Editor’s Note:
Our new series, All-Time,
showcases images that stop us in our tracks, from sessions we’d all like to have experienced. Only on rare occasions do nature’s infinite variables align. It’s even more unusual that photos capture the essence of that moment. If you’re sitting on an image (or two) from surf or snow that you think fits the description above and you’d like to be featured, shoot your photo with a few sentences about the day to info@theinertia.com
For years now, any time a swell lights up Jaws we hear from Maui-based photographer Aaron Lynton. First swell of the season, biggest day of the year, he’s on it. His emails always come with a palpable sense of excitement and appreciation, and sometimes with an accompanying story of camping out overnight to secure a prime viewing spot atop the cliff. It’s an admirable level of dedication to one spot that we typically only associate with a handful of surfers who’ve become synonymous with their
Pre-Game Swell Hits Hawaii; Preheats Oven for Saturday s Super Swell
Waimea, Jaws light up Thursday in advance of weekend s XXL swell
Joe Azuchi, Waimea Bay, 01/14. Photo: Pedro Gomes
Marcus Sanders
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Editor’s Note: Stay tuned right here for realtime coverage of Super Swell Saturday.
The thing about most sports is that you can practice as much as you want. The thing about big-wave surfing is that most years! there are only a handful of XXL swells. And even within those swells, only a handful of actual opportunities. And while working out, breath-holding and surfing regular sizes waves are all kinda practicing for big-wave surfing, there’s nothing that really replicates hucking oneself over a 50-foot saltwatery cliff. This year has clearly been a bit different, with weeks of non-stop North Pacific swell allowing the big-wave brigade to keep their guns finely tuned. And with Saturday’s Super Swell set to hit Jaws (stay tuned here for realtime
Annie Reickert. Photo: Aaron Lynton Kai Lenny. Photo: Aaron Lynton Kai Lenny.Photo: Aaron Lynton Kai Lenny. Photo: Aaron Lynton Kai Lenny. Photo: Aaron Lynton Ridge Lenny. Photo: Aaron Lynton Ty Simpson Kane. Photo: Aaron Lynton Zane Schweitzer. Photo: Aaron Lynton
Another underground session went down at Jaws on Thursday, January 7, with only a few locals out doing their thing. There were a few little lulls during the day’s tide switches, but for the most part, it was a day of nonstop, 15-foot action. But while much of the surf world has been tuned in to Maverick’s lately, this trend of underground sessions at Jaws is putting the versatility of Maui’s big wave community on display.
Staff
Sean McClenahan has wanted to ride a skimboard at Jaws for quite a while now. Skimboards, of course, aren’t generally thought of as big-wave surf craft with the rare exception here and there but McClenahan has been working his way up to it. “The desire to want to skimboard in big waves comes from years of paddle-in skim surfing finless at Honolua Bay and other spots around Maui,” he explained. That’s what gave me the desire to ride bigger waves finless.”
When the first glimpses of the truly colossal swell that was headed towards Hawaii began to show up on the charts, the entire big-wave surfing world sat up and rubbed its eyes. It was a long summer in Hawaii, and it was the first real big wave swell of the winter season. Jaws, as usual, was the main focus of attention, and McClenahan realized that his finless big wave dream might actually be realized.