Les Estagnot : 'Pleasure and Pain' (27 Sept 2008)

This is the competition site a few days after the final. I paddled out and surfed for about an hour in surf that would turn from lovely manageable 2-3ft, fairly powerful, but fun waves - to overhead, grinding barrels in the space of 30 seconds. The safety channel (and the whole line-up) is very tide-sensitive and what is an easy paddle out channel can (and does) turn into the death zone within 30 mins as the tide drops out. The photos don't really do it justice but when the sets came through it was HEAVY. I snagged one wave off of the 'totally ripping' crowd and then paddles back in praying that I didn't get smashed in the shore dump.

Shots 1) and 2) : These shots dont really give the power of these waves justice. "It was heavy, and barrelling when the sets came through" - and 99% of the waves were fully loaded with very good surfers just 'ripping the back out of it'. I gave it my best shot, did ok, grabs a good one, and made it back in in one piece. A result. Ha Ha.

Shot 3: Back to nice, lined up 2-3ft fun ..... Phew ! ;-)