Big Wave Africa Day #3
Late in the afternoon on Sunday 30 July, a freak set rumbled into Dungeons that all present are calling the biggest waves seen or surfed in Africa. After giving some of these pics the once over, Bill Sharp (director of the Billabong Odyssey and XXL Awards), reckons there’s a contender for each category of the 2007 XXL Awards - biggest wave ridden, biggest tube and heaviest wipeout…all from the same set. There’s been much talk around the images, with evidence being kept tightly under wraps. Fortunately, Zigzag photographer Alex Bootsma had made his up the Sentinel in the icy squalls, hid behind some bushes and fired off a few shots of history in the making, capturing it all on film. This is a first proper glimpse of the set — stand by for even bigger and better coming in the next issue of Zigzag.
Into the Dungeons...
We had a few words with an unassuming, well-built guy with close-cropped hair on the top of the Sentinel that day. He said some chick had told him it was big enough to be ridiculous, and he made off toward the peak and, possibly, down the hill a ways. You've heard me bitching about my camera? For good reason, eh? Alex Bootsma has done the trick, and his pics — of which there should be more, will be in the next issue of Zigzag, due out mid-month.
As a blogger, it's been a gas for me getting something out onto the Web immediately after the event, and I've enjoyed the support of spike and the guys at Wavescape, as well as Jean Tresfon at Underwater Images.
I see Zigzag touts Bloody Massive Sunday thus: "You saw It Here First..." For now, bullshit. Those waves are of equal magnitude. I want to see this freak set of which they speak, which apparently came in about 15 minutes after we ducked. Until we do, the Web takes it. You saw it first at Wavescape, Underwater Images and right here.
For nothing, nada, zippo... as it should be. If you didn't, you're either waterlogged, not paying attention, or haven't a clue.
That said, until I do get that long-lens RPG-type Canon and dump stuff of a quality similar to Alex's on my and others' Web sites, we'll have to rely on the professionals. Not that I am anything but professional, of course (and a hard man to boot). But these guys, as do those riding the waves, make a living from pictures like these. And much as the result may be worth the effort in and of itself, they deserve every penny.
Note: For some really stunning surf photography online, check out Frank Quirarte's work at Mavsurfer. Those slide shows must be about as good as it gets.
