Merewether – Ladies Surf Forecast and Surf Reports

Karl Gol from AUSTRALIA writes:

OK, I'm in TAS now but grew up surfing Ladies and have surfed it for over 20 years. Ladies is one section of linking reefs at Merewether, named after the ruins of the "Ladies Baths" built for (you guessed it.. the women folk only) back in the early 1900's. The exposed inside section is only rideable on very high tides and smaller swells (up to 3ft max). It's called "the shelf" and is a super fast hollow right that on a clean day is a freight-train bowl for up to about 10m length. Dredging over a dicey, shallow reef with "Sailors Rock" as a formidable obstacle, you can scrape yourself or break bones/boards quite easily. A real hit with the lids when it's on. The next section further out is technically "ladies", a right hand reef that works best on a run-out tide and an ESE swell up to about 4ft. When it's perfect it's one of the most predictable and fun tubes anywhere in Newy - you can get a 5-6 second shack and there's often a wicked end bowl to launch off. A bodyboarding paradise... Next section out is 2nd reef, breaking from about 5-8ft and good on an ESE swell - it's an adrenalin surging tube ride when it's on and has been the staple diet of the likes of MR, Hoyo, Luke Egan and a swag of other Merewether rippers. On a bigger day with a touch more south in the swell you can link up to "Rocks" (another superb right, in front of the SLSC) which is a situation that has most locals frothing at the mouth. Several sections are then on offer and it's a high performance wave with a possible backdoor section into "Rocks". Last but not least is "3rd Reef" - the next section out about 50-70m past "2nd reef". On a working day over 3m in a solid SSE swell your entry point will likely be off the rocks behind the "Ladies Baths" or through the pumphouse channel of the main baths. Good luck paddling out there as it's freakin' hairy dude!!! Lots of people get washed down to "rocks" and then in to the beach just trying. Your reward for sneaking out just to the south of "Ladies" and "2nd Reef" might just be the opportunity to see how fast you can paddle for another 50 metres in a NE direction. Pick the wrong time and you can meet several metres of 3rd reef foam head on (which can be quite unpleasant unless you have your mouth shut and can hold your breath for 30 seconds whilst being spun around like a cat in a washing machine). Those attempting to head out to the South of 3rd Reef risk getting smacked on the head by a 10ft+ closeout off "The Bombie" which is probably one of the nastiest experiences anyone can have at Merewether. If you can make it out to 3rd reef on a perfect day you can score some huge (I've seen it handle several metres) rights for a couple hundred metres - the takeoff is relatively easy and rolling, however as you approach between 2nd reef and outside rocks the wall jacks up and you need to commit fully as a massive barrel section awaits - get through that intense experience and then pull off before the wave closes out behind rocks or you will have to paddle out again the hard way - and the point I make here is that the bigger it gets at Merewether, the harder the paddle is and it's one of the hardest paddles you will ever have - no channels here. Enjoy!!!

2011-02-21