There are levels of surfing perfection. At the highest level everything comes together.
1. Wind.
2. Tide.
3. Swell and
4. Crowd – or more importantly a lack thereof…
You can have the first three factors just right and you’re stoked, but if the fourth and final is on overload then you’re on the frustrating lowest of low levels. You’d rather it be less than perfect and uncrowded than the stuff dreams are made of and never get a chance to actually ride a wave, right?
Young Rip Curl Searchers Luke Hynd, Jacob Willcox and Harry Bryant got together to chase a swell at a couple of the better known spots on the surf adventurers bucket list not long ago. When they got there all of the above happened – especially factor 4 – and the crowd simply pushed them out and into a better place.
Instead of hassling, they hustled. A quick re-pack of the boards, a sniff of the wind for which direction to go in, and then they were off happy to see what they could find. They scored. A private Idaho in a populated land…
Pictures by Andrew Shield. Footage by Darcy Ward. Clip Edit Scott McClimont.