A group of surfers was washed by huge waves on Wednesday, July 15, at a Sydney break as Tasman Low hits the east coast of Australia, bringing damaging winds and massive swell.
In a YouTube video posted by Sydney-based photographer Luke Duce, surfers rode huge ocean swells on their boards at Deadman's Reef at the south of Manly Beach in Sydney.
"It didn't really look like Sydney," Duce told Daily Mail Australia adding that these swells are far different from what they usually see. He also commended the surfers who were "super brave" to take on some of the biggest waves he has seen in Sydney.
Huge waves slammed into the shallow rock ledge just meters away from the rocky shoreline where a massive crowd gathered on the cliff to watch the surfers do their death-defying stunts.
Duce also noted that while at least 15 broken surfboards left surfers paddling to the coast, they were "cheering each other on and making sure everyone was always safe."
One of the surfers was Surfaid CEO Doug Lees told Coastalwatch that it was the 'best day I have ever seen there." He explained that hardly anyone surfed in Manly, so seeing "34 guys in the line-up and most of them charging" is rare.
Meanwhile, Avalon Beach filmmaker Spencer Frost said he felt "stoked to see everyone pushing it" through wild surfing waves, which he has been wanting to shoot for years.
Tasman low hit Sydney and brought wild surfing swells
According to Duce, the swells are "super hectic" that sent a "vibe on the cliff" where people were whistling and cheering for the surfers.
This erratic condition is due to a large low-pressure system called the "Tasman Low." Aside from wild surfing conditions, the huge waves caused significant erosion along the coast.
A hazardous surf warning remains in place from Byron Bay to Eden along with the New South Wales (NSW) Coast until Friday, July 17 as the Tasman Low continues to make a dramatic exit with huge swells and damaging winds in the east coast.
Surfers at Deadman’s Reef, Manly, Australia. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for Sydney and large parts of coastal New South Wales, with damaging winds and surf expected across the state. pic.twitter.com/P0eSYOvsHB — BBC Weather (@bbcweather) July 15, 2020
The Bureau of Meteorology website shows a deep low-pressure system over the central Tasman Sea. This brings stormy winds and huge waves along the NSW coast. However, the conditions are expected to ease over the weekend as the system moves towards New Zealand.
This means chilly weather can be expected over the weekend with strong winds, large waves, and heavy showers across eastern NSW. The NSW police marine area command urged people to stay out of the water as they witnessed 11.6 meter-waves in Sydney.They also advised those who plan to do boating, rock fishing, swimming, and surfing reassess the situation. While the swell will begin to ease by the weekend, beachgoers are advised to remain cautious of the waves.
️ Hazardous Surf #Warning for powerful swell continuing along #GoldCoast, #SunshineCoast & #FraserIsland Coasts, due to this low pressure system over the Tasman Sea. Details at https://t.co/FBmpsInT9o follow @lifesavingqld for beach closures and #swimbetweentheflags. pic.twitter.com/xeLqriMadW — Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) July 16, 2020
Similarly, another surf warning is in place until July 17 for Fraser Island Coast, Sunshine Coast Waters, and Gold Coast Waters. Beach safety and rescue authority Surf Live Saving Queensland advised people to avoid the waters and walking in surf-exposed zones.
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