Australia Vs. America: 50 Photos of Two Amazing Surfing Nations

Cardiff Reef on a classic California winter day, with the Santa Ana winds. film capture 1990's. Image: Roche

A 3-4ft peak breaking in the middle of nowhere, South Australia. It may look empty, but the amount of wildlife in those waters is pretty damn intimidating. Photo: Luke Shadbolt

The new big wave spot in Australia. Photo: Ben Lee

California holds many secrets, including this shark-infested reef along the rugged central coast. Photo: Paul Greene

Left? Right? Any way will do. Australia. Photo: Karl Mackie

This black hole was found in a more southerly corner of the tri-state area. It's usually a routine stop of mine on the way down through New Jersey. Once again, super cold and super shallow. Photo: Evan Conway.

Central California is a land of opportunity. Photo: Sardelis.com/HBSurfShot.Blogspot.com

A now well documented wave and my good friend Jimmy’s van. He was spending 2013 traveling Australia and awakening to views like this. Photo: Ben Lee

California Gold in Huntington Beach. Photo: Sardelis.com/HBSurfShot.Blogspot.com

Andrew Gesler getting shacked out of his mind in New Jersey on April 16th 2007. I was a senior in high school on this day. I am so glad I cut class. Photo: Evan Conway.

Magical wave and place but I'm not saying where this is in Australia. I traveled down there in 2002 to get married to my now wife and scored the best right hand barrels of my life. So the story goes something like this... we're in Australia when a good friend Gabe Kling tells us of a story of how good things happen to someone right after they step in shit. We're all laughing and blow it off. Shortly after hearing this story we literally step in some ( we think human), then arrive at this really fickle spot. The waves were spinning off for 200-300 yards without a drop of water out of place and the locals are saying "mate you don't know how lucky your are, it's been flat for months and this is the best it's been in years." Needless to say we gorged for three straight days. This was snapped on the last day. True story. Photo:Myles McGuinness

South Australia secret spot. Photo: Jason Reposar

Surf artist Bryan Zinski in New Jersey in December 2009. Bryan is always stoked - especially when there's a big red blob swirling off our coast. Photo: Ryan Struck

Beachies, Australia. Photo: Sean Davey

Currumbin Alley, QLD, Australia. Photo: Ryan Williams

February 2002 - On the way back to Puerto Rico from a snowboarding trip in Jackson Hole, Wyoming I lucked into a classic winter swell in New Jersey and captured this lone surfer paddling through the lineup at a spot known as Stinky's, all this after my first cold water surf session in nearly a decade. Image: Fitzpatrick

The Central Coast of California is an incredible place to live, i'm constantly blown away by how this place never manages to disappoint. This is Chad Jackson on a nugget, Thanksgiving day 2012. Photo: Dylan Gordon

Hayden 'Hazard' Beck enjoying an uncrowded weekday session close to our home on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia. This bank was ridiculous for a few weeks. Photo:Alex Marks.

I forget where this is in Australia, but I got that sharky feeling the whole time I was out there. Photo: Jason Reposar

If you know where to look, you can find some unridden gems. Even in Southern California. Photo: Matt Aden

January's been unusual in California. No rain, temps reading some of the hottest in the country, and winter nights masked by summers characteristics. Most have been making the best of it. Photo:Colin Nearman

Just up the reef from Tombstones is this grinder. North West Australia. Photo: Jason Reposar

MALIBU, California, The locals! Photo: Lucia Griggi

WINKIPOP, Australia, during the 2011 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. Photo: Lucia Griggi

A small cove up North in California. This wave is rarely actually rideable. This was one of those peaky days you're hoping for as you walk down. Image: Matthews

I named this image Jersey Moon Landing. I'm not quite sure but that's what came out when I needed to give it a name. Do you feel the same way? I love the light that New Jersey gets. They get some serious current just like in NY and it can be a pain in the ass to swim there, especially with a 6/5/4 booties and gloves on. Photo: Matt Clark

Australian charger Dion Atkinson at one of his home breaks in South Australia earlier this year. As nice as this day was and as cool as the water color was, swimming in South Australia has other distractions! Photo: Nate Smith

Paul Morgan is a great Australian Surfer better known for charging his big local reefs. Got an invite down one swell and they took me out to this reef he and his buddies love to tow when its big. He actually paddles this one. Looks like Pipe to a degree just colder and way less crowded with surfers and photogs. Photo: Nate Smith

Southern California. Photo: Paul Greene

Overview of Lennox Head, NSW, Australia. Photo: Sean Davey

New Jersey doing its best Hossegor impression. Photo: Mike Incitti

This is what I love about Australia. You have your 4x4. You have your boards. Now, all you need to do is find a peak. Photo: KevinVPhotos.com

AERIAL VIEW of the 12 Apostles, along the Great Ocean Road, Australia, 2011. Photo: Lucia Griggi

Huge North Swell in Northern California, they shut down the pier. This spot is rarly surfed, but often surfable. Image: Ferraris

Peter Mendia, Outer Banks, NC 2008. RuddyPhoto.com

Ry Craike on a small inside one at his home break in late afternoon delight. Lopes, North West Australia. Photo: Jason Reposar

Cow island, Central Coast Australia. Dane Reynolds late dropping. Photo: Jason Reposar

REPERCUSSION - KIRRA, AUSTRALIA. The thing with bad weather is it brings great waves. This shot happened between squalls during one of the best swells to hit the Gold Coast in a very long time. Photo:Shelli Bankier

ALLURE - BURLEIGH HEADS, AUSTRALIA. Maybe I shouldn't write the locations for all the images? But Burleigh deserves the credit. Photo: Shelli Bankier

PERFECT CURL - SNAPPER ROCKS, AUSTRALIA. This is actually the first part of the wave at Snapper, breaking at the north end of a little cove called Froggies and just about to run through the gauntlet into Snapper. Photo: Shelli Bankier

National parks bordering Australia’s largest city, and a nice NE swell. Photo: Steen Barnes

The coast of Sonoma, Sonoma is the most raw coast in California, rocky deep water that is most often windswept and cold, but every dog has its day. I've only scored good waves there a few times, I though this trip was going to be another failed mission, until I pulled into this little cove and found this. Image: Ferraris

South Oz. Australian ocean pothole. Photo: Russell Ord

This wave is about 5 minutes away from my parent's house in Northern California. Not one soul surfed this wave that day! Image: Street

With brilliant winter light and cooperative winds, Blacks and other Southern Californian gems produced perfect surf for nearly two weeks. Well-groomed sandbars from the recent torrential downpours didn't hurt either. Photo: Chuck Schmid/Surf-Shot.com

Anyone from California will tell you that last winter (2009/2010) was about as good as it gets. Photo: KevinVPhotos.com

Carmel California, Sunset just passed and the sky was still bright enough to capture the reflections off the sand. Image: Croman

Winkipop lineup at sunrise. Victoria, Australia. Photo: Sean Davey

Tucked in deep at a Rincon driving through the cove. Photo: Aroyan