-
Luring glass funnels in the sunset. An image of pure beauty. What lies beneath these slabs is hidden to the eyes of many. Beyond picture-perfection, we struggle with a vicious little demon that wants to flatten us hard on the reef below. It warns us with its gurgling bubbles. This is an image that captures the still moment of what was an intense hour of a few men chasing gold. