Massive 5M Swell on Manly Ferries “Freshwater” and “Queenscliff” | Ferry Vlog #39

[@sailingelleray]

Nice work! It's always difficult to capture sea state on video as it always looks way smaller on film than it does when you're there (hence many of the comments below doubting the size). There's nothing better than to be out in decent weather and see the ferries disappearing in the troughs...

[@SankoCB]

The best Manly Ferry ride is always the last one before they suspend services due to weather.

[@coolsoap8]

The swells often get way bigger than this before they cancel the Freshwater-class runs. A perfect demonstration of why the Emerald-class ferries are highly unsuitable for the Manly service. Hope you enjoyed the video :)

[@timfj-au]

I've sailed through the Heads dozens of times. But being on that last ferry before big weather is number one on my Bucket List !

[@donnabarns5327]

Soooo much fun. Best ride ever. My brother and I got soaked. Only ever did the last ride once but would do it again in a heartbeat!

[@scrapcathy868]

Best school holiday fun was to go between City and Manly all day on the worst day and wait for them to close the service.

[@atw98]

Agreed, we always used to walk out of the house and run down to the ferry when storms rolled in.

[@jjjnettie]

Awesome footage. Thanks for sharing it. I always make the time to catch the ferry whenever I visit Sydney. The bigger the waves the better the ride.

[@coolsoap8]

Thanks! I couldn’t agree more, the bigger the better. :)

[@TheNakedWombat]

The old Manly ferries handled swells like a champion. It was always a fun ride.

[@historicaustralia]

Super steady cam holding well bloody done!!

[@markf3229]

As a kid in the 60s I would be disappointed if there was not a big swell at the Heads going to Manly. I wouldnt like it now if I had a few to drink. Not the The ferries in this video but the bigger ones built in Scotland and taken out of service some years ago. There was one called the South Steyne Would luv to see it back in use and was docked down at Darling Harbour as a restaurant. Now moved to Berrys bay in storage. Screw the expense of the running costs. Get it back.

[@coolsoap8]

It's a disgrace what's happened to South Steyne, she got kicked off her wharf for the Harbourside redevelopment and the government or whoever kicked her out has expressed no interest in helping her find a new home. I really hope she finds a spot because it'd be a huge loss to our ferry history. Hope you enjoyed the video :)

[@markwarwick2920]

There were days when you could steam out the heads to palm Beach and back on those old ferries.

[@janicevasey4038]

@@markwarwick2920they sailed out from Scotland!

[@roosterfisher]

Was on the South Steyne going to manly 1974 couldn't see South Head from the lower deck when in the trough

[@doubledee9675]

@@markwarwick2920 We used spend 3 weeks of the summer school holidays at Pearl Beach. The foreshore between the Beach and the entrance to the Hawkesbury gave us a good view of the South Steyne as it entered Broken Bay to turn around - a grand sight!

[@northernriverstransportvlogs]

Great video mate! You definitely chose to stand in the right spot, upper deck just doesn’t capture the actual size of the waves and neither does the bow when it’s open. Pity it was a fairly lazy swell but for what it was you did well! Did you do a few trips?

[@coolsoap8]

Upper deck definitely has a more exciting feeling when the boat jumps off a wave, but you're so right about the side bow/stern capturing the size of the waves perfectly. It wasn't really a lazy swell, although I must say the waves were spaced apart a bit too far to get a wave over the bow, but I still needed a towel and dry clothes anyway lol. Of course I did a few trips, not only is more trips better, but how else would I have teleported from Freshwater to Queenscliff? Thanks NRTV, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@northernriverstransportvlogs]

@@coolsoap8 I agree there. It wasn't really lazy but the dream (I reckon) is 8-10 seconds with 4-5 metres of swell. Only problem is those swells tend to bring quite a surge to Manly with them. Must have been nice only having to wait 30 minutes instead of 2 hours for Queenscliff! You're lucky you had a towel, probably spared you the grim reaper, otherwise known as a nasty cold (which I got when I had no towel). Any swell video is a good one and the swearing adds to the intense theme!

[@markf3229]

Going to Manly on the starboard side and on the port side coming back. Copped most of the spray. Dried off quickly seeing that it was always summer going there

[@DDHaven.]

