Shipstern Bluff, also known as Fluffys, is one of the world's iconic heavy waves, a right-hand point that breaks over uneven reef just a few metres off a boulder-piled headland in Tasmania. It's regularly mentioned alongside Jaws and Teahupoo for sheer gnarliness. Swells slam abruptly onto the granite ledge, throwing up below-sea-level surges, massive steps in the face, and two-storey double barrels. The step, where the face suddenly drops away mid-ride, is its most notorious feature.
When It Works
The point draws swell from south through southwest, with southwest (SW) the best match, and is usable from 1.2 m / 4 ft to 7.6 m / 25 ft. It can be somewhat inconsistent. When the proper 4m-plus southwest swells arrive, it's rarely ridden by paddle surfers and becomes the domain of a few tow-in crews. Even Kelly Slater got caught out trying to paddle it.
Wind and Tide
Look for north (N) offshore wind. The wave favours high tide, with a rising tide generally the better call.
Local Tips
This is expert-only terrain. Blow the take-off or any other part of the wave and you're in for a round-trip, because there's no punching out the back and house-sized boulders line the cliff-base shelf. Without ski assist, escaping the impact zone is brutally hard despite the deep channel looking so close. A whip-in to the first peak is invaluable, and being strapped in matters even more over the dreaded step. Expect a moderately busy lineup when it works.
Access
Getting here takes commitment. Take the dirt road to Stormlea outside Nubeena, park at the end, and hike through the bush of Tasman National Park for almost 2 hours or 7 km (4.5 mi). There's free roadside parking at the trailhead.
