WATER TIME
Everyone advised me to get out to the outer reefs as much as possible to train for heavy wipeouts and get used to the risks involved in big waves and for the mission itself. Cabo Verde defiantly laid the foundations but here in the middle of the Pacific the currents are so strong, especially when big swells hit, you definitely are more exposed to the elements and the possibility of getting carried out to sea.
Throughout the course of last winter I tow surfed and sailed a lot on the outer reefs of Maui. I went up to Pe’ahi with my jet ski on multiple occasions going through the process of getting all my equipment together, loaded up onto the ski and then watching how the wave behaves and breaks from the channel. Every time a big swell hit last winter I watched the conditions and made notes on period/swell direction and how that related to the day. I had the amazing moral support, encouragement and knowledge of a good friend and mentor Kai Katchadourian who I have had the privilege of sailing with since my early days back in Cabo Verde. I got to know all the guys going out on the water and sought advice from all of them on their experiences / dramas with the conditions out there.
TEAMWORK
Chasing big waves is not something you can do alone. I am extremely lucky to have amazing support behind me. First of all I’m beyond stoked to have teamed up with Sarah Hauser from New Caledonia to take on the challenge of charging Jaws. Sarah has sailed Pe’ahi a few times with the Simmer Team and is currently producing the ‘Girl on Wave’ Movie with Echo House productions. Literally the Ying to my Yang, she is a steady voice of calm and reason, my best friend, counsellor and medic. It took a while to convince her that I am not totally insane and that there is some method behind my madness but now I’m super happy to be focused and taking on winter with her here on Maui. I discussed my ambition to ride Pe’ahi a lot with the incredible team at Goya and Quatro and I’m really grateful to all of them for their support and guidance. Jason Diffin the Goya sail designer talked me through the best sail to use for the attempt. I finally choose a Goya Fringe 4.5 because that is what I’m used to riding; in the waves it’s light and controllable.
I rode a custom Quatro board around 78ltrs shaped by Keith Teboul especially for Jaws. In the same way that big wave surfers use a ‘gun’ surfboard, you need the equivalent to windsurf big waves. The board has a narrower longer drawn out shape and is much heavier. This allows you to go really fast and not to bounce as much with the giant chop that you encounter on the face of the wave. I think possibly one of my favourite pieces of advice came from Keith, during testing, I told him it was really fast, he said to me with an expression like a worried father, ‘good you just want to go really fast and run for the channel’.
Pio Marasco from MFC ‘World’s fastest fins’ suggested I use the MFC RTM Quad 250 fins for control, drive and speed. Meanwhile I’ve also been testing the new model MFC harness and was stoked to find I could expand the webbing enough on my waist harness to fit over my ‘He-man’ costume. All of that experience last winter made me realise I needed better safety protection in bigger waves. I put together a big wave ‘costume’ that consists of a men’s Patagonia impact suit underneath a men’s Billabong inflatable suit. It’s not the most attractive costume but when shit hits the fan I should be pretty bullet proof! The final and most crucial piece of equipment was Bruce, my Honda jet ski, with whom I have a real love hate relationship. He is very demanding of my time and I’m now a super good friend with the Honda Mechanic on the island!