My favourite ride! The rougher the better!💥

[@RonLucock]

A trip on the Manly Ferry is a rite of passage for every Australian kid.

[@BrettWilliams-n1c]

Great footage mate.

[@gazzas123]

When I first moved to Sydney a group of us young guys 16 year olds would love to do the manly trip on days when large seas were running and we were allowed on the foredeck and it was fun.

[@coolsoap8]

Sometimes the foredeck is shut off in rough seas (such as this occasion) which is why I was standing on the side towards the bow. There’s nothing like a ride on the Manly ferry in a big swell

[@markf3229]

In the 60s

[@lhmcd5538]

I remember getting an old ferry and one second it was all sky and the next all you could see was the sea through the windows. I loved it but my mother was starting to become sea sick so disembarking at Manly my mother sighed with great relief. 👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️🤩🤩🤩

[@requinsrequins7953]

Love it , grew up doing this 😊

[@wonsworld61]

Back in the 70s on one of my first trips to Sydney, we were on the last ferry ride across to Manly before services were cancelled. The seas at the heads were bad ... one of my mates got very sick while a few of us were the front riding it like a rodeo bull. It was a mental ride but bloody brilliant. But the thing you have to remember is that this ferry (South Steyne), sailed from England to Aus, so 10 mins across the heads wasnt going to be an issue for it and a brilliant ride for us. :)

[@markwarwick2920]

Love the big rolls when you think she's heeled too far over, the starts to pitch up!

[@andrewheggie1982]

Back when I was 9 and my brother was 7 we were up looking through the portholes going through a massive swell. It was a wild ride. That must have been about 1993. And yes I remember waves like that off the side of the boat haha.

[@coolhand1964]

A lot of old dudes like me talking of rides on the South Steyne. It still exists and is moored near Darling Harbour (I think, long time since I've been there. About 10 yrs or so, ago, they would fire it up and do a run to Newcastle - triple expansion steam engine, then you would ride a steam locomotive back down the Central Coast to Sydney. What an excellent day out. The South Steyne was actually built in the Leith Shipyards in Scotland, the engine was built by Harland and Wolff, the same company that built the engine for the Titanic.

[@jayoneill1533]

I love the Manly ferry and take every time I’m in Australia, it’s always a fun ride

[@ClivesfishingandAdventures2023]

Ok worked at sea for 30 yrs . TBH that sea was 2.5 mtrs tops. N9 way near 4 . Sorry but seen 4 mtrs it's way bigger than that . Still rough though . Would have been a rough ride

[@gypana]

Yeah I agree, maybe offshore they were over 4m but his app showed NE direction so north head would have blocked a lot, when you get big swells from SE coming in it gets dangerous in the harbour.

[@rosscosan6647]

Yes I also agree. Don't know who or what does the height readings . MSM always add a few MTRS to scare.

[@gary6361]

As a kid we would catch the old wooden ferries through swells like this. Water would come through in under the doors and slosh around. So everyone would go up to the top deck, making the ferry roll even more! We thought it was fun and would run forward as the ferry went over the swells and the ferry would fall away from under your feet!

[@joydivisionboy1]

1:25 what's one of those toy ferries doing out there? thought they got suspended when the swell hits 1 metre 🤣 Baragoola was my favourite, was heartbreaking to see her as a pile of rubble in the water a couple (?) of years ago.

[@SCOTTYLUDD]

No life vest? You Aussies are crazy yall, hahaha great video 👍

[@coolsoap8]

No life vest required, only common sense 😂. Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@sueloughnan]

Life vests are stored under the seats. You don't actually put one on until needed and, thus far, never needed. Just enjoy the ride!

[@janicevasey4038]

Can remember being on the ferry from Bundeena to Gunnamaatta bay in Port Hacking when the water was coming in one side and going out the other! Thought it was great. My poor sister was always motion sick!

[@ronaldmansfield.6439]

Do they still have the sawdust for when people spew?

[@coolsoap8]

I’d assume so… pretty sure they use sand these days, works just as well I suppose.

[@jimmyjazz9014]

Awesome ride mate

[@coolsoap8]

Thanks, it was heaps of fun! :)

[@MrAnsairDude]

How do you find out which day will have swells?

