Watch: John John Florence // North Shore Sandbars

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

Nathan Florence and the reality of surfing sandbars on the North Shore:

"There's an eight foot wave behind you, but you're on a two foot whitewater and you're pulling into a barrel that's gonna go eight foot wide."

Treachourous, yes, but for John John there's hope:

"If there's a spit, then there's a chance of making the barrel."

In this short vid the brothers Florence lob themselves into shifting and shallow sandbars that temporarily form along the North Shore after a big north swell.

Keen-eyed watchers might also notice the lack of knee brace on JJF.

Comments

Solitude's picture
Solitude's picture
Solitude Friday, 3 Jan 2020 at 12:38pm

Must’ve been from last winter or more likely the one before. Don’t think John would be risking his knee in those kinds of waves post op (also wasn’t he conservatively managing that knee the winter previous also?) JJF about 5kg lighter than he appeared at pipe this year.

Looks like shitty version of Rabbits.

Clivus Multrum's picture
Clivus Multrum's picture
Clivus Multrum Friday, 3 Jan 2020 at 3:49pm

Thought the same re slabbits

Timmy 56's picture
Timmy 56's picture
Timmy 56 Friday, 3 Jan 2020 at 9:23pm

Absolutely he was a bit of a pumbaa at pipe masters, the fiancé must be fattening him up.

t-diddy's picture
t-diddy's picture
t-diddy Friday, 3 Jan 2020 at 1:11pm

The sandbar that forms between Ehukai and Rocky point typically in February is the heaviest sand banks I've seen - so hard to get into

drodders's picture
drodders's picture
drodders Friday, 3 Jan 2020 at 2:39pm

Amazing surfing!!!

Garryh's picture
Garryh's picture
Garryh Friday, 3 Jan 2020 at 6:20pm

Looks a lot like Istana Ombak (however that breaks over gnarly sharp reef and has both left and right options). GRRRRR

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Friday, 3 Jan 2020 at 8:15pm

How does he come out of that thing at the end?

SoCal Steve's picture
SoCal Steve's picture
SoCal Steve Saturday, 4 Jan 2020 at 8:48am

Classic. Wish I was in my mid 20's again, just have the nerve. Some of those barrels were beasts. The Wedge of the North Shore.

Balance's picture
Balance's picture
Balance Saturday, 4 Jan 2020 at 4:20pm

Legend is as legend does

nicko74's picture
nicko74's picture
nicko74 Saturday, 4 Jan 2020 at 11:59pm

Jon steals the show with that last one : o