Join him in the crystal waters of Cloudbreak!
And do you recall, just two months ago, when I told you that I surfed perfect Cloudbreak very poorly but witnessed a young Harry Bryant break his hymen in heroic fashion?
No? Well it happened. And finally the proof has surfaced.
Let’s indulge!
If you’ve ever surfed Cloudbreak, you know how difficult of a wave it is. The good ones look like closeouts, the closeouts look like closeouts, and the bad ones look like the wave of your life. It’s confusing as hell, but somehow, on his maiden voyage to Fiji, Harry Bryant was baking cakes in industrial-sized ovens.
His last wave I saw from our boat. I even have a shitty iPhone clip of the damn thing. Seeing a wave like that in real life is pretty surreal. After a certain point, generally around the eight-second mark of the barrel, it seems simultaneously impossible and inevitable that he’s gonna come flying out the end of it.
The big day was pretty hit-or-miss, but Harry handled himself with courage and aplomb. Often picking off waves down the reef, the out-the-back crew would collectively shake its heads every time a cheer from the channel was matched with a blonde-dyed-pink head flying over the shoulder.
Amongst a healthy crew of pros and Cloudbreak specialists, Harry owned that swell. As Ryan Hipwood called it, “I don’t think the kid’s fallen off his board all day.
Which leads me to this question, readers:
Have you ever been THE guy? The one who gets all the best waves in a premier session and is lauded by the crew for a week straight?
Lauded surfer? In Australia, that’s just asking for tall poppy syndrome medication. That’s why I never let anyone see my best moves. Kinda like CC’s trademarked, but never seen ‘new’ turn.
Those last few drainers were almost as good as the final claim at the end.
Mad Dog!
This edit was really well done. Stayed steady on the course.
Exceptional moments at Cloudbreak:
Humble at 3:55 (no great things are accomplished unless you start from the bottomed out shitty turdy turn.)
Up for the Challenge at 4:15 (discernable recognition of Cloudbreak skill set that he wants for his approach. you can almost see his future CB surfing with massive amounts of speed leaving barrel sections followed by Powers-ful titty fucking the wave turn-downs to the flats set-up)
Willing to get thoroughly throttled at 4:30 (turn and burn commitment)
The Cloudbreak critical section turn-down practice begins at 4:43 (titty fucked that foam section. like Harry wanted to sponge up the whole foamy ocean with Kenny Powers’ big ol’ dick)
Critical take-off approached with patience reduced to fractional seconds at 5:10
Moment Harry knew he deserved the Fiji wild-card while also knowing he wouldn’t get that wild-card for all the fundamentally right reasons. That being he scared Laird. No wait. I just said that cause it rhymes. I meant He scared Kelly at 7:02 – 7:04. (Yago did once what he won’t do twice. Ziff knows this. Harry could have been that next once.)
I told you Kelly Slater’s immune system reigns on. Reigns on like a Fijian Chieftain.
superb analysis
No surprise Michael C. Pussied out at cloudbreak stick to three foot south peak kid
a-grade cloudy, I can see why you haired out Mike.
That is a sick little video Mikey – I wanted to see some footage of you tho!!! Last 2 drainers unbelievable
Crew laud is always teeming with resentment which makes you feel more like THAT guy rather than a venerable THE guy.
I successfully used the words “Bandwidth”, “swim lane”, “fiscal”, and “P&L” in one sentence in a meeting yesterday. That’s like the working stiffs version of this accomplishment.
Sounds badass! The fact that you still find the time comment on the ‘grit while holding down a full time job is inspiring.
I have never been that guy because I am a massive kook.