"Experience and keeping calm will always prevails over rash or hysterical behaviour.”
On May 28, insane footage came out of Teahupoo of surf photographers, and a baguette, being thrown from a boat during a wild twelve-to-fifteen foot swell.
The Tahitian driver, Eric Labaste, was catlike in a scenario that would have most leaving wet web stains on the front of their red bunny pyjamas.
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Now, one of the photographers on the boat, the Tahiti-based Tim McKenna, has revealed the wild act of courage of Eric that saved the first photographer thrown into the drink, and the reason why he couldn’t jam on the throttle.
“This is my version of what happened at Teahupoo Saturday 28th May,” McKenna writes on Facebook. “We were on the orange Poti Marara fishing boat captained by Eric Labaste.
“At Teahupoo the present situation is this. Camera boats with professional photographers, cameramen and pro surfers who have been shooting the wave for years are getting gradually pushed towards the wave by an ever-increasing number of taxi boats, jet skis, tourists and locals wanting to get close to the action for a selfie or story.
“In addition at high tide some sets break closer to the channel compressing the zone even further. The first clip shows our boat getting caught a little too close to the first wave of a set with Joao Chumbo surfing on a wide set. Nothing dramatic, something Eric, myself and many other pro’s have experienced a hundred of times over the last 25 years. We know the risks of shooting around waves are fully prepared.
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“However after that wave one of the photographers on our boat stood up without securing himself. In a flash of a second he slipped falling out of the boat camera in hand. Eric looked back to see how we could pick him up. The couple of seconds spent assessing the situation how to rescue him put the boat in a critical situation as the second wave of the set started to break even closer to the channel.
Eric, instead of accelerating full throttle which would have launched the boat and thrown everyone overboard, stayed calm stabilising the boat ready to handle the face of the approaching 12ft wave but with an additional problem – a jet ski blocking his passage.
“Once the boat was vertical the ice container came loose causing seasoned surf photographers and cameramen Chris Bryan, Ted Grambeau, Mendo De Dornellas, Natxo Gonzales, Aritz Aranburu and Jon Aspuru to be thrown into the water.
“Myself, veteran cameraman Olivier Ravel, Eric Bernatet and Andrew Fierro managed to stay on the boat.
“Eric, fisherman by trade, is the most respected, experienced waterman at Teahupoo and the Fenua Aihere area. His positioning, understanding of the Teahupoo channel and the way the wave breaks is unparalleled.
“Most of the photos and footage that has been seen world wide has been shot thanks to Eric’s expertise.
“Eric has now reached legendary status for his skill in handling successfully this extremely difficult situation. It is easy to criticise without knowledge of the conditions and actual sequence of events.
“The Ocean can be treacherous. Experience and keeping calm will always prevails over rash or hysterical behaviour.”
And, Teahupoo ain’t no place for sissies.
Looks like Eric went hungry that day, as his “submarine” sandwich was launched into the drink, along with half his guests!
Every fucking soul on earth has been riveted and waiting for your version of events McKenna, you self-important fucking dillweed. Maybe like 20K people worldwide saw the clip. Perhaps less than 20 cared. But thank fuck you set the record straight
Reacting well when something unexpected happens doesn’t make you a hero. Just relieved you didn’t look lame.
Am I missing s
I have a friend who hoots himself into waves. Anyone else seen this before? He paddles in and as he is standing up gives himself a full hoot into the thing. Sometimes on good days when he kicks out he blasts out another hoot! A two hooter! That’s when you know the waves are cooking.
This made me think of the time.. Surfing into dark as a kid and my pop pulls into a grinder on the inside as I’m scrambling not to get hung up in the lip. He gave a a pretty good hoot!
Get cocky, get caught inside!
Kissed on the cock, that could’ve easily gone either way. More stupidity than courage.
Obligatory Eric.
Should retitled ‘Vertical Eric’ for this article.
https://youtu.be/qmsbP13xu6k
This is 25 years old now. Where does time go?
Safe bet is to watch from the dock with binoculars in one hand and an ice cold hinano in the other. That’s what I would be doing. Although I would lose the binoculars quickly and either grab a freshly baked baguette or most likely another Hinano.
a red flag has been thrown…possible encroachment/
Lost track of how many times he called himself a professional/seasoned/ veteran. We get it. You got there first. Congratulations.
And as per that latest Nathan florence video – place is fucking absolutely jam-packed.
Timmys non sissy status confirmed.
“we pioneers of Chopes, who have bled the scene dry and sit in idling boats for 8 hours at a time in pristine waters,that we love, have been pushed into the impact zone by tourists!” Heroes one and all
“A blue rash shirt = a person falling off the boat in this story. Coulda got sunburnt if lost it”
Nias boat footage was better
“we pioneers of Chopes, who have bled the scene dry and sit in idling boats for 8 hours at a time in pristine waters,that we love, have been pushed into the impact zone by tourists!” Heroes one and all