Best Superbank ever?

Interview by Jed Smith

Coolie kid and prince of the Parkinson dynasty, Mitch Parkinson (Daryl and Joel being the other two), is exactly where he should be after a day of blue-green drainers on the Superbank. “Shut up, would yas! Sorry, I’m at the pub, having a beer,” he says. We asked for a blow by blow of what’s transpired along this miraculous sand-deposit over the past swell.

Stab: Yeah Mitty, what’s happening? Fuck we’ve been getting barrelled all day. It’s the only way to do it. Have a beer after you’ve been getting barrelled all day.

Superbank looks off tap right now? Awww, it’s incredible, like, non-real. The best I’ve surfed it in my whole life.

Talk us through the seven barrels. We know you’re busting. (Laughter) Yeah, it was crazy, it was like, surreal. I was going through each section seeing one of my mates giving me the finger or something. Every time I went through a section it was one of my different mates heads popping out at me screaming or giving me the finger and, yeah, it was a once in a lifetime wave I guess.

Describe what it looks like when you pull up.  It’s so heavy when you pull up first thing in the morning and you see just lines of 20 second barrels. You literally just look at it and freak out and start running and shit. It’s classic! Every time you run around you’re seeing one of your mates getting a crazy barrel. Everyone is saying they’re getting the waves of their life.

Superbank Humpday from NUGGET FILMS on Vimeo.

Which sections are working? It’s the whole way! The best section is Rainbow through to Greenmount but behind the rock is still amazing. But um, when you come out of the barrel behind the rock you have to dodge forty fucken boards.

Are we calling it best ever? I think it’s the best I’ve seen it in my life time. It’s the most perfect. I’ve seen big and perfect waves but not this many. Every set that comes through is incredible.

Wildest thing you’ve seen? Just the fadings. The fadings are nuts, just kooks who can’t even stand up trying to paddle into below sea level waves and a really good surfer will be in the barrel and they’ll just jump on their heads. It’s heavy.

Any injuries? Oh yeah, every time you walk up the beach you see a new person with a cut or a fin chop or a fucked board from someones fin.

Who’s top of the pops out there? The boys are doing good. I think Mick has made his mark. Joel missed out on the good session but he’s been getting crazy ones since. All the local boys who you usually see have been dominating.

Is it worth the chaos? Yeah, I guess. I’d hate to be not from here and try to surf it, it’d be fucked. I guess we get our own waves and that’s the way it is when you live there.

More angles from the world’s greatest sandbank. Sourced from Instagram @tedgrambeauphotography