[@coolsoap8]

It’s a very specific time of year that big swells happen. Generally it’s on windy days during winter when there’s a low tide along the East Coast (anyone can correct me if I’m wrong). WillyWeather.com is a handy tool to look at swell forecasts. Some years just have a bad swell season in general, so it’s really just a matter of waiting for the stars to align.

[@MrAnsairDude]

@@coolsoap8for the last 4 months I have been trying to find swells, and it won’t even let me see the ones where ferry routes pass through. Do you have any recommendations on what to search for swells?

[@davideddy2321]

Great footage 🎉

[@ChadTransportshorts24]

Excellent video mate

[@coolsoap8]

Thanks Chad, I'm glad you enjoyed it :)

[@ejandersen2878]

I remember going on the trip to Manly it the catamaran ferry and when looking out either side window, all one could see wears the cat below wave level.

[@epic_453-c8t]

that looks fun

[@dannyharvey7398]

I’ve been there, when it’s spraying the side and over the bow like that it sure softens your stool. 😬

[@muzzamoose]

Thats one tough solid ferry.Looked like shits and giggles with some of those waves, they had power in them for sure.

[@beazirconaus946]

One late night in the 70s the ferry dipped so low we couldnt see west head. The ferry was stopped after that crossing.

[@sueloughnan]

The really old ferries were just as good as the newer ones. In really big swells back in the day, the bottom doors were left open for the water to run through and all passengers went up to the top deck. Remember some people getting motion sickness - not such a fun ride for them.

[@Blanchy10]

Many yrs ago we rode them for School Holiday entertainment.

[@ChrisWheatley-s2k]

Where is this? I so wanna ride this ferry!

[@coolsoap8]

Circular Quay to Manly in Sydney, Australia. The weather is rarely this severe, it depends on the year, season and coastal tides. Definitely don’t expect this to happen regularly, it probably only gets this bad a few times a year.

[@ChrisWheatley-s2k]

@ thanks for that info

[@coolsoap8]

No worries!

[@doubledee9675]

One of my grandmothers was completely mad. On a day such as this, she'd be hastening to make the return trip from the Quay to Manly.

[@davidsmith7906]

For sure the swell is 4.7m outside the heads, but it is coming from the south or southeast, so the waves that come through the heads are reduced a bit, but not much. You can see that the waves are getting larger as the ferry gets closer to the heads. It takes real skill and good timing for the skipper to turn the ferry back towards Manly without heavily rolling it, and then surfing it back in without being pushed off course. Those skippers have my admiration. If the same swell is running on their return to Sydney, they will be meeting larger waves running up towards the heads before turning back into the harbour.

[@glenwillson5073]

I did enjoy this video, wish I was there.

[@sharonhennessy5672]

Loved riding the ferries in the early 70s the wooden sliding doors on the lower deck wouldnt fasten and waves came through ❤

[@aloysiusjones3985]

I am surprised they let you outside. Once you are in it there is no way to get out. 🇦🇺👍🍺

[@cjod33]

The swell is actually measured by off shore buoys. I've worked as a commercial fisherman for a long time and can tell you that it would be a lot bigger a few ks off shore. Also, in between the heads there's a reef (the sound pigs) that make the swell jack up a bit. That's about where this footage was taken from. Next time your at a beach take a good look at the horizon. You can often see the big swells out there even if it's not that big at the beach.

[@stevebarlow3154]

There's a typo with your reef name, it should be Sow and pigs (piglets).

[@SydneyTransportNerd]

Love the video

[@coolsoap8]

Thanks :)

[@goodladdn]

The old hydrofoils were fun in the 60s and 70s

[@aflaz171]

I was always scared if they went down I wouldn't get out of them quick enough. But they were fun and fast.

[@tash4122]

I would have totally barfed on getting to circular quay i would have gone straight to the chemist and (apart from barf ) got motion sickness tabs .Glad I wasn’t on that ride . Thanx for the vid tho mate .

[@dean19641000]

Yes, work on the harbour for meny years also worked on local fishing trawlers from fhis markets. Yes, it can get pretty rough at the heads, but it's part of the fun next time mate stand up and see how long you last next time think about fishing men

[@cooperjoop]

ive been so obsessed with these videos lol

[@coolsoap8]

I hope you enjoyed this one :)

[@cryptodownunder1491]

In a decent swell the tourists (who always rush upstairs to sit outside on the bow) get soaked by the spray from those bigger waves....

