Lines stretching and bending under friction
Expectations were high for last week's swell, with a period starting at 22 seconds, later degrading to 18 seconds, it was looking like the Point swell of the season. It didn't pan out like that, but it sure got hyped. It was a beautiful swell, of course there were moments of pumpingness. That's a new word by the way, working on getting it added to the Oxford. But it was fleeting, and the stinger; probably around 10pm-midnight would have the perfect combination of swell peak and tide.
cleaning up and pushing through
Surfers aye; if we've made the effort to skive off work or school, we are hardly likely to downplay the actual merits of a swell event. In fact, it would be shrewder of me to keep the hype-beast going.... CPL's best Ledge images in 15 years! [they actually are] etc etc. We still, collectively, love to gloat about sessions, the old turnip 'orrr maaaaate, ya should've seen it yesterday.' [I fucking hate that phrase btw] The point being, seldom is said, 'yeah bro, it was good, but you know, probably not the best ever.'
The Ledge, pretty, pretty fricken throaty
The real deal was, it was a small window of only a few tides, and that window peaked in the dead of night. It was pumping, but niggly, long waits between sets and a hungry pack. If you weren't there, there'll be better days, still there were some glorious moments.
King of the Point. Raglan royalty and rider of every surf vehicle ever invented, Dan Kereopa
DK
Kora Cooper wrestling a bronco, this shot was used on the Surfline swell feature HERE
Same wave; Kora reckons he waited 30 minutes for this wave, for one to hit the Ledge just right... fair to say his selection process is pretty good
Caleb Cutmore on one that's clearly going to clip the photog
Caleb
Tana Clapham will always find the hollow escapes
Campbell McKegg .... still can't actually believe he has the most perfect surname for a surfer
Tom Billington .... ok shall we be verbose and go for - 'in a fiery sea' ...nah, but the sunset was pretty sick, everyone was stoking on being in the water to enjoy it
Post sunset and getting real low on the shutter speed to compensate, hence being all arty speed blurry. I was surprised and very stoked Surfline ran with and featured this shot of 13 year old Xander Banks
Same wave and maybe sitting in the not blurry enough department???
Xander still frothed on the evening prior
Billy and the morning after; still bloody pumping, but buttoned off swell
Billy Stairmand ... and really hoping that's a Movember situation Bill!
Yeah JP! As always stoked to share the line up with ya brother... wait you don't follow JP? He's on Insty HERE
Luke Cederman compressed for the ...
...Bah-doosher
Tai Murphy and another shot that featured on the Surfline post, but...
Billy and I like this shot more
Tai
Luke Dymond fins free, free period. You wouldn't be wagging would you Melon?
FROM THE BOOK SHOP
These are becoming very popular! Stoked. The new print set of 10 NZ line ups and waves is a great wee stocking filler at $35.00 ... and free postage nationwide. Start sowing the seeds fellas! You need this for Christmas. Check them out in more detail HERE