One of my favourite Dunedin reefbreaks broke last week and I had the good fortune to land the best seat in the house for its show. Known as the Vault or The Step or myriad other names, this wave is at the same time one of the most beautiful waves I have ever seen and one of the most terrifying.
Few can really harness its power and warping walls, but these are exactly the traits that make the four-hour overnight trip from Christchurch worthwhile for big-wave pioneer Doug Young and his mate Kenny Kennedy. Joining them on this session was Sam Hawke – a Dunedin-based big-wave surfer who has earned his stripes at most big-wave locations including one of the standout rides at Teahupoo in Tahiti. These are not ordinary surfers. These are not ordinary waves.
One of New Zealand's most successful big-wave surfers, Doug Young, is like a kid in a lolly shop as he watches the reef lurch and buckle before exploding in front of his jetski. He lets out a hearty chuckle with a hoot and stands up on his ski to get a better look. He's in his element. Kenny is driving for me and we watch Sam and Doug angle into some incredibly deep caverns – they make about 70 percent – not bad stats out here. Somehow they break the surface each time or fly out of the tube with the spit and get straight back to the peak for more.
Then it is Kenny's turn. He hasn't surfed out here before, he hasn't ever been barrelled. He finds the step on his first few waves and negotiates the incongruous piece of water with ease. Then he arcs into a monster and it stands up behind him before engulfing him through the inside. Doug is hooting loudly as he swings in to congratulate Kenny on his first-ever barrel. I can't help but think this is a wild piece of water to be chasing your first barrel.
Kenny will never forget it, but then none of us will ever forget a day out on this incredible reef.
If you like big waves then be sure to check out the Box of Light playlist with some monsters from The Right and even Mick Fanning's recent foray at Shipstern Bluff.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS Like seafood? We do, too, so make sure you circle September 26 in your diary for the Port Chalmers Seafood Festival.
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