Jordy Smith, battling with Ke Iki shore-pound, Hawaii

Yesterday, when the Pipeline was pumping, South-African Jordan Smith was looking the other way. Literally. He was looking left, down towards the Ke Iki shore-pound. Continually scoping out massive barrels, Jordy fell victim to a surfing mirage: “You know that illusion that always happens with waves,” asks photog Ryan Miller, who shot these, “when you’re looking half a km down the beach and it looks amazing? That was what was happening yesterday. Jordy gave me a ring to see if I wanted to come shoot water shots of some closeouts. I was keen, but then when we got down there and saw it from front-on, it was anything but rideable. He’d already walked all the way down with his board though, and was committed to catching a wave. Just getting off the beach was more of a chore than imagined. Once out there, Jordy committed to one wave, got pitched and broke his board. End of session.”