Manly Beach is Australia's most popular beach. That's something I read once. Don't ask me where, it might've been a Surfrider study or a tourist brochure, but I distinctly remember the claim that it was busier than Bondi.

Correct or not, Manly is an extremely crowded beach which made a recent session there all the more surprising: it was four feet, offshore and completely uncrowded.

If you'd like to find out how that happened click here, or you can just admire these photos by Craig Brokensha, taken just after the session in question.