A Monster Slab With a Double Step

Welcome To Shipsterns: a Freak of Nature

One of the heaviest waves on earth came alive again last week, and a crew of extremely dedicated surfers were there to snag some waves and wipeouts on September 20th 2024. 

We wanted to do a bit of a deep dive into one of the most treacherous waves on the planet, so alongside highlighting the huge swell from last week, we'll get into the history of the wave, and what it takes to create the waves of most people's nightmares! 

September 20th 2024

The hardcore heroes present included ISURUS rider, Tyler Hollmer-Cross, and a host of other chargers - George Vanderkelen, Noah Hasset and Kipp Caddy. Notable mention goes to Mikey Brennan who suffered a wipeout that was so epic he's still not sure how he survived!

This particular wave was even featured globally in newspapers which gives some indication of the scale of the event! You can see the article here. 

On hand to capture all the action was Kyrone Rathbone - we've no idea how he managed to remain so steady-handed in the face of such a monstrous swell, but the footage is incredible:  

Tyler HX @ Shippies

Tyler Hollmer-Cross is an ISURUS team rider, and he's as comfortable as anyone riding the beasts that present themselves at Shippies. 

Here's Tyler recounting a wipeout at the same spot over a year ago:

We've featured Tyler previously in an ambassador profile that you can read here. 

The History of Surfing Shipstern Bluff 

Location and Discovery

Shipstern Bluff is located in the Tasman National Park, about 30 kilometers southeast of Hobart, Tasmania. It’s an isolated and dramatic headland known for its sheer cliffs and rugged beauty.

The wave itself breaks over a shallow reef close to the headland and is renowned for its unpredictability and power. It features a distinctive, multi-step face that can create intense and dangerous challenges for surfers.

Shipstern Bluff, like many remote surf spots in Australia, was known to local adventurers and fishermen for years before surfers began attempting to ride its waves.

First Surfers

Andy Campbell, a local Tasmanian, is widely credited as one of the first surfers to ride Shipstern Bluff in the late 1990s. He is considered a pioneer of Shipstern Bluff and brought it to the attention of the global surfing community.

Campbell and a few other local surfers, including the Laity brothers (James and Richard), explored the Bluff after hearing rumors about a heavy wave in the area. They ventured out in small boats and on foot through remote bushland to reach the wave.

The discovery of Shipstern Bluff as a surfable wave came as part of a broader movement in the 1990s when surfers began searching for and riding remote, heavy, big-wave locations. Surfers were increasingly exploring new frontiers, looking for the most dangerous and challenging waves.

Shipstern Bluff Gains Wider Recognition

In the early 2000s, after a few successful sessions, the wave started attracting the attention of Australian and international surfers. Mark Mathews and Koby Abberton, two of Australia’s most famous big-wave surfers, were among the first professional surfers to tackle the wave.

Shipstern’s reputation grew after photos and footage of surfers riding the monstrous waves there began circulating in surf magazines and documentaries. Its unique “step” formation—where the wave literally forms multiple steps or ledges—made it stand out in the surfing world.

In 2005, the wave was showcased in Billabong Odyssey, a well-known big-wave surfing documentary, further cementing its status as one of the world’s most dangerous waves.

Modern-Day Surfing At Shipstern Bluff 

Today, Shipstern Bluff is considered a rite of passage for elite big-wave surfers. It regularly attracts the world's top big-wave riders. However, the wave remains relatively off the beaten track due to its remote location and the dangers associated with surfing there.

Many of the world’s top big-wave surfers, including Ryan Hipwood, Laurie Towner, and Mikey Brennan, have ridden Shipstern Bluff. They continue to push the limits of what’s possible at this terrifying break.

What Makes The Wave So Ferocious?

What makes Shipstern Bluff particularly challenging is not just its size, which can reach 20+ feet, but its step-like formation and the remote, unforgiving environment. The wave is known for forming multiple steps as it breaks, which can throw surfers off balance or cause insane wipeouts.

There are a lot of factors that work together to make a wave as unique as Shipstern Bluff. It is largely due to the specific bathymetrical and geographical conditions around the area.

Let's get into a little more detail: 

Underwater Reef Structure

Shipstern Bluff’s wave breaks over a shallow reef, a key reason it breaks with such power. The reef is located very close to the shoreline, and it sharply rises from deeper water to relatively shallow depths near the cliff. When large ocean swells approach the reef, the sudden change in depth from deep to shallow water causes the energy of the wave to be compressed and amplified, leading to a steep, powerful wave face.

The reef itself is rocky and uneven, which adds to the complexity and unpredictability of the wave. The shape of the reef is what causes the wave to "step" as it breaks, meaning there are multiple ledges or steps on the wave’s face.

Deep Ocean Swells

The Southern Ocean, which surrounds Tasmania, is one of the most volatile and powerful bodies of water on Earth. Huge, long-period swells generated by intense storms and winds in the Southern Ocean travel uninterrupted for thousands of kilometers before hitting Tasmania's coastline. These swells are often large and carry significant energy.

When these powerful swells hit the shallow reef at Shipstern Bluff, the energy is transferred from the deep water to the shallower water, causing the waves to jack up in size very quickly. This sudden rise in the sea floor forces the wave energy to surge upwards, creating the steep, huge and fast-breaking waves that Shipstern Bluff is famous for.

Wave Refraction

In addition to the power of incoming swell combined with very extreme changes in reef bathymetry, there's wave refraction going on. This is the bending of wave fronts as they encounter variations in the depth of the ocean floor. At Shipstern Bluff, the combination of the reef and underwater formations causes the incoming swells to bend and concentrate their energy toward a specific point on the reef.

This results in the wave becoming even steeper and more focused than it would do without this refraction, This further contributes to the distinctive "step" feature on the wave face.

The “Steps” on the Wave Face

One of the most notorious features of Shipstern Bluff is the multi-step face of the wave. These unique steps are formed due to the uneven reef structure beneath the wave, and the refraction. As the water rushes over the reef, the abrupt changes in the underwater contours cause sections of the wave to break unevenly, creating these ledges or "steps" on the wave face.

Surfers need to navigate these steps as they ride the wave, and in addition to jumping or avoiding the steps, they can cause the wave to momentarily flatten out before reforming into a steep face, creating a roller-coaster-like experience for those surfing the wave.

Cliff Proximity

As if power, size and steps were not enough, Shipstern Bluff is also situated at the foot of sheer cliffs, and the geography of the surrounding coastline also contributes to the way the wave breaks. The cliffs and surrounding headland create a natural channel for the swells, funneling more wave energy toward the reef.

The proximity to the cliffs can also cause local wind conditions to become highly variable, further adding to the complexity of the wave. On good days, offshore winds from the cliffs help groom the wave and make it cleaner, but on other days, the winds can add additional challenge and danger.

Tidal Influence

The wave at Shipstern Bluff is also influenced by the tides. At lower tides, the reef becomes more exposed, which can make the wave even more dangerous and hollow. The shallower water increases the likelihood of heavy, barreling waves, while at higher tides, the wave can sometimes become "more forgiving" (though still powerful).

Taking all of these factors into consideration, it's not surprising that Shoppies is known for being more of a tow-in wave than paddle wave. Even if you are not a fan of machine-assisted wave entry, it's hard to see how this wave could be paddled when it turns on. In the 15-20 foot range it's absolutely mind-bindingly terrifying even if you're sat in the channel just watching it, let alone being swung into an incoming beast. 

We felt this truly awesome wave deserved its own write up, and. we hope you agree! 

For more details on what lies beneath Shipstern Bluff check out this article by Brian Tissot . 

This video from Surfline is also worth a watch: