“It Was One Of The Best Swells In Ten Years” – Jordy Smith

“I reckon it was one of the best swells collectively in the last ten years,” Jordy Smith tells Stab on the past few days in Durban. “All three spots were absolutely firing. New Pier was good. North Beach and Bay of Plenty were mental.”

Durban’s had much to be desired recently due to a cyclone that spun off Madagascar. The result, the three piers (New Pier, North Beach and Bay of Plenty) that line up next to each other got as good as they get.

“It was a day to remember,” continues Jordy. “Yesterday afternoon was as good as I’ve surfed North Beach and seen the bank. I think New Pier might’ve been better one day last year, but it’s hard to say.”

“I was just freaking out,” he laughs. “All the boys were getting incredible waves. Dan and Josh (Redman), Jacko (Brandon Jackson), and Chad (Du Toit) were out. It was a special day for sure.”

Yesterday and this morning these stills slid through our inbox. “It was going mental,” says photographer Luke Patterson. “I tried swimming with a fisheye this morning. But the current was so hectic I couldn’t get many.

“The past few days have been firing,” continues Luke. “The tail end of this cyclone has loads of East in it. So, it’s able to get into the bay of Durban. It’s cyclone season, swell has been super consistent and it looks like there’s more on the way.”

So, while Cape Town suffers from a water crisis (the city is expected to be dry by April), and “Day Zero” and a Mad Max situation is a dire reality, in Durban, things are quite different.

“We got loads of water,” Luke tells Stab when prompted if Cape Town’s issue is isolated. “Subtropical paradise this is. Cape Town has some heavy shit going on. I heard people have been going to the bathroom in bags because they can’t flush the toilet. It’s pretty wild.”

Brendan “Jacko” Jackson and undying style of piano fingers.

In tubes and trunks, Josh Redman trusts.

Jordy Smith greets this swell with a cool handshake beneath the African sky.

Research and development.