Lefthanders:
Lefties breaks off a small rocky outcrop, beyond which is a dark and seaweed-covered reef. The water is indeed a bit spooky, but the wave is excellent for anyone with above-average skills. Lefties is essentially two waves. Under four foot, it’s a bit like a beachbreak, walling up into the adjacent sandy bay. At about six foot, depending on the tide, it starts breaking off “the bubble”, where a good surfer can make a sweet drop into a huge walling wave.
It’s a long walk from the car park over soft sand, and some surfers, seeing the crowd at the main break up ahead, paddle out at the sandbanks on the way. These banks are rarely on, though, and they hide some nasty submerged rocks. Do the walk, pack some food and water, and make a day of it. The swell, wind and tide can conspire to change Lefties in an instant. You might find yourself on the beach, watching everyone trudge back after a mediocre session, and suddenly realizing the place is now going off, and it’s all yours.
Gas Bay:
Get a taste of the spirit of adventure for which this area was once known. Gas Bay is at the end of a narrow road south of Margaret’s. Once you’ve parked, you need to walk a fair way across a sandy bay and over the rocks on the far side. It’s a bit of a hike, but with each step, the feeling that you’re leaving the crowds and conveniences of lesser urban breaks behind, and reacquainting yourself with something a bit freer, grows.
The wave is a right-hander with a super-sucky take-off over rocks followed by a sandbank going to the beach. Getting shacked is a doddle for naturals, and not too hard for skilled goofies.
The other right-hander in the area is Grunters, which is on the point near the carpark. Handles anything from 4-8ft. Some of its sections pack a lot of power, although on any given day it’s not quite as heavy as Margaret’s main break