Gallery: Flat-Lining At Five Metres

Or, how to get significantly slabbed in Sydney

Craig's picture
By Craig Brokensha (Craig)

Gallery: Flat-Lining At Five Metres

Craig Brokensha picture
Craig Brokensha (Craig)
Swellnet Dispatch

How do you summarise three days of incredible waves?

Three days where the average wave height on the Sydney buoy didn’t drop below five metres.

You read that right, from Monday to Wednesday the Significant Wave Height flat-lined at five metres, while the Maximum Wave Heights hovered between eight to eleven metres.

From the outset, this swell event was shaping up to be another marathon. That’s on top of the equally persistent trough-block swell through early-mid July and the similar but slightly weaker swell producer through the end of June.

The past two months have been incredible on the East Coast and this gallery comes as the swell still pushes in at 6-8 feet, with a full weekend of waves yet to come.

With the swell being so large and local winds generally strong from the southern quadrant, there's only been a handful of spots handling the energy. This one in particular has been offering back to back days of heavy, unpredictable surf when it’s usually a half-day affair.

With such a prolonged run of heavy water, there’s a myriad of stories to be told, but I’ve condensed the last three days of action to these twenty shots. Enjoy.

Sam Jones inside a Hawaiian-sized barrel

Speaking of Hawaiian, here's Koa Rothman who was unable to get around this section, while the photo below shows what could have been.

Wade Clemens (above and below) making an incredible recovery

Adam Darsley full throttle

Max Hyett training for dummy half

Jethro James flirting with the foamball

Gordon Dreyer with a bit of work ahead of him

George Langley taking the unconventional route 

Sam Jones (above and below) charging a 15-footer. After air-dropping the step, it all came to an abrupt end (below)

Tom Myers amongst the maelstrom

Billy Langley riding a shorter board on a perfect one at dawn

Lachie Rombouts (above and below) gets the payoff: negotiating the imperfections on takeoff, to reach the perfect slot down the line. These are just two images of a twenty shot sequence.

Max Hyett frozen in time - better get a move on but

Zac Ghabrial on a freshly aquired stick (care of Camel)

Joel Hittmann dressed in black, surrounded by blue

Comments

Mickieyoyo's picture
Mickieyoyo's picture
Mickieyoyo Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 8:37am

Fun few days!

Andrew P's picture
Andrew P's picture
Andrew P Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 8:39am

That was incredible Craig! Sydney Shippies

surfbum's picture
surfbum's picture
surfbum Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 9:00am

Gnarly! I rather sit on my bum on land

john_c's picture
john_c's picture
john_c Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 9:02am

Unreal shots Craig! I had the pleasure of watching this from the water as well - from about 100m away at the next break down. About as close as I want to get, bloody hellmen!!

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 9:24am

Sydney doing a Shippies.

Mad pics. Kudos to those who took it on.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 9:26am

Unreal Pics
Next Swell..... Mia's DaD will Go.

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 9:29am

Fantastic shots Craig, that boog photo is sick! Look forward to Koa's inevitable video.

Jono's picture
Jono's picture
Jono Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 3:37pm

What's your call for Koa's clickbait wave size in the vid title? I'm going with 30ft.

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 3:57pm

Haha! It's weird that a Hawaiian does that. "10ft Bowls" was nowhere near 10ft even by Aus standards. Perhaps he's adopted the Surfline scale or should we say 'spectrum' because he's clearly on it.

Jono's picture
Jono's picture
Jono Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 4:05pm

Alex Papas's picture
Alex Papas's picture
Alex Papas Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 9:57am

sam is an absolute hellman. so sick, craig

northeasterly's picture
northeasterly's picture
northeasterly Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 10:01am

Epic pics. Must have been crazy being out there. Hats off to all the surfers having a dig. Especially the goofy footers.

Tim Bonython's picture
Tim Bonython's picture
Tim Bonython Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 10:08am

Where was i ?

Elliedog's picture
Elliedog's picture
Elliedog Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 11:53am

Likely sucking on a cocktail after a pumping day somewhere like Tahiti, Fiji or similar...you certainly get around!!!!

southernraw's picture
southernraw's picture
southernraw Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 7:53pm

ha. I'm guessing i know exactly where you were TB.
Probably somewhere in the vicinity of where i was too.
Unreal shots Craig. Truly top shelf.
Probably one of the best galleries i've seen over the years on SN and that's saying something considering the esteemed company of TB and the like.
Hats off to all the chargers out there.

harrycoopr's picture
harrycoopr's picture
harrycoopr Sunday, 4 Aug 2024 at 7:26pm

Mixing more shitty music for yr next vid drop?

drodders's picture
drodders's picture
drodders Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 10:23am

I found a few at, ahem, less exposed places

sangsta's picture
sangsta's picture
sangsta Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 10:26am

On the 3rd shot (and last) of Sam Jones' 15 footer, was that bare Deadmans ledge sticking out of the water, bottom left of shot. Got goosebumps looking at Sam being drilled below ledge level......

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 10:44am

Why is it called deadmans ???

Alex Papas's picture
Alex Papas's picture
Alex Papas Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 11:15am

hey craig, curious to know how you went swimming out there? current okay? you get caught inside at all?

