Doesn't matter what the friendly man on the ABC says: "Cyclonic winds", "ten metre waves", "once-in-a-century storm", all the ingredients for a wild day of waves, you can be assured someone is gonna attempt to surf it.

On Wednesday Sydney was hammered by an East Coast Low with most beaches shut down under cyclonic winds and a once-in-a-century storm etc etc etc. A few fellas tried to paddle the Southey at Coogee, amongst them Jeremy Wilmotte, with moderate success. While three lads from Maroubra towed the same reef. It's hard to rate any mission that involves two bogged 4WDs, one of them swamped by saltwater, plus a three way pinballing on their way 'round the headland, a success, though they did eventually hook into a few bombs.

All photos by Charlie Straumeitis.