June 2012 (ROTM#42) Zenith Beach, Port Stephens, NSW, Australia

How many rips can you see in this picture? The view from Tomaree Headland in Port Stephens, NSW is one of my favourite views on the planet. This only captures some of the stunning 360 degree vista and shows Zenith Beach,  a very small embayed beach that is part of Tomaree National Park. It's very accessible, unpatrolled and usually has several rip currents along it. For a short beach, there's a high probability you can get stuck in one! Particularly impressive is the topographic (headland) rip flowing out against the rocks and headland in the foreground. We think that headland rips flow faster and further out to sea than rips in the middle of the beach, but no one has properly measured one because rocks and expensive equipment don't mix very well.

 This is a fantastic stretch of coastline, just 2 hours drive north of Sydney, and you can see other little beaches nestled in between the headlands, which are made of ancient volcanic rock. There's even a tombolo in the distance connecting the island to the mainland. So enjoy...but be careful and look for those dark gaps...there's 5 rips on the beach. One at each end and two in the middle. Apologies for the round black smudge spot in the sky. That's what happens when little kids keep poking your camera lens!

One of the best lookouts in Australia