Meanwhile, At The Box (A Gallery)

The North Point kickoff was slow with glimmers of excellence. Main break at Margies yesterday was the antithesis of high-performance surfing, however, still good for long mountainous carves and flow. When the Drug Aware Pro comes around, we’re all looking for the Box to save us from boredom. Yesterday, the square right-hander opened up and the free surfs were surely more exciting than the main event down the way. 

“After the hype of yesterday’s North Point session died down a bit, there was still a lingering large period swell pulsing into the west coast,” says photog Ryan Robson. “At sunrise the East winds were howling and with it, a very low tide that made anything rideable at the Box a surging triple up mess. It was still 6-8ft at the contest site so I shot the first couple of heats, keeping an eye across the channel at the fickle slabbing reef. As most locals know down here, the stiff offshore at sunrise almost always backs right off around 9 am, giving way to a light east breeze for a few hours before the Southerly buster rears its head. Knowing this, I waited for the tide to fill in and the winds to co-operate.”

“The carpark was full of boards, pro’s and photographers by the time I got down there, everyone amped on getting their fair share of treats,” he continues. “I thought maybe the WSL might run a few heats out there, and I didn’t want to swim all the way out only to be told to go back in. It’s a dodgy swim to say the least, my mate Dino Adrian spotted the biggest Tiger shark he’s ever seen out here over the summer, so its difficult to not think about those beasts lurking underneath.”

“Once in the lineup, though, its all eyes on the world’s best as they were going toe to toe on the infamous slab. The sun was out and the water a crystal blue. John John had his fair share, as did Seabass. Parko rolled in late to sneak a few off the pack to fill his quota as Kelly hit the eject button on a couple of bombs, with dirty south peaks shutting down across the ledge. Ciao Ibelli wasn’t shy either, picking off these clean medium size roll-ins, the complete opposite to Mikey Wright, who was on a mission to end up in the emergency ward. The term “no fucks given” comes to mind. But the session definitely went to John John, I think he pretty much has local knowledge round these parts as he spends so much time here.”