Kelly Slater’s superb wave insight: this time at Teahupoo.

Spend any time in the water with Kelly Slater and you’ll be amazed at his mind going to work. He will break down swell directions, intervals, know what wave of the set he wants to ride and is as analytical as any surfer you’ve ever come across. In recent years, and after spending so much time in Australia, he has become extraordinary at reading slab-type waves. These waves like Ours and Shipsterns are more common here than anywhere else in the world and spend a session with him out here and he’ll catch more waves than anyone despite having spent little time at these waves. So, on the subject of wave intimacy, this video here shows Kelly’s first ride in a heli over Teahupoo and while he is articulate, is quite guarded about what he reveals about the wave. The most insightful (and frightening) thing about this film, however, is the fact that you can’t see sets approach. “you almost don’t see the sets coming, cause they don’t have anything to hit, says Kelly. “There’s no indicator for it to hit, it just appears.”