Last Post From The Islands.....I'm Hitting The Sky Tomorrow.

For my last day here it was all running around tidying up things to leave tomorrow. I still had three guys to get images to that I hadn't done through last week and that all involves hooking up with them and picking up Flash Drives etc and running home to transfer files onto and getting back to them.

Took the bus into Hale'íwa and got caught in the rain again (that seems to be getting a bit too regular) then came home and started packing.  Its a 3.45am start tomorrow morning to drive back accross the island to get to the airport on time for my flight.....looking foward to that I can tell you.

Pics... I'll see what I can dig up to colour up this post a bit. Nothing's ever going to come close to Groundhog day though.

A couple of crowd shots below.

Random Shots From The Last Few Days.

One of the Gudauskas brothers about to disappear into a rather large Backdoor pit.

I swear to god, this first picture reminds me so much of a "Captain Goodvibes" cartoon by Tony Edwards from my surfing days in the 70's that it's scary. Then it was all in cartoons.....now they're actually riding them for real. Gadauskas' stance and the size of the wave is just so "The Captain". The only thing missing is the can of Krakatoa Nuclear Lager in one hand and a big fat trumpet scoob in the other. If he had them it would be real !!! .

And for the Alaskan's Samantha and Malachi on the beach with me this day...you guys hit the jackpot. EPIC it was... and thats coming from the life guard. I've been coming here for a lot of years now and this day was right up the food chain I can tell you.

 Remember in the morning it was humungously big and pretty good, but a bit wonky and crossed up with bad winds and I only had my hand held 400mm lens thinking...oh yeah, I've seen better, then I said to Samantha that I reckon it could very well clean up after lunch and turn into "öne of those days" so I had better go home, unload cards and recharge batteries and bring back the big gear , tripod and the video in case that happens..... What a great decision that was. I reckon I got my best footage this afternoon .

 Above is the proof and yes Samantha, your pics are coming after I get back to Australia and sort through this bomb of data, I promise I won't forget (but your IPhone pics looked pretty good to me by the way) Enjoy the North Shelf you guys......a bit different to the North Shore I'm guessing but you timed it perfectly and it was great meeting you two. You guys rock  and thanks for your hospitality that arvo !

Another "Vibes"cartoon pic of Gadauskas.

The blowout....this is only the second image like this I have shot over all the seasons I have been shooting the North Shore. When I say that, I mean I have plenty of  "blowout" shots, but this one is one of those unique ones.....glassy conditions, the spray has misted up the lip, it's pretty sharp and it all looks like there's a bit of a "calm before the storm" thing happening before the whole wave collapses  The first one is better but I'm pretty happy with this also.

Traffic.

Line ém up...start scratching for the horizon boys.

More Captain Goodvibes from the second last contest day. The Volcom Pipe Pro always seems to get an epic day in the mix somewhere. This time it's not Backdoor like the top pic.....but Banzai Pipeline. How big was this day. This is absolutely as big as Pipe holds....any bigger and it would have been a total write off and Waimea and the outer reefs would have been the only hope, and then there would be no pics up here.

 I rest my case that this place is beyond spectacular when it cracks to life like this. It is the "Epicentre" and the true heart and soul of  surfing and highest calibre wave riding. All other waves are gauged from here. 

Aloha. 

It's Groundhog Day.....and John John Florence Takes Out The Pipe Pro.

Feb 2nd.....Groundhog day in the USA (in more ways than one)

John John Florence wins the Volcom Pipe Pro in very nice condititons and I thought I'd seen pretty well everything.....but obviously, I hadn't.

 Explanations coming later.

Above....Alaskan's Samantha and Malachi on the deck of the beach pad at Log Cabins, about 5 minutes walk from Pipe.

Above...John John on his way to victory today.

                                                       Above. Finals day....two for one.

Winner.....John John Florence (red) with Aussie Josh Kerr (blue) Chris Ward (White) and Olamana  Eleogram (black)

                             Above...Max, the "yard guard" at the house....don't screw with Max.

                               Please don't ask, as I don't have a clue, but it is tape of some sort.

Seriously.....I can't even begin to explain this.  I walked out to cross the Kam Highway and looked up for cars coming and saw this heading towards me. The camera was still in my hand so I just pulled it up and started firing, the boys in the truck saw me shooting, slowed down and up came the "shakas"

 I'm still not the same after seeing this going down a major highway, but it is one of those right time right place with the right equipment type pics.

About a half horsepower sand rodent !

I Don't Know What To Say...............!!!!!!

Max is barking...... next door is absolutely rocking and downstairs in the shed is well and truly rockin' as well..... Banzai Pipeline absolutely exploded to life through today and the air is electric, maybe I didn't get "Big Wednesday" but I sure as hell got Big Friday. It's pretty well unexplainable when this shit happens here, it just sets the North Shore alight....Epic, yeah....well and truly I would say.

