2015

2015 Big swell at Wyadup Rocks Yallingup

In June 2015 a super swell hit the WA coast. Big waves pounded surf breaks in the Southern and Indian Oceans.

I was snapping surf photos at Injidup car park and also took a sequence of shots of big waves battering Wyadup Rocks to the north with Canal Rocks and Sugarloaf Rock in the background.

When I got back to Dunsborough and looked at the images, I realized I had taken pics of a large wave engulfing people standing on Wyadup Rocks. There were no related incident reports on the local news that evening, so I assumed the people escaped with a drenching.

The next day I checked Wyadup Rocks where the waves hit and there were still pools of sea water high on the rocks. And as it happens, a lady did get swept off the rocks that day and ended up in Busso Hospital.

 

These are my images and a media article covering the big swell.

 

Image Seq #1. People standing on Wyadup Rocks watching the big swell batter the coastline.

 

 

Image Seq #2. White water surging up rocks towards spectators on Wyadup Rocks.

 

Image Seq #3. Exploding white water about to engulf spectators on Wyadup Rocks.

 

Image Seq #4. White water sweeping over spectators on Wyadup Rocks.

 

Image Seq #5. White water and spray blasting over spectators and heading higher up Wyadup Rocks.

On June 30 2015 The West Australian newspaper journalist Liam Croy reported on monster waves at The Right in the Southern Ocean and big swells at Wyadup Rocks.

 

Image. Media article on monster waves courtesy of The West Australian.

There are signs warning beach users of dangerous wave activity at Wyadup Rocks but mishaps still occur.

 

Image. Warning signs at Wyadup Rocks.

 

Images: A nice fish, but risky. Wyadup fishing sequence taken 4 April 2017 by Ian Wiese Dunsborough.

On Saturday 20 April 2019 a man was rescued by the Naturaliste Volunteer Marine Rescue boat after being swept off rocks at Wyadup in a large swell. Source Busselton-Dunsborough Mail

We have a beautiful coastline but need to be wary and respect the power of the ocean.

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