The North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii is well known in surfing circles as the premier site for large wave surfing in December through February each year. So, when we decided to take Tori to Whistler for her “schoolies” trip in January, I was keen to detour via Hawaii to shoot some “big wave” action.
I grew up in the U.S. in the 60’s when the surfing boom swept across the country and the “surf rock” music of the Beach Boys was the quintessential music back in the day. During that time my family spent our summer holidays in Ocean City, NJ, about 115km from where I grew up in Philadephia. PA. I caught the surf bug, and when I was fifteen, I saved my pocket money really hard to buy my first surfboard, an orange Malibu measuring in at 9’6″. In 1969 that cost me $50.
So I had a personal interest in visiting this much vaunted iconic surf location. The sandy beaches of North Shore, Oahu stretch 4km from Waimea Bay up to Sunset Beach. This is possibly the most notable stretch of surfing beaches in the world. And lying right next door to Sunset is the fearsome Banzai Pipeline.
The Pipeline is a reef break where waves start to break once they reach the shallows of a reef. Pipeline is notorious for huge waves which break in shallow water just above a sharp and cavernous reef, forming large, hollow, thick curls of water that surfers can tube ride. The reef at Pipe is a flat tabletop reef, with several caverns on the inside, creating a giant air bubble that pops on the front of the wave when the wave lurches upwards just before breaking.
Sound scary? It is, but only if you don’t read the break correctly. The locals tell you that there is a way to read this break, and many days its just not fit for riding. Not only is the reef to be contended with, but the rip is fearsomely strong. I watched surfers go 200mtrs passed me up the beach before entering the water, and before they reached the first wave break, they were 100 mfrs down the beach passed me. Thats 300mtrs of rip in less than 75mtr distance to the first wave break. On a board! You’d have no chance as a swimmer.The flagged signs all over the beach stated emphatically ” If in doubt, don’t go out!
Fortunately my trip timed well with the running of the 2014 Pipeline Pro International, a professional ASP surfing event that starts the years surfing competitions. The best surfers in the world were all there, and the event was eventually won by the reigning world champ, Kelly Slater.
Watching the surfers battle the 25+ foot waves at Pipeline was exciting. Waves crashing only 75mtrs from the beach. Surf spray in the air and filling your nostrils. I went to photograph the competition expecting there to be a huge crowd. I was pleasantly surprised that there were only about 300 people sitting watching on the beach. It’s fantastic to get so close to the action of an international professional surfing event.
I took my Nikon 600mm AF-S lens out for the first time. I’d only picked it up a couple days before the trip. Weighs in at 8 kg with camera attached. A couple of these action shots were hand held. I’m really happy with it. Just as well I guess, ‘cause its a beast to lug around, particularly on international flights. Not easy getting it into ( or out of ) the overhead luggage compartments. Oh yea, I had a scare on one flight. I was approaching the door of the aircraft, and an over zealous airline employee suggested I should send it through baggage. I think the look of horror on my face possibly gave him a clue as to my thoughts on his suggestion.
