to come up slowly. Exhilarating but frightening at the same time.
I know Cloudbreak proper has a 1000m plus drop off behind the break. Frigates has a 300m plus drop off. I snorkelled and freedove around that and played that game of chase a fish as far deep as possible. Crystal clear, felt like home down there. Still recall surfing a day at one of the outer reefs and after a particularly hectic morning session, we motored over to a section of reef out of the brunt of the swell and i jumped overboard for a dive. Took a deep dive and let all the anxiety, fear, joy, exhilaration of the session just gone wash away from me. Nothing like following a turtle around on a deep dive to help ground you in the ocean again and reset you for the next session. Would recommend it to all. Surfing the solid days no chance of seeing the sets. You're looking for a skerrick of movement on the water beyond the lineup. Any kind of movement could be a draining lump of water that goes quickly from lump to a black beauty unloading like a cobra, plug pulled out, fingers crossed you have time to paddle hard enough to get sucked under with it. Get caught by one of those and your sessions probably over. You'll pay. Throw in the long period Southern ocean swell energy and no swell blockage...it's bloody exciting hey!!
Looks like the kind of situation to shoot with a 70 - 200mm lens -
Nailed it!
Iconic pics Craig. These will go down in Australian surf history along with the crew riding them. Thanks for all you do. Insane!!
Sick.
What size boards were most crew riding?
Looks like length would have been a hinderance?
5'8" up to 9'3" - with 9'3" Rider claiming he was 3ft over gunned..;but he shredded on it
as he does .
Yeh rock shelf with the odd house sized boulder
Great images and ballsy effort to get them! Nice work, Craig.
Craig. All your shots exude such great clarity and depth of field despite what was going on in front of and around you. How did you feel whilst in the water with so much energy above and below you ? We’re you ever in panic mode or was survival adrenalin driven? Deadman’s may be an apt name. Interested to know if anyone has perished out there since it was first surfed way back in our early days of surfing ?
The feeling was one of pure adrenaline when those monster sets came in, excitement, awe and appreciation. I've said it elsewhere but it was the best view mother nature could offer you and to feel the energy from the ocean and going over with some of those swell lumps was exhilarating.
Add to that the hooting from those in the water, whistles and applauds from the cliffs and all round froth. It's unbeatable.
I crashed hard once getting in though with a growing headache and need for proper food. Had to nap it off into the afternoon.
The lookouts provide such a unique amphitheatre for it, like watching big slab surfing from a stadium grandstand
That was absolutely epic, well done Craig and charging crew!
Wow!! Great pics Craig!!! Thanks
You describe it like a full ‘Oceanic Colosseum’, everyone has view of the action, despite sitting in different seats, rowdy comments and feedback filter from the audience, heard by the combatants, at least in this context, nobody’s asking for the spilling of blood. Some day, hey.!!!
Exactly!
yeah Annie and ben, legends, serious flogging
Great shots. Good to see the place wasn't a jet ski circus like one of the other Sydney slabs.
Incredible shots Craig. Must've been a buzz floating around out there watching that go down! Well done mate.
Quite the life you choose to lead. Inspiring stuff :-)
Unbelievable shots and surfing....
Great stuff!!! Got butterflies looking at those pics...
Sensational pics Craig! I'm guessing I'm not the only one happy to live in Vic on days like those!
And to think it will be 4-6ft this weekend on the gc points with 20 jetskis........
Epic shots, I don't how you got that close without getting cleaned up by those occasional 10 foot (triple OH) foamballs that nearly took everyone out at Winki - we we all scratching wide to avoid em. Blows my mind how many people are prepared to take on that mutant nutcase wave!
Just revisited that last photo.
Simply put, that's a fantastic surfing shot.
Someone should webcast the day when it gets this good again, like they do at pipe. My only complainant is there is not more footage, i could watch this all day from the safety of my lounge room drinking beer.
the sheer raw majesty of the ocean belies the beauty and technical brilliance of your pics craig..I bet they will look better every year your dust them off - congrats to you ..and the gung-ho that took them on.epic day for sure. i lived in bower street for a 2 years, I never saw it this big or gnarly.
Magnificent shots!
@craig , were there any jetski’s out there ? Rescues , carrying photographers ? An earlier comment that the GC points would have ski’s this weekend if it was 4-6 made me laugh .
Nah you can't launch one at Shelly and they're a no go in the harbour. You could drive from Longy against the huge swells but launching at Fishermans with any sort of swell is hectic with surging shore breaks.
Thanks for the nice history optimist. A 5'8 is tiny for paddling those waves compared to larger sizes. Epic shots again of a great paddle session. That mitch M shot 2nd from last is a beautiful photo. Big backside paddle pit.
They're all awesome pics but if I was gonna pick one, I'd say the third from last is a cracker. But the money shot is the last pic- so intense and the surfers face combined with the sheer force of everything that's going on around him beautifully framed gets my vote. Also, putting yourself in a pretty precarious position to actually get the shot- Bravo!
Been using my IPad to zoom in on their faces, particularly the last 3 shots. Just intense concentration as they are 100% focused on what is in front of them.
So good to see that wave of Max's front on to get an understanding of the girth in that thing FARK!
So mental
Sitting deepest
Dog claimed it.
Haha didn't it!
Amazing shots ! @craig
Just another big day at the Bower...
Here's two monster sets pushing through before 8am on Saturday from our Manly cam.
Check out how wide they break off the Bower and then also way out to sea at South/Mid Steyne.
Open up on Insta for much better quality.
major swell set.