0062 Draining

The morning opened with the North Shore of Oahu at full power. Pipeline was too big to run, with the WSL calling the event off as the swell pushed beyond safe limits. Only two surfers sat in the lineup, while most watched from shore. With Pipe out of play, attention shifted down the coast to Keiki.

For more than two hours, I watched the Keiki shore break from the rocks. Waves were detonating straight onto the beach, thick and fast, showing little sign that the water was safe or swimmable. The challenge wasn’t getting closer—it was waiting. Reading the sets, watching the surface, and choosing restraint over urgency.

This frame was captured from the rocks at Keiki as a heavy drainer stood up and folded over itself. Shooting from land meant committing to timing and position, knowing the risks of waves rolling over the rocks and cleaning up me and my camera gear. Draining  reflects that moment—where patience, observation, and respect for the conditions came together to capture the wave at its most raw

All print sizes are inclusive of white border. 

48cm x 33cm  = 30mm border

59cm x 42cm  = 30mm border 

84cm x 56cm  = 50mm border.