28/05/2024
A RETURN TO "UNCLES" - SOUTHERN OCEAN MEGASWELL 2024.
We were part of the very first pioneering discovery of this wave back in 2009 which we nicknamed “Uncles” and for a couple of years, every big swell we had a epic crew of solid, yet reliable chargers, that dropped everything to head 26k out to sea, to what became NZ’s answer to Cortez Bank. Then life simply got in the way, some crew moved away and others had family or built businesses, and it simply fell off the radar.
Five years ago was the last time this wave was ridden with Daniel Kereopa (who was the first man to ever ride a wave here) and Sean Hovell, Hector Coombes,and Blair Stewart (the man who can be credited for the search of this rumoured reef) As a photographer, I had been at every session since we first surfed it, and for the last few years, I have this kind of nostalgic feeling that it would be good to put the crew back out there again, but my group texts of impending swells, usually get met with laughs.. So it caught me a bit off guard when the OG Stuey Dog (Blair Stewart) sent out the call and made it all happen.. what was looking like the biggest and best conditions since that 2009 swell, some of the OG crew were in, including Damon Gunness who still holds claim of riding the biggest wave ever ridden in NZ out at this spot. And joining us would be a few newcomers who have been putting in the yards on other reefs over the last few years. Like all big wave swells the best plans always seem to change. Our 3AM start was supposed to be followed by motoring out to sea under the full moon light, after a spot check for swell size. But the moon was nowhere to be seen, instead clagged in heavy rain, meant we had to wait for light and simply head out and take a gamble. The offshore wind change hadn’t happened early enough and open ocean conditions were brutal as the five skis punched through the cut up seas, climbing over huge swells. An hour later we got first sight of the reef and the giant detonation. It was evident the confused swell wasn’t going to deliver the dreamed of session, yet what went down over the next few hours, were still the biggest waves ridden in this country over the last five years, and plenty of learning experiences were had. A big ups to the epic crew, cheers for your camaraderie and most of all for helping us all return safely. See you all in a few more years!