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 9:12pm

The current once past 2nds isn't too bad, though on the higher tide Wednesday afternoon with the swell pulsing through, it was actually moving quite a bit. Nah not caught inside, had a few solid lumps pass under me but sit just beyond the ledge so generally fine, even if 10-12ft.

radiationrules's picture
radiationrules's picture
radiationrules Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 11:32am

amazing photo's craig...

Parko_70's picture
Parko_70's picture
Parko_70 Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 11:48am

Great stuff Craig, love your work!

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 3:27pm

Koa Stuck behind and Straightened out and then a Broken Board.......
Should have let Sam have it he was already Stroking in but Koa called him off. . .

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 9:13pm

Yeah Jonesy is filthy.

billie's picture
billie's picture
billie Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 11:03pm

Yeah, and apparently his brother burnt a local really badly at Cloudbreak once. So no one is going to be nice out there to the Rothman sisters.

billie's picture
billie's picture
billie Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 11:08pm

How damn cringey is the acting and self promotion. "well I found that step!". I'd rather be a plumber and remain fair dinkum than copy Nic Von Knobhead to make a few bucks.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 3 Aug 2024 at 8:02am

Imagine S.J. in Pole Position at 15 ft Pipe and calling off Rothman . . .

juegasiempre's picture
juegasiempre's picture
juegasiempre Saturday, 3 Aug 2024 at 8:39am

Haha

rooftop's picture
rooftop's picture
rooftop Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 5:00pm

That first one of Lachie Rombouts is an absolute cracker. Would love to see the full sequence.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 9:13pm

Will have the seq and a bit of a write up.

basesix's picture
basesix's picture
basesix Monday, 5 Aug 2024 at 6:06pm

can't wait! Lachie in full beardy mode?

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 7:24pm
tiger's picture
tiger's picture
tiger Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 8:00pm

Great pics Craig. Some seriously big waves there!

dawnperiscope's picture
dawnperiscope's picture
dawnperiscope Friday, 2 Aug 2024 at 9:25pm

Awesome stuff!! The monster barrel pic is incredible.
Hawaiian size indeed.. Id go as far to say it’s a select group of Hawaiians that could boast a photo of themselves in a barrel that big!
(paddle in)

saltman's picture
saltman's picture
saltman Saturday, 3 Aug 2024 at 7:44am

awesome shot of Zac G
His old man would be proud as!
Ride on Zac

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Saturday, 3 Aug 2024 at 8:27am

So, so proud. It was his first time out there and he surfed it like he had years of experience. I missed his bomb as I filled my card and hard to swim back in, but that board from Camel suited him to a t.

saltman's picture
saltman's picture
saltman Saturday, 3 Aug 2024 at 12:01pm

Great to hear thanks Craig
And lovely style Zac

flow's picture
flow's picture
flow Saturday, 3 Aug 2024 at 7:54am

2nd that Salty

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 3 Aug 2024 at 9:14am

?si=y4ahUrwTbbw6JEvu

Sprout's picture
Sprout's picture
Sprout Saturday, 3 Aug 2024 at 10:40am

Hilarious localism, what a cute little sign. I bet they spoke shit about him really loudly within earshot too. Can't be mad at being called off a wave when you oblige and let him go. Though it appears they didn't allow a second one lol.

Remigogo's picture
Remigogo's picture
Remigogo Saturday, 3 Aug 2024 at 6:22pm

Friggen 'ell. Mmerd.

Nick Gee's picture
Nick Gee's picture
Nick Gee Sunday, 4 Aug 2024 at 12:17am

great pics!

floated around the second break inside and get a couple while marveling at the core-lord lunatics flinging themselves into those waves. for anyone wondering there's not many makes on the real heavy ones and it's an absolute gamble. so heavy.

Sebamo's picture
Sebamo's picture
Sebamo Sunday, 4 Aug 2024 at 3:48pm

I paddled over. After 20 min, I was hoping for a dignified exit. 5min later, I was wading the injured guy in on my board into Shelly, a clubbie who was training took over at the Bower. Wave of coneaquence.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Sunday, 4 Aug 2024 at 5:25pm
harrycoopr's picture
harrycoopr's picture
harrycoopr Sunday, 4 Aug 2024 at 7:24pm

Well-named break. Great coverage Craig.

memlasurf's picture
memlasurf's picture
memlasurf Monday, 5 Aug 2024 at 8:19am

Great effort Craig did anybody actually make those big ones it looks like they all got munched after the take off.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 5 Aug 2024 at 7:12pm

?si=wqVPbB3_ykcqEvUI

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 5 Aug 2024 at 7:33pm

^ ^ ^
Z.G. on the D.S. ...BooM ...Fine Effort Son... Yew!
And Crangle Sporting the Full Kit.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Monday, 5 Aug 2024 at 7:48pm
Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 5 Aug 2024 at 7:51pm

Thanks guys, stoked on how the images came out. Some crazy moments.

Swany's picture
Swany's picture
Swany Wednesday, 7 Aug 2024 at 11:12pm

Had such a blast watching from the safety of the cliff. Would love to hear an interview with Sam. That wipeout was horrendous.
Few proper nut jobs. I left well after dusk as I couldn’t see the lineup, but there were still 4-5 guys in. Waiting.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 10 Aug 2024 at 10:15pm

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