Pipe Or Sandbar?

In the scheme of an entire winter on the North Shore, one hour is very little time indeed. Many Pipeline specialists will spend four to six hours each session hoping to find just one worthwhile honey-hole.

If you’re a member of the Florence Royal Family, however, an hour is more than enough time to find a few feed-shattering visions.

John John Florence and filmer Erik Knutson bring us along for sixty minutes spent on the shores of their reefy playground, while trying to decide between surfing Pipe or its adjacent sandbars.

Essentially, it’s a classic case of “down-the-beach syndrome.” Sit at one peak, and you’ll find yourself pining for the wedge feathering just up the beach. Switch lineups, and watch as a perfect one rolls through where you were just sitting.

While John and Koa surf the sandbar, Erik captures Ivan Florence and Kalani Chapman packing hectic Pipeline tunnels. Then, when the boys shift over to Pipe, Erik excitedly watches as Jamie O’Brien thunders through a sandbar cave.

And yet, the difference between this clip and your average surfer’s case of DTBS, is that John, Ivan, and all of their friends are still always on the good ones.