Damien Hobgood, Cardiff Reef, California

If you ask photog James ‘Jimmicane’ Wilson to give you a rundown on Cardiff Reef, a wave that sits directly in front of his house, he’ll tell you that it’s the shittiest, mushiest, stand-up paddleboard-infested lineup you’ll ever see. On this day, Jimmy and Damien Hobgood (pictured here), were to go shoot a different wave, but once Damo saw what was going down at Cardiff, he decided it was too good not to go out.

This is the best Jimmy’s ever seen Cardiff and he’s sure that Damo’s the best guy ever to surf it. Waves on this day were walling up all the way down the line with tunnel and finner sections to boot, and Damo was ruling. Jimmy actually saw one guy get two legit barrels on one wave. The day after this was shot, the swell was forecast to grow into what’s undoubtedly the swell of the year in Cali so far. Imagine this a couple of feet bigger.