Interesting pic - Jacob's Ladder at Watsons Bay

[mrsswordfisherman]

Fishermen climbing what was' known as 'Jacob's Ladder' at Watsons Bay, from their favourite fishing spot. The Frank Hurley photograph is undated and taken sometime between 1940 to 1950. (National Library of Australia)

 

[Rebel]

Is that you @wazatherfisherman coming down the Ladder ?

Edited March 18, 2023 by Rebel

[Rebel]

I  grew up in the Eastern Suburbs in that Era. Not me on the ladder, I was still at school.

Cheers.

[Green Hornet]

I thought I climbed some sketchy cliffs around JB to reach some of the less fished ledges, but nothing compared to anything like that.

 

[big Neil]

Amazing the lengths some anglers will go to for their sport. bn

[wazatherfisherman]

6 hours ago, Rebel said:

Is that you @wazatherfisherman coming down the Ladder ?

Hi Rebel not me I'm not that old! The rungs on that ladder are pretty far apart- wouldn't have been fun for my short legs!  Have fished it though

[wazatherfisherman]

The army used to abseil down at Jacobs ladder for training. The swinging ladder at Macquarrie lighthouse was way more scary. There are quite a few more fishing spots along that section, many of which are accessed by rope ladders. Personally I much preferred to climb with ropes and never trusted some of the ladders, using ropes to hang onto always felt better.

There was a death at Diamond Bay when one of the 'permanent' ladders broke free from the wall while a young guy was climbing it- he wasn't a fisher, just decided to climb down and a high section of ladder just broke off. From memory the council then removed the top section straight away. The ladders there had been there a long time when we first climbed down in about 1976-77. The spot at the bottom was known as the 'Block' and plenty of people fish from the tops of the cliffs along there, mostly using floats/corks.

A guy called 'Ben Buckler Barnacle' has done a few really interesting articles on many of the old fishing spots from South Head to Waverly Cemetery with plenty of pictures, great descriptions and a couple of videos- well worth a look if you want to see some of the rock locations.