The stranded ship is named Challenge, and that's certainly an apt description of what the salvage operation has been like at Cronulla.

An attempt to float the 100-tonne ship off rocks near Cronulla Point at high tide on Wednesday morning was unsuccessful and salvage crews will have to wait until the next high tide on Wednesday afternoon, if not on Thursday morning, to attempt the operation again.

Washed up ... the trawler in Cronulla. Credit:Peter Rae

The crew began manoeuvring the 23.5-metre longline fishing vessel at 4am on Wednesday but, with the tide ebbing at 6am, it was still wedged firmly on the rocks.

A Sydney Ports spokesman said the crew was attempting to turn the ship's bow to the sea, rather than having the stern to the sea.