We had been Searching for 6-months. Anytime, anywhere. Wherever Ben Matson at Swellnet could direct us into a meaningful swell.
At this point Dillon Perillo and Luke Hynd had already had their share of mysto reefs and hidden corners. Balinese hot rat Garut Widiarta, also on board, was barrel hardened at home in the Indo season, but Mick Fanning was busy being “Mick Fanning 3 X world champion, and man-of-the-moment-soon-to-be-shark puncher” – the role model all parents want their kids to grow up to be. Yet, the undisputed leader of world professional surfing was waiting in the wings for the right opportunity to whip off the comp vest and Search.
Not since his 2013 movie MISSING had he been so keen to change tracks. So when the Indo swell of the year hit and he saw it coming we received the call at RC HQ in Torquay, Victoria, Australia.
“Let’s do this!” said the Big Dog and that was all we needed to hear. With Mick in tow, we were on. A new and exciting chapter in the annals of The Search had officially begun.
Images by Corey Wilson and Jason Childs.
Filmed and edit by Andrew Buckley
Additional filming by Nick Pollet and Dylan Jeffery
Drone footage by Stu Gibson