Gull Rock

Gull Rock, or Blanche Point as it is officially called, is another surf spot in the Mid Coast of Adelaide:

Blanche Point, Port Willunga, South Australia – Baked and cracked clay, eroded limestone cliffs and black rock reefs give Blanche Point the aura of an alien world. The white sandy beach stretches two kilometres to Port Willunga in stark contrast with the ochre hill tops. The wreck of the "Star of Greece", which ran aground on the reef in 1888, is partly exposed at low tide. Swimming, fishing, snorkelling and scuba diving are popular here. It is hard to believe that this fascinating place is a mere 9 km from the southern Adelaide suburbs.

I went to Gull Rock in the middle of winter, when the surf report forecast this:

Mid Coast Surf Report
updated 06:48 am on Wed. 16 Jul 2003
Down on the Mid early winds are light offshore from the east around 2 knots, and conditions are glassy. There is a good 2 - 3' of groundswell on the reefs with the tide heading out, and I suspect we may see bigger on the incoming tide after lunch. Early the reefs are picking it up best - Three Poles, Trigs, Seaford reef all look good, but by mid morning I reckon South Port & Moana should start to work. Tonight's high tide is huge again, peaking around 2.6m just after 5:30 pm. This will be great for spots like Anzac's and U-Turn that don't mind a bit of water but other reefs may become fat and backwashy. The KI buoy has gone bunta, recording average wave heights around 4.5m and peaks double that. If that's any indication the pics should be awsome. Back here on the Mid I think we'll see some thumper sets on the incoming tide, and with light winds expected all day it could be one of the better days this winter.

Since this spot is off the main road it is recommendable to safeguard your vehicle. I left my dog in the car and made my way to the clifftop to take some photos of a handful of surfers that had made the climb down. Bear in mind that Rodney Fox got attacked by a great white only a few kilometres away at Aldinga Reef back in the sixties, and Gull Rock seems to me fairly sharky. I have spotted heaps of dolphins and lots of seals in the water.

You don't need to be Sherlock Holmes to conclude by the rubbish laying around the car park that it seems to be a meeting point for the young and restless. Also a word of warning, if you make your way to the cliffs after it has rained, be careful as the clay sticks to the soles of your shoes and the unwary foot can slip and tumble down with its owner still attached.

Fleurieu Peninsula Surfing Guide

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