‘It’s wild, completely wild’: Surfers make the most of Balmoral Beach waves

SYDNEY’S big storm has whipped up a big swell at Balmoral Beach, and we have video of surfers making the most of the ultra-rare waves.

SURFERS have descended on Balmoral Beach to ride waves caused by some of the wildest weather in five years.

Bathers Pavilion manager Gabriele Giorgi said the weather was “completely wild”.

“There are three surfers out there at the moment. They are local guys. If there is a chance for them to catch a wave in Balmoral, they take it,” he said.

“My son’s a surfer and he would be out there too but it’s the first day back at school. I sent him a photo so he could see what he was missing.

Waves crashing into the beach at Balmoral. Picture: Annika Enderborg

Waves are about 1.5m high.

“It’s wild, completely wild. It’s not only wet, it’s windy and rough too. I would say the biggest wave I’ve seen this morning was around 1.5m.”

Mr Giorgi, who filmed a video of the surfers, said the last time she saw waves at Balmoral was last year.

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“I have to say, it happens once a year, usually during winter,” he said.

Large tree branches fell on the road at Kurraba Point, Neutral Bay.

NSW is being battered by some of the wildest weather in five years, with people caught in floodwaters, 100,000 homes without power and properties damaged from Sydney to the mid-north coast.

The State Emergency Services (SES) has received 1060 calls from the northern Sydney region in 24 hours.

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It is the biggest call out in the past five years according to media officer Jeni Mawter.

“Everyone who requests emergency assistance will have their issue dealt with today,” said Ms Mawter.

Several cars were hit.

“In North Sydney there is a large elderly population who are more vulnerable to storms.”

The SES is taking calls about fallen trees, flooding and both leaking roofs and windows in the area.

Firefighters and police are also responding to emergencies across the lower north shore.

Two boats were sinking at Middle Harbour Yacht Club this morning and firefighters used a pump to remove the water.

Police were called to Little Sirius Cove where a yacht was crashing onto rocks and to Shell Cove where a yacht mast was snapped by the storm.

Powerlines are down across the area.

A large tree brought down 100 metres of powerlines on Spofforth St, Cremorne just before 6am. Firefighters were also called to Belmont Rd, Mosman where a tree fell on powerlines.

A tree also smashed onto a car blocking access to a unit at Bannerman St, Cremorne.

A fallen tree at Wahroonga is affecting services travelling away from the city on the North Shore Line.

Passengers should allow additional travel time, consider travelling between Chatswood and Hornsby via Macquarie Park, and listen to announcements for any changes to stopping patterns.

Meanwhile, the Harbour Trust has closed all its walking tracks around Headland Park due to the risk of falling branches.

Several fallen branches on Middle Head Road have also been cleared.

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