Smiths Beach

Surf Guide

This is the southwest coast's original ledge, a left and a right. Back when the region was known for its long, walling waves like Margaret's and Yallingup, surfers looking to avoid the crowds started pushing their single-fins over this shelf at high tide and reaping the rewards with high-speed top turns, barrels or just a fast, smooth slingshot across the dredging reef. The reason it was such an early training ground for what is now standard wave-riding is the sweet spot in the reef that gives a good surfer an early drop into the wave before the whole thing jacks up. It's not deep enough to be a back door, but it can set you on an amazing line. It's OK on low tide if it's less than three feet, any bigger and you'll have to wait for the incoming. The bank next to the reef rarely disappoints. Once you clear the spooky dark shallows over the reef and hit the clear emerald green of the sandy channel, you'll be so stoked that you're likely to throw down a big hack, just to celebrate. And the closing section on the inside offers big hits to anyone prepared to do a couple of duck-dives to get back out. Have a photo for this break? Send it over!