Watch: John And Nate Florence, Billy Kemper And Torrey Meister, Yesterday At The Bay

With the offshore buoys clocking in over 14-feet at something like 14-seconds yesterday on the North Shore, and with Pipe a guaranteed bust, the surf world split three ways: some sought refuge and reaped rewards on nearby islands, finding shelter from the wind and plenty of swell; some bailed for a big shopping day in Honolulu (we see you, Italo, you shoe whore); while others sacked up and sent it at Waimea. 

Heading back from Haleiwa to the Stab house at Log Cabins yesterday afternoon, surf writer Ben Marcus hitched a ride heading to Sharks Cove to meet, and we’re not kidding here, John Philbin, aka Turtle, from North Shore. Driving past Chuns and Marijuanas we hit traffic behind drivers craning their necks at the Waimea scene, and just as we rounded the corner, there sat Marcus Sanders, Surfline‘s editor and guiding light, on the guard rail, taking it in.

“It’s firing, get out there,” we shouted to Marcus.

“Oh, yeah, I’m just drying off! I just got out,” Marcus shouted back with a wink. In the distance walls of deep, dark grey capped in white stood tall and stretched across Waimea, a single ski presiding over the scene, the pack tight in the bowl. The Bay closing out. 

Amongst those interested in braving spooky, stormy bombs at the Bay were John Florence, risking his World Title hopes for a few cracks at granite-colored Waimea walls, as well as brothers Nathan and Ivan, Billy Kemper, and Torrey Meister, whose airlift into the bowl before dark was literally the talk of Foodland last night.