[@GhostlineExpress]

It kinda felt the ferry is about to go to the Tasman sea is hard to steer a ship

[@byronconstable2972]

Yes you can see it's only swells but it would be a good ride

[@themonicdj]

the waves are very large, but the wind and waves can also cause a storm to hit and cause damage in some places. I’m not sure the waves are 5m, but it would probably make it more likely that the storm will hit you, but it might not make you a good candidate for the position of a captain.

[@coolsoap8]

These boats were built to deal with these kinds of conditions. It’s a 5M swell, not 5M waves.

[@airshredder7314]

I've been on the ferry in worse conditions. It's fun!

[@coolsoap8]

You’re exactly right! It’s lots of fun. The biggest swell I’ve been in would’ve been 6-8m swell on the MV Collaroy in 2022, I got struck with a terrible cold after that lol

[@carlredmond676]

Madness

[@atw98]

Good vid, though thats not to big, when the bow gets buried every wave thats big. We'd leave school to ride the ferry in storms it was great. And when lived in manly would get last Hydrofoil to, cause it would punch through the waves on its last trip which made it feel like it was going to fall apart.

[@cooganbeggs4942]

I’m amazed you were allowed to stand out there in our nanny state that is Australia 🤷‍♂️

[@Ssetstransport]

Banger vid

[@coolsoap8]

Thanks :)

[@NSWGR_Studios]

I was going to go on Freshwater and Queenscliff during those Swells but i slept in.

[@coolsoap8]

I was at school earlier in the day but I left early to go to the doctor. As soon as I was done at the doctors I made my way to Circular Quay and jumped on the first Freshwater-class to Manly!

[@steelfabric]

I would have lost my lunch way before these waves hit. I'm defo not a boat person. Love the video, though.

[@robloxianlifedtrainsandmor7318]

Coolsoap, I was on Celebrity EDGE in January this year to Vanuatu and Fiji, there was a night where the ocean was at a 10 metre swell. Couldn't feel a thing, so idk why ur whinging but ok. :)

[@coolsoap8]

Hope you enjoyed your cruise :) I'm not whinging, but a 70.4M long passenger ferry heading straight into 5M swell is a bit different to a cruise ship which is hundreds of metres long and tens of meters tall, so a 10 metre swell is nothing to a giant cruise ship, whereas a 5 metre swell is pretty big for a little ferry.

[@markf3229]

@@robloxianlifedtrainsandmor7318 Who’s whinging Only whinge if there is not a big swell (Bragger)

[@timjohnun4297]

I've spent most of my life on the ocean, so this wouldn't have been an issue for me, but I can only imagine how your average passenger would feel about it! To be honest, I'm surprised they allowed passengers outside, for safety reasons??

[@coolsoap8]

Truth be told, a crew member was recommending that I stay inside but they can’t stop you from going on the outside deck. Regular commuters on the Manly ferry are familiar with large swells, and some people (such as myself) ride the Manly ferry for fun, as it’s the best value “roller coaster” ride in all of Sydney. It’s funny watching all the tourists run inside when it’s choppy though, even after they get warned 🤣

[@johnfairweather3178]

Now that looks like fun

[@davidbarnsley8486]

You can clearly see the wave at 3.11 is going to be a very big one I bet you got soaked on that day 😂😂

[@michaelkoloc-jx6kv]

Looks like good chop! (Jordan Ross Belfort)

[@coolsoap8]

It was good, but there’s been better!

[@EllieAussie..]

Been there done that lots of times 👏

[@jmpersonal2402]

Our friend 'Willy Weather' is pretty good for Sydney Harbour.

[@MrAnsairDude]

I’m going on a manly ferry Tommorow hope this doesn’t happen

[@dean19641000]

😂 yess work on hourber and have for many years 😅 and worked on local fishing trawlers from fhis markets next time stand up see how long you last remember guys actually work at back desks on trawlers in that weather 😅😅 yes it's job for men .😅😅

[@Atilla89]

North sea vibes, haha

[@coolsoap8]

Haha not quite but it felt like it! :)

[@paulr8311]

Did the same when i was a kid, don't remember it being that big though.

