Ethel Beach
A rugged surf and shipwreck beach in Innes, reached by a steep stairway, where the rusting ribs of the Ethel lie scattered on the sand.
Ethel Beach is the wild, swell-battered cove that gives the Ethel wreck its name. A steep timber stairway drops down from the clifftop car park to a stretch of coarse sand pounded by Southern Ocean surf, with the rusting remains of the Norwegian barque scattered along the tideline.
The beach is a magnet for experienced surfers chasing its powerful, fast-breaking waves, and for photographers drawn to the contrast of orange rust against pale sand. Swimming here is for the confident only; the rips are serious and the water is cold.
Even if you never get your feet wet, the descent is worth it for the raw scenery alone. The cliffs frame the beach on both sides, and the constant boom of the surf makes it one of the most elemental spots in Innes.
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Image credits
- Ethel Beach, Dhilba Guuranda–Innes NP 20230209 3.jpg by DXR , CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons