Oliver Kurtz escapes the marine layer

Despite a large chunk of the world’s best surfers, including world number one, Jordy Smith, residing in Southern California it can be a nightmare for surf photographers at this time of year.

“The weather conditions have been total garbage. It’s been misting bullshit and 100% cloud cover for a week straight in Southern California,” says photographer, James ‘Jimmicane’ Wilson.

The phenomenon is called a marine layer and is caused by the temperature discrepancy between the warm landmass nearby and cooling ocean. As Jimmy says, “You go a few miles inland and it’s blazing sun but the slight onshore wind keeps a marine layer over the coast.”

As you may know the weather phenomenon shares a name with Dane Reynolds’ blog. Dane’s Marine Layer is shot exclusively in nearby Ventura and, as can be seen by the grimy colour tones of his clips, is also a victim of the weather pattern.

The surfer pictured here, Oliver Kurtz, had flown out from Florida to compete in the pro junior at the upcoming US Open. With Lowers being “shot the shit out of” to borrow a phrase from the surf-photography parlance, he and Jimmy found this secluded wedge in Malibu.