Shipstern Bluff
Tasmania, Australia
Reef breakExpert
On Tasmania's remote Tasman Peninsula, Shipstern Bluff is Australia's most terrifying big-wave slab, a ledge wave of extraordinary violence accessible only by a 90-minute hike through wilderness, where the Southern Ocean delivers some of the most powerful surf on earth.
Typical Conditions
The Surf Window
Swell Window
OptimalSSW (195°)
WindowSSE–WSW (150°–240°)
Size–SW 3m+ at 16–22s
Wind
NW
Light to N under 12 knots
Tide
Mid to high
LowMidHigh
Season
May–Sep
JFMAMJJASOND
The Wave
Type
Reef break (slab)
Bottom
Dolerite rock
Shape
Massive left-hand slab with multiple staircase ledges
Length
50–100m (at enormous size)
Skill Level
- •Who it's for: Expert big-wave surfers only
- •Why: One of the world's most dangerous waves, hold-downs, staircase ledges, and complete remoteness
Hazards
- •Extremely dangerous wipeouts, the staircase ledge creates multiple impact zones
- •90-minute hike out injured is a serious emergency
- •Southern Ocean swell can arrive with terrifying speed
Local Tips
- •A helicopter or boat is now sometimes used for access to reduce rescue time
- •The wave is nicknamed "Devil's Point", respect is the only appropriate attitude
- •Port Arthur historic site is nearby, the most significant convict-era site in Australia
Location
-43.3500, 146.9500