 Thought it was coming  but all expectations were exceeded....new friends made (Alaskan and I forgot, but I'll fill you in later) and I burnt out my cameras, videos and myself. Today was absolutely a dawn to dusk monster and then topped it off up the road at the Alaskan's place knocking back Pacifico beer watching the sun set over Kaena Point and Waimea Bay 'talking about what we all witnessed down there today, now I'm home and downloading about 40GB of data that was shot today.

It's the first time I've ever said this in all my years of coming here, but I couldn't give a toss if there's not another wave for the rest of this trip.....I need time to get my shit together after today.

I'm going down to the shed for a few coldies, will be back a little bit later to finish this off.

Just spent about an hour downstairs, .now a couple of quick pics and thats it for tonight.
 I've tried to balance things up tonight, half surf and half ass so to speak. It all came together today indeed, waves weather,the girls and so on.................Like I said Ï don't quite know what to say"

Above......if you surf, this image needs no explanation whatsoever.....if you don't, let's just say that this poor bastard had better have his keeper on his side right now, because that is just one scenario as a surfer you don't want to be in....he's going down in the elavator from hell so fast and so hard you don't even want to know about it.
I can just about see his claw marks in the wave roof...the pain and fear is only just beginning, believe me !

Above...J.O.B

Thursday 31st Jan....The Drones Are Taking Over The Line up !!!

Sorry guys,

I've had complaints about readers NOT being able to leave comments.....that issue is now rectified, anyone can comment as of now. Please accept my apologies for that glaring oversight on my behalf......and please don't all start ragging on me now !

Small waves today but Competition in the Volcom Pro is On.

On another note. A new swell has just started pushing into the North Shore and should be firing extremely solidly by tomorrow morning. I can hear it thundering away on the reefs now and it's only just started getting here. Supposedly it is going to be the biggest since I arrived. I've well and truly had way more than my share of big and good already, so anything from here on will just be a big bonus, I'll wait and see what tomorrow brings.

I haven't done much today except computer work (sorting through files) and getting in touch with guys I've met here who want shots I've taken.

The most energy expended today was getting on the faithful old beaten up pushy and pedaling up to Foodland for a few basic supplies like milk etc. Checked the beach about 5 times through the day and it was very un interesting.....comp or no comp. Another easy day has been good though.

 Contrary to popular belief being down on the beach all day with all the gear does actually take some effort and foward thinking / planning. If all batteries aren't charged, CF cards and video hard drives emptied and formated, food and water packed etc, it is a real pain in the butt to have to come back up to the house with all the camera gear, I can't just ask someone to watch it all while I go and get something I've forgotten either, and then there is always the joy of getting caught out with rain. Cameras, lenses etc don't like water one bit...except for the GoPro of course. 

As I sit here at my computer facing nearly due North to the ocean I can feel the breeze coming straight in the kitchen window behind me and the swell is definitely getting bigger, it is a near constant roar compared to a few hours ago....that all means we could be looking at some near perfect off shore conditions for Pipe tomorrow. 
That is what amazes me about this place, it can be 2 foot in the evening and 25 foot plus by morning.

I hear Garrett McNamarra rode a very large 70 - 90 footer somewhere yesterday also....maybe it's from the same swell that's just hitting here. I haven't turned on a TV since I left Australia, so it ÏS only "Ï hear" 

Aloha indeed.

A couple of random photos from my time here up for offer today.

Above..... Aussie photographer from Lennox Head, Craig Parry's remote controlled chopper that he sends his Canon 5D and a couple of GoPros out over the lineup on. Canon 5D cameras aren't light in weight by the way.

And another one.....in reference to the blog title  "The drones are taking over the lineup" this one looks like it should be in Afghanistan. I think it had about 4 GoPros and a movie camera on it.

We ID. Can you read the date...This was taken the day I took the rental car back to Hon airport. I stopped at the airport bar for a drink before heading back over the island. I'm looking at this thing and thinking, maybe they were on "Hawaiian time" until I asked the bartender what was going on. The year in the display is 1992 but the day is correct, Jan 18. It is so any bar staff can just ask a patrons birth year and if it's after 1992 they know they're under age without doing the sums. Drinking age is 21 in the states.

Wed 30th Jan....An Away From The Beach Day Off For Me.

 No competition on again today.

A small day today, so a chance to catch up on things that need doing without feeling guilty about not being on the beach, but I have been down to check it out about 4 times today and there are quite a few photogs down there ....it's tiny and blown out so I can't work it out with yesterday being so good.

I have spent a considerable part of the day up the road at Jensen's house going over the two lots of video footage from yesterday. I was shooting from the beach in the rain and he had the GoPro on the board so there is a lot of data to trawl through.

I have made a short two minute video from the GoPro footage from a couple of days ago, click on it and check out the North Shore from a different perspective....Jensen Hassett's from out at pipe. For some reason, once you click the link you will probably have to click on one of the icons below the you tube screen to get this to play...don't know why but will sort it out later....play in Full Screen mode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL8enY0eo3o

A couple of pics after I cook dinner and have a shower maybe. I have to meet Dave Wassel down at the lifeguard tower fairly early tomorrow morning so I'll see how the timing goes for uploadfing pics tonight with everything else I have to do...., shit, I just realised how damn hungry I am. I'm out of here.

