Watch: Ruby Berry’s Coming-Of-Age Pilgrimage To North West Australia

Few places on Earth are more hostile than a remote desert in Australia. Few also produce waves like one.

The northwest has long been a pilgrimage for those south of the Kimberley, seeking a confrontation with mortality. Pack a tent, drive into the void, slay a dragon, or get obliterated trying.

You’ll know pretty quickly if you don’t belong, which makes the growing fleet of German vans parked up there feel a little oblivious to the messages the universe is sending. She’ll come for you. Don’t pretend you can’t hear her.

But I digress. The point is, the far north is a proving ground for many, and has forged some of the best tube riders in the world. Jack Robinson, Jacob Willcox, Shaun Manners, to name a few.

“Is the heaviest in the world? Yeah, it could be true. It’s definitely one of the scariest waves in the world, if not the heaviest and most raw piece of reef on the planet. Especially on the west coast, there’s a lot of evil death slabs, but that is a freight train.” — Jay Davies

“It’s quite evil. It’s really intimidating with the steps in the wave, for sure. It’s hard to get into, it’s a gnarly drop, and obviously it doesn’t break properly until it’s six foot-plus, so whenever it’s surfable, it’s terrifying. It’s always heavy. It doesn’t have fun days out there because it doesn’t link up properly if it’s only five foot. It’s really psycho.” — Taj Burrow. 

Words like those from the vets make 18-year-old Ruby Berry’s opening line in her new film, Pilgrimage, feel a touch… emasculating.

“My first trip was when I was 6 months old, and I’ve been every year ever since.”

“It can be daunting,” she continues later. “But growing up around it, you kind of have to push yourself. This time, I wanted a bigger one.” 

Will she get one?

Ah, you’ll have to hit play to find out.