Qwerty is on the money. You either have a cr*p commute to work and live right near a beach (I'd guess on average you'd commute 5 days a week and windsurf 2 days) or you have an excellent commute to work (I jetcat it - so my commute is a 15 minute blast accross the harbour) and then drive the 45 minutes if it ever gets windy.
If it looks to be windy mid week I'll drive to the city, park in the Opera house (cheap as chips) then drive south for an afternoon sail.
I live in Fairlight, like Queenscliffe it's not that touristy. The only problem with Manly is the Corso on Saturday night - but then Cronulla, Coogee, Maroubra, Dee Why and Bondi are all exactly the same. There are also a lot fewer out of work actors in the Northern Beaches....
There is the inner west. 20 mins drive to the city and 15 mins to Botany. Good food too.
