Watch: Lee Wilson’s 'Five Eight'
Lee Wilson writes:
This swell popped up and it was super hyped. Like “Biggest in Ten Years” big. Brixton was backing it, so I decided to get out there.
Board-wise; I had a shorty and a 5’8" slab board I designed with my shaper. On the way to the airport I picked up two stockies. Took me 24 hours to get there. Did my best to cut costs so I witnessed some weird shit on the way, I'll save that story for another day.
When I got there, it was about three times bigger than I expected, and to be honest, I felt pretty insignificant out there. The best big wave surfers in the world were all there wearing what they call an "impact vest”. Basically it's a thick vest that is designed to help you float you to the top and protect your tail bone from heavy impact against coral.
Big Wednesday comes and I ride a stock 6’2" and ended up wiping out so bad (I have trouble riding step ups) and I sat the rest of the day out and watched..it was terrifying, even from the beach. Honest. I knew the next day was gonna be solid as well and when I woke up it’s flames. I took a out my 5’8" and got some really fun rides, I daresay I had the trip of my life.
Filmed & Edited by Carlo Coral
Comments
Feel a little silly wishing for another inch or two on my 6'0 over the weekend.
In four foot Tweed Coast beachies.
Was that your 6”0 or 6’0 Ben ?
You wouldnt be the first surfer caught short by a cold snap.
Paging Gary G.
Gary G to the innuendo phone please.
Gary receives a lot of emails on this subject, seems to be a common concern.
when you're feeling a bit undergunned, Gary advises holding the front tip of your craft for a bit longer than usual to make sure it engages with whatever beast it is you're trying to wrangle. Then keep your weight forward and use all the available gravity to maximise the thrust you can achieve on entry.
Bravo, these are the comments that propel this site into the stratosphere. I don't know how people can simply keep posting about the video after reading that. I just started applauding. Blowin set that perfectly like a set in volleyball right near the net with Gary G flying through the air spiking it into the unexpecting readers face. Awesome
Super hyped swell. "Biggest in ten years".
But when he got there it was 3x bigger than he expected?? How big did he think it would be?
Good point. If we could settle on wave heights reaching ten-to-twelve feet, then that means he must have thought it'd be three-to-four.
Even the most pessimistic surfer would have expected well north of eight feet from this event.
For sure.
A hard time riding step ups?
I love riding step-ups.
Healey was on a 7’6” and he got the bomb of the day.
Don’t really understand how pro surfers don’t know what board to ride or aren’t prepared for swells that are forecasted days (weeks) out
Jughead went prepared...also a 5'8 with a 5'9 step up .
He get any the size of Healeys?
Jughead got some bombs. Healey waited most of the day for his bomb. Probably more patient than Jug.
Both absolute maniacs!
Photograph of Jughead in the new tracks mag. Christ almighty that’s a big wave
Those barrels are dark enough to eat your soul......
Those barrels destroyed plenty of the takers.
He made it look pretty easy...nice work....great vid
Fanning got a few big ones at Cloudbreak yesterday ...board didnt look to be a gun
joli insta