With around 27 years of experience carving some kind of living as a photographer, I've ended up with a huge archive of images. I have hanging sheet after hanging sheet of transparencies in a big four-drawer filing cabinet and boxes of negatives and prints. Only rarely do I go back into that vault of Fuji Velvia, but when I do it's often a rabbit hole laced with great memories, surprising moments in time and a few chuckles at shots that I thought worthy of its little plastic frame.
This past week I delved in for a few stories and stumbled across one of the most memorable surf sessions I've ever had in Otago. It was a big day at Karitane Reef and in attendance were the local chargers: Tane Tokona, Kyle Davidson, Graham Carse, Rod Rust, Danny Carse – a teenager at the time – and a bunch of other rippers.
The waves were serious. Six-foot easy and as heavy as that place gets. I ended up on Allan Anderson's fishing boat idling off the side of the break with a grandstand view into it. Kind of like we do these days with jet skis, but with a great big fishing trawler and I was camped up on the roof of the wheelhouse. I still scratch my head at that one – thanks, Allan.
I'll never forget the swell. I recall Tane Tokona doiminating the day like he was hard-wired into the pulses of the swell. And Graham Carse was in his element, too.
At the end of the day we started to head back across the bar when the engine in the fishing boat spluttered to a standstill. The offshore drifted us back towards the lineup and we had visions of going through the impact zone as a set washed through. Luckily we got pushed wide, but kept drifitng. We got the tender out and made a beeline for an offshore buoy and managed to capture it just as we tied the very last length of rope on. It was exciting stuff. I think Allan was just as stoked we didn't keep drifting out to sea, although he had a big repair bill.
Here's a few of those photographs sprinkled in between a couple of wintery sessions this week with the groms.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS We can now take pre-orders for our new book Surf Dreams. Surf Dreams explores the surf culture in New Zealand's most iconic surf towns: from Ahipara in the north to Riverton in the deep south. You can place your pre-order right here and secure yourself a signed copy. Surf Dreams will be shipping from the start of November.
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