14
BAMOS
Jun 2018
Article
The “Big Wave” Event at Bondi, 1938
Mr. Richard Whitaker 1 and Dr. Peter Dexter 2
1
NSW AMOS Centre, email: weathersmart@optishome.com.au
2
Bureau of Meteorology, Ocean Service Section (Former), email: plsinoz@gmail.com
1. Introduction
On Sunday 6th Fe bruary 1938 large crowds were enjoying some
late summer sunshine at Sydney’s Bondi beach, when without
warning, just after 3 pm, three waves swept in, significantly
larger than those that had gone before.
Some 200 swimmers were swept out to sea in the backwash
and five were drowned.
The impetus for writing this article has come from recent
conjecture that these waves could have been produced by
seismological, rather than meteorological activity—and that
they therefore could have been a tsunami train. This paper
examines the issue and introduces the possibility of a so-called
“meteotsunami” —that will be discussed later in the article.
2. Eyewitness reports
“The Sun” newspaper 1 carried a front-page account of the
tragedy the next day, Monday 7th February, including a
photograph of the incoming waves.
Mr Francois Fouche, a French Canadian wrestler was at the
water’s edge taking photographs as the event unfolded. His
description was quoted in the same article:
“All at once the water went quite flat. Then before you knew it,
those three great waves were there, and within five seconds, hands
were up everywhere”.
The caption for the photograph stated:
“A remarkable picture of one of the huge waves which yesterday
at Bondi caused four and possibly five deaths breaking over
surfers. The photograph shows the immensity of the dumper. The
cameraman was taking a snap of a girl bather by the waterside
when the death dealing wave suddenly came within reach of the
lens.”
The article continued:
“Reports prepared today by the police show that some extraordinary
actions of heroism were performed during yesterdays surf
catastrophe at Bondi, when four, and possibly five persons were
drowned and 180 brought ashore by lifesavers and others”.
3. The situation at Terrigal
Terrigal Beach is a popular holiday resort some 52 km to the
north of Bondi Beach. On February 28 2018, an article appeared
in the Central Coast Express Advocate 2 , containing quotes from
91 year- old Mr. Peter Wylie who was on Terrigal Beach during
the afternoon of February 6th 1938. He was 11 years old at the
Front page of The Sun newspaper on Monday 7th February. Image: The Sun, Monday, February 7, 1938