October 2025 (ROTM#202) Sharky Beach, NSW, Australia

The local dog beach. No dogs, but a good rip.

Sharky Beach is just down the road from where I live in the Northern Illawarra, between Sydney and Wollongong. I go there a lot because it’s an off lead dog beach and our dog loves it, except for the other dogs, but that’s another story. Sharky Beach is sometimes referred to as ‘Sharky’s’ or ‘Sharkies’, which can be a source of controversy, but presumably the name comes from the presence of sharks. No doubt they are there (I’ve yet to see one), but you are about a million times more likely to be bitten by a dog at Sharky Beach than a shark. Or get caught in a rip current.

Sharky Beach unfortunately does not have any lifeguards yet it has arguably become one of the most popular beaches in the region and is packed on the weekends with not just dog owners, but van lifers, picnickers and people trying to avoid the crowds, which is ironic given that it is now almost always crowded. But I digress! It’s a lovely beach, but it does have rip currents including the one in this photo I took walking the dog. It’s the green gap in the middle and is a classic example of a channelised rip current. It was very shallow on this day as it was low tide and you probably could have walked into the rip channel without being in too much trouble. But with a little bit more water depth, the flow in that channel would have been strong enough to cause you to lose footing – and it would be even more dangerous for young kids. It might look safe, but it’s not!