Photos: Teahupoo

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

On the weekend the first carriage in a long southwest swell train hit Teahupoo. This swell was the same one that broke the wave height record as it rounded the bottom of New Zealand. Unfortunately the bulk of the swell had a touch too much west in it, so the expected 8-10 foot at Teahupoo turned into 6-8 foot, though the big wave spots of the eastern Pacific - Mataveri, Punta De Lobos, Pico Alto, and even further north at Puerto Escondido - are sure to roar into life in the next few days.

Unperturbed, Tim Bonython threw his legs over the gunwales as Teahupoo unfurled all day under light trades.

Teahupoo is expected to break all this week with another peak in size on Thursday morning.

Vetea David reaching for the rail

Ruarii Atani in sequence, above and below

Lorenzo Avvenenti calmly deals with an interloper - see also video below

Comments

Gary G's picture
Gary G's picture
Gary G Tuesday, 15 May 2018 at 11:33am

This is great, but in the forecast article Tarzan signalled that he was planning an erection on the reef.

Gary would like to know if subsequent posts from Tim will include shots of Tarzan's erection.

blackers's picture
blackers's picture
blackers Tuesday, 15 May 2018 at 11:44am

Wrong website for that sort of thing Gary. Keep up the good work tho.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Tuesday, 15 May 2018 at 11:54am

NZ east coast has been pumping today, and the angle is more straight SW as opposed to the super westerly previous swell.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 15 May 2018 at 12:16pm

Good news for Tim as that's the swell due in Tahiti late tomorrow/Thursday morning.

Cheers IB.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Tuesday, 15 May 2018 at 2:04pm

My pleasure, I promise :-)

Speaking of which, how did the maiden voyage of the new 7'0 go?

Sorry about the threadjack - and good luck, Tim.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 15 May 2018 at 2:14pm

Just unreal. Surfed it Sunday when the swell jacked here, and even though it really wasnt big enough it felt good to lock into the natural flow line of the wave. Could've used it this morning, great size and tide for it, 'cept I jumped off in the dark and didn't get a good look at conditions.

More south swell coming so I'll keep it in the back of the wagon.

Island Bay's picture
Island Bay's picture
Island Bay Tuesday, 15 May 2018 at 2:25pm

Goody!

How good a feeling is it, aye. And how lucky are we as surfers to have access to absolute world class equipment, often with a deep history, and from good people, and all for a song.

I could have used my in-the-works 6'10 Desert Storm on some waves this morning - at least I was daydreaming of it.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 15 May 2018 at 2:44pm

Spot on. Yesterday I had a bunch of boards in the back of my car, and before closing the tail gate after a session I stopped to contemplate them. Each one a classic design representing the idiosyncracies of the person who shaped it.

Years ago I remember reading a Geoff McCoy interview where he described driving his car and being hit by the realisation of just what surfboards are. So profound was it he had to pull over to the side of the road and let it sink in.

My realisation wasn't quite so cosmic, though it was a timely jolt about the value of good boards.

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Tuesday, 15 May 2018 at 5:38pm

He had to pull over by the realisation of what surfboards are, either that or the mushies, but pretty cool anyway.

(BTW, can you send us some swell? We're kinda in the doldrums here.)

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Tuesday, 15 May 2018 at 12:36pm

it looks like an absolute dream wave at this size, any bigger no thank you sir

Spuddups's picture
Spuddups's picture
Spuddups Thursday, 17 May 2018 at 5:15pm

I reckon anyone but the top 1% of surfers would have a bad time out there at that size. Your average Joe (Myself included) would probably get smashed. I say this because I have surfed places like Way-Jambu (The Sumatran Pipe) at a similar size. Nowhere near as hollow out there as Teahupoo, but I was right at the limit of my ability. Basically just survival mode. Good surfers make heavy waves look easy!

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Thursday, 17 May 2018 at 6:17pm

I reckon you'd be surprised mate, it looks so perfect that if you made the drop and aimed for the channel you'd be home and hosed. Could be wrong though!

zenagain's picture
zenagain's picture
zenagain Tuesday, 15 May 2018 at 5:35pm

How good is that shot of Ruarii Atani that made todays WOTD.

Bravo Tim.

Ruarii's picture
Ruarii's picture
Ruarii Wednesday, 16 May 2018 at 4:38am

Thanks Tim bonython its the wave of a lifetime first one so blessed

Clam's picture
Clam's picture
Clam Friday, 18 May 2018 at 12:30am

Charging