I heart WOTD
That is such a sick shot Craig. So much going on. Well captioned too boys!
Yewww Craig! Sick shot.
Is there a well defined channel there?
What size board would have the GOAT been on? Looks pretty small.
Not channel, more so sitting on the edge of the reef that then slabs. Was cautious at first but got more and more confident and edged in more and more. Had to hard swim out the way of a couple but mostly was OK. Wouldn't want to do it if you didn't have the surf/ocean and wave awareness. Oh and there's a constant current so no resting.
The rock off was the heaviest part, real consequences if done wrong and there's a 50m sprint over the shelf in between sets otherwise you're going to be absolutely slammed by a torrent of surging and racing white water dropping 2m off the shelf which then focussed into a keyhole smattered with rocks. Great experience!
How'd you go getting back in? Must have been a sketchy scramble with camera in tow.
Ah back in no way swim back in, would die ha. Swim all the way around into Shelly, which is fine with the current.
Craig, did you swim out because you knew KS was out there or was that serendipity?
Serendipitous. Though I had a feeling late last week.
The thing is I knew the weekend would be so busy and options to get a quality wave low so just aimed on swimming around the rock shelves there on Saturday, which I did and got some good ones of the locals.
I surfed Sunday when the swell jacked and North Steyne went to a raw and windy 6ft or so and then the Bommie started to really go and I thought, the big slab is probably starting to work right now.
I went around and got a car park, which was near impossible with traffic jams in and out. Took a few shots from the cliff up top and watch the jump off rock shelf go deadly as sets poured through.
If I hadn't been out there the day before 2x I wouldn't have gone out, but I thought well I'm not going to surf these 8ft+ slabs but I may as well try and get some shots and get amongst it. I wasn't worried about getting caught inside more so the rock off.
While I was walking down another photog left the ledge just before a huge set and he wasn't familiar with the place and there's a little dry suck up when the big ones come that's so so ugly right off the jump ledge. I didn't see him after but the set that came through was a 10ft'er and I had to hold tight on a big boulder as the surge washed up and over me, 50m in from the ledge.
He cut the corner and paid the price, copping the set on the head in the worst spot and apparently was limp and when guys got to him, saying he thought he was dying. Heavy!
It took a minute or two for all the reverb and activity to settle and I made my run for it, nervous as. Got out and swam quickly south and away from the current pulling me inside.
The mountains of ocean were insane and I said hi to the lads and got in position down the line a bit. I was out for an hour and then I noticed KS was out, I couldn't believe it, in this time I got more confident and sat in a bit more and got some of his drops which were insanely late and deep.
I was also in the best position to get the most time with KS as he took the inside ones and we were frothing on the guys catching the waves after his as he paddled back out. Was such a great vibe and also got to catch him in the car park after and go through photos of the locals and him which he was frothing.
A special evening and totally unplanned, but the world works in crazy ways.
That’s very well done, Craig! I wouldn’t have gone near that rock off, particularly swimming and carrying a camera. It’s a great Sydney surfing photo. KS is airborne. You got the shot.
Unreal Craig.
After watching Momentum Generation* on the weekend I have a much greater sense of respect for the GOAT.
Looking forward to seeing a few more of those pics :)
*If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favour.
So here's the drop! Bummer it ran away from him, and I lost focus a little but got the money shot luckily..
Heavy stuff Craig, hope the other fella recovers OK.
Great sequence too, how's the reflexes/balance to go from pushing off the bottom that hard to straightening round that section.
Cheers, how's the transition from that insane free-fall drop to the casual bottom turn! Wouldn't even think it's the same wave.
Yeah - if it wasn't for what's coming down behind him. Mindblowing.
Huge salute to all at WOTD *****
How spoilt the crew are, big thanx #1 swellnet photographers.
Great shot today especially so given the length of the board being ridden
That's worthy of blowing up and hanging in the pool room for sure!
wow, thank you,thank you, thank you, perfection, surfing that brings a shiver to my spine. thank you once again,feeling blessed because of you and that's the greatest compliment surfing can be making another feel truly awestruck.
Thanks mate, I doubt I'll better Craig's efforts though.
Even more impressive than Margo's WOTD was the fact that he paddled out from the beach (and, there were bomb sets bigger than that wave). Just incredible.
Great pic of my old stomping ground Ben. That right down the beach used to fire when the swell was up but a fair old paddle. So good to see a pic of Margo again. Still easily one of my favourite surfers. Nailed it!
The same Margo that rode NW WA backhand so incredibly well in the Billabong vids by Jack McCoy? Those were so impressive back in the day.
Perfect shot. That would've been some serious paddling that day.
Did he make it Ben?
June 1st.
Pete Jovic nails it again (and again and again and again).
Yep PJ back at it again. He’d be my favourite Swellnet featured photographer. Epic stuff
Hahaha. Is this a original adage of yours Stu? It’s officially entered into vernacular!
Today's Bells pic a stunner!! Thick corduroy bombarding the bowl and moody grey skies. Brings back the memories. Cheers.
Agreed. It's superb. I love how dark and moody it is.
Is it from this year?
Thanks Stu. Might be more to come next week from down that way.
I miss the brutal power of Margo’s surfing. Murdering that lip.
Great photo.
me too.
there's a section in Justin Gane's film, Pulse I think, of Margo and NPJnr taking apart 6-8ft Iluka.
One of my favourite sections.
Anyone seen it, no where to find it?
https://gumroad.com/pulsesurf?sort=most_reviewed
You can buy or rent Ganey’s films here.
Shit yeah....couple of longies and watching Margo tear holes in everything in Pulse. Also an epic Occy section amongst many notables.
Perfect arvo
Bloody legend. Thanks Lost doggy for sharing that link. I was trying to find Wanderjahr the other day..,that vid was epic. Surprising that one of Australia's all time greatest and most stylish surfers has one youtube clip of him surfing in reverse. The groms of today don't get to see how brilliant a surfer Margo is.
The wave of the day does it for me big time. Nice work Steen Barnes , Shaun Anderson and Swellnet.
In one photo you've encompassed everything nice about surfing. If I was a wanker I'd say that it was perfect except for the fact he is in a wetsuit. Which it is , it's perfect .....except for the fact he's in a wetsuit.