THE search for an Eleebana man who was washed off rocks while fishing near Catherine Hill Bay on Sunday morning has come to an end.
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The decision to call off search attempts was made after three days of rigorous scouring of the ocean in the area south of Caves Beach.
Central Coast Surf Life Saving director of lifesaving Brett Beswick said authorities stood down on Tuesday afternoon but had found no trace of the missing man.
The search had included divers entering caves in the hopes of finding the man, who was wearing a life jacket when he fell into the surf on Sunday.
The 62-year-old had been fishing on rocks with his son-in-law when he lost his balance at about 10.30am at Timber Beach.
The man was wearing a life jacket and had a limited swimming ability.
The swell was about a metre at the time.
The picturesque corner of the Munmorah State Conservation Area has a tragic history, with 35 major emergency callouts, including nine drownings, occurring in the area in the past decade.