February 16th 2021: Chasing cyclones

Waiting for a cyclone swell on the east coast of the North Island is a tough game. Will the wind play ball? Will the sand be forming decent banks? Is the tide going to match the peak of the swell? Will the swell even arrive? All valid concerns and I've been on the receiving end of nearly all of those options.

The no-shows are the worst. "That's the east coast for you," the locals will tell you.

So Thursday evening we paddled out to meet the newly arriving swell at Papamoa, where I was working on a story for an upcoming book project. We paddled out, but the swell never showed, other than a few microlines hinting at what might be a building swell ... possibly. Even the locals weren't completely convinced.

Dawn started for me at 3am. The winds had swung offshore and I could hear a low rumble from the balcony of my apartment beneath Mauao. By 5am I could hear a procession of jetskis at the boatramp and excited surfers blasting music and sprinting here and there in the dim light. I'd usually go straight to The Island in this circumstance, but fought the FOMO to grasp the chance to complete my assignment: paddling out at Papamoa before sunrise. A knot in my stomach, testament to the doubt that haunted me.

My daughter Rewa and I met the Klein-Ovink family, shivering in their wetsuits, in the dark at Pony Club/Gravel Pit. It would have never occured to me to check here, but they insisted it would be a good option thanks to its great banks and exposure to north swell. Well, they were right.

One thing about cyclone swells on this coast – even at 13 seconds – they are just beautiful. Clean, crisp lines pulsing through the clear blue-green South Pacific Ocean. Just a very light offshore meant some glassy conditions almost holding tubes open for us. The entire Klein-Ovink family paddled out and feasted on the waves on offer. Baylin, Isaac and PJ led the charge with mum and dad, Kelly and Rich, providing some entertaining late drops. They were soon joined by Darren Celliers, Levi Stewart and a bunch of local rippers confirming that we had chanced upon one of the best spots along the coast.

Here's a brief glimpse of what we got to experience. Enjoy.

See you at the beach ... Derek

PS This week's images include a bunch from my daughter Rewa (including that shot above of Isaac Klein-Ovink). Pretty epic shot, aye? She surfed the morning then took over the 400mm lens to fire off a couple of shots while I wrangled the drone. Pretty much showed me up with a couple of her frames!