Yesterday Sydney and surrounds were roaring under a six foot east swell with all-day offshores. A midday high tide sent the punters in the know (and who'd also skived off from work) toward select reefs and ledges. Shark Island at Cronulla being one of them and this is where these photos are from.

But take a look at the fella in the first two shots. That's Greg 'Ox' McKinley, longtime local and committed charger. Ox can also add cancer survivor to that list, 'cause this time last year he was laid out with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and things were looking decidedly grim.

He's healthy now, the odds are improving and he's using sympathy votes to claim set waves at the Island and other Cronulla reefs. Can't keep a good man down.

All photos by Darryl Menzies.//STUART NETTLE