Still Smokin'....Just Better.... Pipe's Popped A Viagra.

The rain has eased and the sun is out today.

I'm shooting from Ehukai Beach for a new angle. Freekin hell.....what do I say. Pipe's on fire.....big and clean in the morning. Shoot until 1pm and call it a day and go into Hale'iwa to get some more board mounts for Jensen tomorrow. We are going for the front view looking back into the barrel.
Volcom Pro has been called off for the last two days because of the massive surf and sketchy beach conditions. Word is it's on tomorrow.

 The Bus.....have I mentioned the bus...  I wait, and I wait some more (maybe 20 minutes) Finally it turns up, but I still reckon it's a good deal compared to what we get back home, it's still $2.50 to get fully accross the island...Waikiki to North Shore or right back to Waikiki again as long as it's in the time frame.
One of Jensen's rides yesterday has been submitted to "Surfline... wave of the winter"  the same ride had my camera on his board, we are trawling through footage tonight. That's just a little bit special I think.

Aquatic Ballett  !

Count 'em...there's a few there.

What A Difference A Day Makes On The North Shore.....It's Take It To The Outside In BIG Smokin' Pipe....

A whole new dimension for my blogs starts today...all thanks to Jensen Hassett.

Very much appreciated Jensen.

On a particularly unfriendly camera day (rain,and LOTS of it along with all things anti photography and anti having a car) the big west/north west swell punches into  the North Shore of Oahu.....and when I say punch, i mean PUNCH.

 It hammered in over night and was just detonating on the reefs by first light this morning when I went over to have a look. Half hour later I get a phone call from Jensen saying it's on......and to meet him on the beach to check all the GoPro camera settings and hit "start" before he paddles out. After last nights prep up it was just a formality, but hell.....it was pretty full on looking out into that firing west swell and hoping I was going to see my camera again still intact.

30 odd GB of video data and two surf sessions later I hook up with Jensen on the beach in front of the Volcom houses and unclip the camera for the second time today to go home and  download, and right now I'm torn between blogging and going over Jensens files from today.

So, I'm sorry, but the"trawling" wins hands down.   I'm checking files and will talk tomorrow hopefully. BUT, I'm up to my Surfline forecast (120 hours ahead) for one day before I leave the islands and it's all good or better so it could be a very frantic last week here. Hopefully there will be one or two pics from today posted with this blog entry before I hit "submit"
 Sorry....no chicks on the beach today guys but heaps of carnage for my next movie......yeah, I know I've been "worded up" for less surf and more "other stuff" Maybe tomorrow.

Talk later guys.

                    Above....Jensen Hassett with the camera on the back in a sizeable Pipe pit.

And two frames on...totally covered.

Above....Jensen finishing off a ride at first reef after taking off way outside at second reef Pipe, and Yes....the camera is still attached to the back of the board even though you cant see it. Tomorrow we may try a new perspective from the front of the board.....but I have to get into Hale'iwa first for some new mounts, which could be a challenge given the lack of car and size of swell at the moment. 

Above...One very smokin Pipe Pit.

Didn't know which of these was better, so they're both in here...@#$% that guy is in heaven right now.

                                   Flying sponger..... I'll have that drop, thanks very much.

                                                                    Incoming !

Rainy Sunday 27th Jan. Not Big Wednesday....But Maybe Big Monday Tomorrow.

Sunday 27th Jan. The rain has come......I've been soaked twice today, caught out and copping it.

A small day by any measure surf wise, but very nice little OTW barrells for the taking. No photogs on the beach and very few tourists due to the rain periods. When I say small waves, I mean small by Hawaiian standards which still looks ultimately perfect compared to offerings at home on any normal day, although I hear that the Goldy is copping a bit of a flogging from a cyclone at the moment with big swells hitting up the coast.

Today I went and caught up with Jensen Hassett who with any luck will tomorrow paddle out into some nice big solid Pipe bombs with my GoPro camera on his board. We stuck it on his 8 footer ready for an early morning hit on Pipe but now the forecasts are saying it could be coming in bigger than first thought, if that's the case the 8' stick already kitted up with the camera may not be big enough... If it turns out as I'm hoping, there could be some really interesting footage coming up from inside the Pipe Pit, and the flip side of that is that I also could loose my camera if it's that big, we'll see how it goes.

Todays offerings are below.

Below. Pipe shot from Off The Wall

                                                    Below.... crunchy little OTW barrells.
                                     
    Below...Howitzers in the lineup !!!  A Chinook transporting a Howitzer from Hickam Air Force base.

                                                                               

Below....The girls were amongst it today...look at the pack all checking out what's going on.

                                     
      Below...  Jensen Hassett's 8' board kitted with the Go Pro, laying on his deck waiting for tomorrow.