[@coolsoap8]

The extremity of the swell appears different depending on where you stand on the vessel. It’s good fun going on the Manly boats in big seas!

[@misterbee0123]

Use a wind filter

[@trevormoore9477]

Great shots, very well done. don't need the colourful commentary though

[@coolsoap8]

Thanks. I wasn’t really thinking with what I was saying at the time but I was certainly a little excited :)

[@rexwolfe9916]

But the real questions is, "Did it stuff the bow?"

[@coolsoap8]

I'm afraid not! These ferries have been facing these swells for 40+ years and they're still going strong, they were built very well :)

[@LWJCarroll]

Not for all the tea in China thanks all the same. My feet would be firmly on the shore ground. Laurie. NZ. 😊

[@livinonmybike3424]

That is small compared to the rides on the ferries I had when living there, the ferries are fun particularly when all the girls scream! why? I do not know as they're perfectly safe.

[@ariana_p99]

That's nothing, just a bit of light chop

[@Secularworld60]

Videos of ocean never show the reality of the size of waves or swell unless your filming from land or filming another vessel

[@coolsoap8]

In my opinion the spot I filmed from in this video is the best spot to truly demonstrate the size of the waves onboard a Freshwater-class vessel. Hope you enjoyed the video :)

[@baobo67]

The puerile expletives could have been and should have edited out.

[@coolsoap8]

This isn’t KZbin kids 🤷‍♂️

[@AidanSlatter]

Anyone who thinks these are 'waves', clearly needs to get their eyes checked

[@felixfabro]

Yeah, nah, the swell is half what you are stating. Those ferries will not run on a 5 meter swell. 5 meters could have been out off shore. I've been in a 5 metre swell, and a lot of people are sick in those conditions. Great footage though, keep it up.

[@whophd]

Dude you should film upstairs, yikes

[@andrewcoleman2441]

Bro that's not even close to 5m

[@coolsoap8]

5 metre SWELL, not even the thorough explanation at the start was enough to give you an understanding 🙄

[@andrewcoleman2441]

@@coolsoap8 bro did you see any fish?

[@tobys_transport_videos]

Agreed with you, Andrew. If it _were_ 5m swells, he wouldn't be standing outside for long! The Queenscliff's Skipper didn't go out very far before turning and riding the swell in. I've seen better and I've seen worse.

[@tobys_transport_videos]

@@coolsoap8 Come back and see me when you've ridden the ferries for 20+ years and have a family member that spent most of his career on the Manly run! On a lighter note, how about you do a video "on a good day" from one of the twin-hulled bathtubs?

[@coolsoap8]

It’s a 5m swell, not 5m waves. The video doesn’t do a good job showing how far he turned out, and I too have been in far worse, back in 2022 I vividly remember standing out on Collaroy’s bow in 7-8m swells because the crew never locked the outside area. This swell is by far not the biggest, not by a long shot, but it was 4.7m. I might do a video on a Gen 2 but we’ll see what happens.

[@pixiemoon3020]

Don’t pay the ferryman, until he gets you to the other side. Me personally, I’d be hanging off the side calling out for sweet baby Jesus 🤢😵

[@apprentice_pleb]

A 5 metre swell is the equivalent of a 1 metre wave . That swell is child's play

[@coolsoap8]

I said massive 5M swell, not massive 1M wave.

[@sonofagreatsouthernland]

A tad MOIST!!!! 😅😅😅

[@coolsoap8]

I packed a change of clothes in my bag so I'd be nice and dry after my harbour crossing! Hope you enjoyed it :)

[@nickrobinson9189]

Sorry buddy, those aren't 5 metre waves.

[@coolsoap8]

5 metre SWELLS. Watch the start then yap in the comments.

[@ACDZ123]

R/woosh 😅

[@nickrobinson9189]

@@coolsoap8 Next time be honest, click baiting will have your videos removed.

[@coolsoap8]

@@nickrobinson9189the video title and thumbnail both say 5M swell…

[@berglh]

Well ackshually 🤓 Let me just debate of your misleading definition of "swell" and feed the algorithm to increase engagement. Good job man. *Slow golf claps*

[@carlnagel1951]

Nice language 😠

[@coolsoap8]

Cry about it

[@IanMcrobert]

Boring

[@petericyou856]

Grouse fun something you don’t do everyday, good for you bro