I heart WOTD

Blowin's picture
Blowin started the topic in Wednesday, 30 Jul 2014 at 8:07am

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.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 25 May 2020 at 10:43am

Good to get the GOAT's approval..

Andrew P's picture
Andrew P's picture
Andrew P Monday, 25 May 2020 at 10:56am

That is such a sick shot Craig. So much going on. Well captioned too boys!

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Monday, 25 May 2020 at 11:54am

Yewww Craig! Sick shot.

Is there a well defined channel there?

What size board would have the GOAT been on? Looks pretty small.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 25 May 2020 at 2:03pm

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!

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Monday, 25 May 2020 at 2:05pm

How'd you go getting back in? Must have been a sketchy scramble with camera in tow.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 25 May 2020 at 2:06pm

Ah back in no way swim back in, would die ha. Swim all the way around into Shelly, which is fine with the current.

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Monday, 25 May 2020 at 2:10pm

That makes sense.

wally's picture
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wally Monday, 25 May 2020 at 4:33pm

Craig, did you swim out because you knew KS was out there or was that serendipity?

shoredump's picture
shoredump's picture
shoredump Monday, 25 May 2020 at 4:48pm

Wave of the day of the year

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 25 May 2020 at 5:05pm

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.

wally's picture
wally's picture
wally Monday, 25 May 2020 at 5:16pm

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.

Westofthelake's picture
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Westofthelake Monday, 25 May 2020 at 6:01pm

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.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 25 May 2020 at 8:30pm

So here's the drop! Bummer it ran away from him, and I lost focus a little but got the money shot luckily..







zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Monday, 25 May 2020 at 9:01pm

Sweet! The whole sequence is rad.

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 9:25am

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.

surfiebum's picture
surfiebum's picture
surfiebum Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 9:25am

Mental! Great pics Craig

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 9:28am

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.

Pops's picture
Pops's picture
Pops Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 9:31am

Yeah - if it wasn't for what's coming down behind him. Mindblowing.

truebluebasher's picture
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truebluebasher Tuesday, 26 May 2020 at 5:24pm

Huge salute to all at WOTD *****
How spoilt the crew are, big thanx #1 swellnet photographers.

GuySmiley's picture
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GuySmiley Thursday, 28 May 2020 at 1:46pm

Great shot today especially so given the length of the board being ridden

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Thursday, 28 May 2020 at 2:55pm

Awesome isn’t it! That’s a big stick

ringmaster's picture
ringmaster's picture
ringmaster Thursday, 28 May 2020 at 6:26pm

That's worthy of blowing up and hanging in the pool room for sure!

davetherave's picture
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davetherave Thursday, 28 May 2020 at 7:44pm

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.

Patrick's picture
Patrick's picture
Patrick Thursday, 28 May 2020 at 8:11pm

Yep, great pic, love seeing the every day punters on here.

linez's picture
linez's picture
linez Thursday, 28 May 2020 at 8:34pm

Looks a bit like gordo the great

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Friday, 29 May 2020 at 6:33am

Looks like Ben’s trying to one-up Craig!

Great shot.

thermalben's picture
thermalben's picture
thermalben Friday, 29 May 2020 at 7:07am

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.

bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Friday, 29 May 2020 at 8:14am

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!

velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno's picture
velocityjohnno Friday, 29 May 2020 at 9:08am

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.

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Friday, 29 May 2020 at 9:16am

Perfect shot. That would've been some serious paddling that day.
Did he make it Ben?

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Monday, 1 Jun 2020 at 10:52am

June 1st.

Pete Jovic nails it again (and again and again and again).

Westofthelake's picture
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Westofthelake Monday, 1 Jun 2020 at 11:11am

Agreed Zen, very creative.

Craig's picture
Craig's picture
Craig Monday, 1 Jun 2020 at 11:13am

Incredible and so unique!

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Monday, 1 Jun 2020 at 11:59am

Yep PJ back at it again. He’d be my favourite Swellnet featured photographer. Epic stuff

Nick Bone's picture
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Nick Bone Tuesday, 2 Jun 2020 at 7:46am

Hahaha. Is this a original adage of yours Stu? It’s officially entered into vernacular!

mattlock's picture
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mattlock Saturday, 6 Jun 2020 at 9:49am

Jovic supplies us with the gold again.

bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Wednesday, 10 Jun 2020 at 5:49pm

Today's Bells pic a stunner!! Thick corduroy bombarding the bowl and moody grey skies. Brings back the memories. Cheers.

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Wednesday, 10 Jun 2020 at 6:49pm

Agreed. It's superb. I love how dark and moody it is.

Is it from this year?

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Thursday, 11 Jun 2020 at 7:03am

Think it was taken fairly recently.

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Thursday, 11 Jun 2020 at 2:52pm

Thanks Stu. Might be more to come next week from down that way.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Saturday, 13 Jun 2020 at 8:02am

I miss the brutal power of Margo’s surfing. Murdering that lip.

Great photo.

freeride76's picture
freeride76's picture
freeride76 Saturday, 13 Jun 2020 at 8:47am

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?

lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy's picture
lostdoggy Saturday, 13 Jun 2020 at 9:00am

https://gumroad.com/pulsesurf?sort=most_reviewed

You can buy or rent Ganey’s films here.

Ash's picture
Ash's picture
Ash Saturday, 13 Jun 2020 at 11:20am

He's still got it, love this shot

flow's picture
flow's picture
flow Saturday, 13 Jun 2020 at 12:01pm

Love seeing the older guys still ripping.

Blowin's picture
Blowin's picture
Blowin Saturday, 13 Jun 2020 at 3:23pm

Shit yeah....couple of longies and watching Margo tear holes in everything in Pulse. Also an epic Occy section amongst many notables.

Perfect arvo

bluediamond's picture
bluediamond's picture
bluediamond Saturday, 13 Jun 2020 at 5:05pm

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.

blackers's picture
blackers's picture
blackers Monday, 15 Jun 2020 at 8:40am

A Peter Jovic special today. Love the blur and the colours are awsome.

Bnkref's picture
Bnkref's picture
Bnkref Monday, 15 Jun 2020 at 8:57am

Today's is so good.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Monday, 15 Jun 2020 at 9:15am

He never misses.