Coronavirus: Surfers’ risk lives to catch a wave at Bondi Beach during lockdown

Two surfers who jumped into the water at Bondi from rocks were seen getting “smashed” by waves after brazenly flouting restrictions.

Footage of two surfers clambering across rocks and getting smashed by waves at an eastern Sydney beach have emerged after police shut down the hotspot to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The clip shows two men in wetsuits clutching surf boards and running across the rocks at Mackenzie Bay in what appears to be a bid to get out and over to the swell at Bondi Beach, which remains closed after almost a month of lockdown restrictions.

However the pair were “hammered” by waves as onlookers looked on in horror, sharing the awful footage to Instagram.

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Two surfers have been filmed clambering across a rocky eastern Sydney shoreline in at attempt to get across to the closed Bondi Beach. Picture: Instagram / Bill Morris

One of the men is able to jump into the water just as a giant wave hits, but he’s quickly washed back up on the rocks.

The other doesn’t make it into the ocean, getting stuck on the dangerous shoreline and whacked by the full force of the monster waves rolling in.

“Funniest thing I’ve seen this swell but also the most dangerous,” Instagram user Bill Morris wrote after sharing the footage captured by user @wick.noods.

“Why tf would you go off there when there’s a perfectly good rip that takes you straight to the take off zone.”

In the background of the footage you can hear onlookers gasp as the incident unfolds while the person filming the shocking moment winces, “Oh my” and asks if their boards snapped.

This is the moment one of the surfers jumps from the rocks and into the huge wave at Mackenzie’s Bay. Picture: Instagram / Bill Morris

Many called out the surfers on Instagram, saying they were lucky to not have been badly injured.

“Wow that guy’s lucky he didn’t get seriously hurt,” one wrote on the social media platform.

“Did they get out OK ??” another asked.

While one said: “First time I’ve ever seen any kook attempt to jump off there.”

One commenter declared: “This is what you get when you shut down Bondi.”

Others called the surfers “stupid” and called the decision a “rookie error”.

Desperate surfers have spoken to Facebook Group OnScene Bondi, stating they’ve been travelling to locations in northern Sydney to surf where beaches haven’t been shut down – while another claimed police said accessing the water via the rocks was allowed.

“One of the young men said police spoke to him when he carried his surfboard near Bronte. He was told he could not go to the beach to surf. When he asked if he could enter via the rocks, he was told that was allowed, but stay off the beach,” the post reads.

Surfers ordered to stop surfing by lifeguards at Bondi Beach at 7.30am on Sunday, 19 April 2020. Picture: Monique Harmer

Many Sydney beaches, including iconic Bondi and Tamarama, closed last month when the Federal Government introduced social distancing measures amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 21, Sydney’s iconic Bondi was shut after hoards of people flooded the beach.

Despite the restrictions, many have flouted the rules, continuing to enter beaches, gather in large crowds and ignore the minimum 1.5m space between individuals.

Earlier today, photos show surfers who ignored restrictions and entered Bondi Beach to hit the swell and make the most of the warm weather being ordered out by lifeguards.

All three of the beaches within Waverley Council’s jurisdiction – Bondi, Tamarama and Bronte – are still closed despite calls for restrictions to be lifted to allow residents to exercise.
Neighbouring Randwick today announced it would be lifting restrictions on Coogee, Clovelly and Maroubra beaches from tomorrow but only for exercise. Sitting, sunbaking and gathering in groups will still not be permitted.

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, many hit Sydney’s Bondi in March leading to its closure. Picture: AAP Image/James Gourley

Some Sydney beaches will be reopening soon for exercise purposes, with sunbaking still not being permitted. Picture: AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi

There are 6584 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Australia, with 2936 in New South Wales, 1328 in Victoria, 1019 in Queensland, 435 in South Australia, 544 in Western Australia, 191 in Tasmania, 103 in the Australian Capital Territory and 28 in the Northern Territory.

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