June 28th 2022: Triplicate

Ever noticed how good things come in threes? Take this past week for me. Firstly, the storm swell abated and turns out the mega bank at Blackhead is still intact (and a few more around the coast, too). So, that alone fills winter with the promise of plenty of exciting sessions to be had.

The bank was so good that I ended up swimming out there with my camera one evening, full of the good vibes that a day off for Matariki brings with it. We had glassy little barrels with just a small crew left after the midday crowds had scurried home. But the best part was seeing Jimi Crooks back on form. He's one of the best surfers in Dunedin, but I rarely get to shoot with him because he has had some injuries and prefers to hide away and surf secret spots with the least amount of fuss as possible. So to watch him go upside down and weave around these glassy walls was pretty special for me. You'll have to excuse the frequency of his images in this report, but he was in a league of his own out there. Really impressive to see and capture.

That kind of set my week up really ... then boom! Paige Hareb wins the Nias Pro. She doesn't just win it she hits the quarterfinals and then semi finals like she'd found a whole other gear. Her surfing was unbelievable with some under the lip hooks that would have left many wondering what happened. It's pretty special for us after she came and spent time with the Queen's Surf Academy girls and Tash last year.

Paige has spent many, many years on the world circuit, but, at 32, this past Sunday we saw her surfing better than she ever has in real proper heavy Indonesian waves. Just superb. Check out our inside story with Paige and her Nias 2022 win over on NZ Surf Journal.

See you at the beach ... Derek

PS We had some sad news on Sunday when we learned that another sea lion pup, a male born earlier this year, had been hit by a car and killed at Papanui Inlet. Please keep your speed down and maintain your visible driving distances on all roads around Otago Peninsula. These sea lions are very curious and do not understand traffic at all. Please take care out there – especially around the inlet roads.