On a south to southeast swell over 3 metres this reef creates a huge deep ocean wave. The break is far from perfect in shape however it along with nearby Fairy Bower is one of the few really big wave sites in Sydney.

On the 7th June 1961 Dave Jackman made the headlines when he became the first person to crack the "Bombie" on a malibu board. Many people believe this was the first time it was ridden.

This is far from the truth however. There are reports from around 1949/50 of locals Lad Thompson, Bob Evans (founder of Surfing World Magazine and surf movie fame), Noel Ferry and George Simmer riding it on the 16-20 ft hollow ply boards of the time. Manly surf club legend Roger "Duck" Keiron claimed to have ridden a 15ft Bombie wave on his 14 ft hollow board on the day peace was declared in 1945. Sometime in 1938-39 a 28 year old ski paddler, Bill Hawkins is said to have ridden the "North Steyne" Bombora.

There are probably many more unrecorded accounts as well. Snow McAlister (1904-1988) was always a regular when the swell was up.

It hasn't just been restricted to the board riders though.

Harold "Rastus" Evans from North Steyne Surf Club was considered to be the greatest sweep (coxswain) of a surf boat of his time. A daredevil honoured for saving many lives Rastus was not one to turn away from the challenge of the Bombora.

After a massive fund raising campaign undertaken by Evans the surf club named and launched its new boat the Bluebottle. So called because everyone in the club had been severely "stung" to pay for it.

Evans and his crew returned victorious from the 1928-29 Surfboat Championships and set off to tackle the Bombora now breaking massively out to sea off the surf club. The magazine Parade told the story this way.....

"The boat was travelling at such a speed when it hit the well that it continued under water. Complete with crew it was driven on fully submerged for more than 100 yards before the wave spent itself".

The club's committee was not amused and Evans came close to being suspended.

The Atlantics - Bombora (1963 from Pathe)

A group of young guys from Randwick in Sydney formed a band called The Atlantics in 1961, the year Dave Jackman first tackled Manly's famous wave. The video above features their tune Bombora, one of the great surf tunes of the early sixties. It was released in 1963, went on to be an international hit and was covered by many others including the Ventures. Nothing comes close to being as good as the original.