when there is a big swell head over to the area between queensie and nth steyne, look out about 1km out to sea and u should see it breaking. paddle out or get a boat
its not that scary but still don't go out if your a beginner, coz if the bombie is breaking the beachie will most likely be big and heavy which can make for a painful and expensive paddle! probably not best to paddle out if your unfit coz its a bit of a mission out there...
Overview
Atmosphere
one of the very few big wave breaks in sydney, worth a go just for the experience. your gonna get worked and/or held under for quite a while if u come off bad so just make sure u make it
General
hardly ever see anyone surfing it as it is a fairly sloppy and powerful wave, but its big face is enough to give u fun, memorable ride....give it a go
I have photos
This so called "Frenchmans reef" has broken twice in my lifetime. Once in 74 (the biggest swell ever to hit Sydney) and once again in 83. I don't think you can call it a reef, it's just a huge closeout set. I have to find the negatives of the 83 swell. I promise i'll put the photos up soon.
comment by fishpen voyeur, 2006-07-04 20:07:33
the bommie
hey old fart you not the reincarnation of bobby mills are ya.i grew up living next to where snony kept his ski's he use to take me out on the front of his doubles rode 1 wave out there as a 10 year old with him,good to see max still gets down to the beach.i don't live in sydney anymore but i hear some of the not so young guys now have jet ski's and do towins when it breaks,yes not a long wave but shit it holds the biggest ridable waves in sydney.
comment by Old Fart, 2006-05-13 14:54:55
Frenchmans Reef
When Frenchmans works it combines with the bower and Queensie bombie to form one massive wave from bower to Freshie. I don't know if any photos exist as I cannot recall it breaking since '66. Not many big lenses existed then. It's not a great wave, it's just fucking big! Guys from my generation didn't surf it because we couldn't paddle into it but I'm sure the fuck-arse crazy big wave riders of today would have no probs towing into it. If they can surf waves the size of Phil Macas south cost bombie then they could surf Frenchman's (or anything else for that matter).
comment by war, 2006-07-18 02:15:27