Photos: Between The Peaks
Photos: Between The Peaks
Since the season rolled into spring, Victoria has had a number of favourable forecasts.
Not only has the Southern Ocean has been active but the storms have largely formed in the Goldilocks zone - not so close that they arrive with the weather, not so distant that they get kneecapped by swell decay.
The abundance of swell has created some welcome problems: such as identifying which is the best day out of a stacked forecast.
Late last week, the view forward was crowded with peaks: Saturday and Sunday looked good - so that was the weekend sorted - and another good day was looming mid-week.
There was a swell due Monday, if your tired arms could handle it, and despite it moving quickly across the swell window, Craig considered it one worth watching.
Turns out Monday was as good as it gets in some parts of the state.
All photos by Steve Arklay - A-Frame Photos
The day started with offshore northerlies and the swell small - a golden sunrise made up for it.
As the day wore on the swell built and the northerly stiffened. Knifing in early was critical to success.
Llew Callahan adopts a gunslinger stance as the swell built through the morning.
Shawn 'Mouse' Todd taking a higher line on a right.
The spray-bow, the lipline, the tube stance: everything is in its right place for Dean Walters.
Classic tube face from Zack Bongiorno. Don't laugh, you wish you were there.
Kian Major and an almost perfect wave - damn you duckdive guy for ruining a great image.
The swell kept building and the wind stayed offshore, the golden sunset bookending a remarkable day of surfing.
But if you missed it, never mind, the next swell is due tomorrow.
"It was a tight little low," said forecaster Craig Brokensha, "and it was moving fast, yet it had a good track and intensity."
Comments
The first photo is as good as any photo I've seen taken around here. Well done Steve.
Trying to work out what time of day that would have been.
Sun behind it so must be the arvo but the colours look like earlyish morning.
Not saying he's done it this time, but Steve can occasionally be careless and flip the negative: right becomes left, sunrise becomes sunset etc.
Age old trick to be sure.. good way of keeping people guessing! :D
the weekend leading into this had a few pearlers as well
Llew still got it!!!
Yeah Sunday was firing.
What are you wearing in Vicco this time of year? 4/3? 3mm booties and hood for the folic-ally challenged?
Yep yep and 5 mm booties
Best user name yet.
Up there with Barrel Daithwaite for best user names.
Great pics. Cracking day.
4/3 standard this time o year, booties for those that need em
Deano getting the numbers up on that board! Must be at least 9’6”??
I had a surf with Dean down south one day and he had that board with him. Nice looking board, it's 9'11and1/2". I asked why not just go for 10'. Reply was I'd cop too much shit from the boys. Classic. He's a real frother too
Monday was good.
Been looking out for those between days so title of the article is close to home. Sometimes the most hyped day just isn't the best by the time you get out in the water.
Great pics!
awesome! great photography … makes me happy for our Victorian neighbours!
Great pictures Steve.. Cheers. Referring to Kian Majors perfect wave - I had a similar picture taken of myself at Padang Padang, Bali.. Beautiful aqua blue coloured picture with my mate paddling back out from a previous wave wipe out, taking up the prime central spot in the picture. It bugged me that he made that decision to paddle in front of me, disturbing my chosen pathway, I had to delay my bottom turn as he frantically and uncaringly (ha!) escaped the wrath of the already broken wave and made his escape under the lip in front of me..
After years of begrudging the interference on that picture, I got my son to Photoshop him out of the image, worked a treat.
However, it made me reflect on the circumstances, my mates chosen escape route made me delay and draw a deeper bottom turn, just that much that enabled me to set up one of the best and longest barrels I’ve ever had, Certainly the most memorable. I can remember sitting inside the clean open and bending barrel without seeing the opening, sitting on the foam ball, all the while adoring being inside that incredible cavern.
I can now thank him for the lesson that things happen for reason. There’s something in the belief that nothing is just a coincidence. The natural law of the universe will play out regardless and it happens to teach us and guide us to grow as humans! In this case anyhow.. On the other hand...the wars that are happening now are some crazy misappropriation which there is no comprehension for. Cheers
Awesome Reform, not the last part though.
Cheers Craig, nice to be in the moment, I need to remind myself to never lose focus or miss an opportunity for what we must stand up for.. Right now in this moment...I have to say it, even though its not related to this lovely presented pictorial.. as nothing else matters right now... but this! ..............Free Palestine NOW!!
Apologies Steve Arklay
https://www.instagram.com/aframephotos/,
Definitely do not want to take away from this really great pictorial and story.. Such good pictures..Cheers
The 3rd pic of Llew Calahan is amazing! His Position and calmness, the sharpness of focus from him and the Photographer. Just a great shot.
Photojournalism at its finest!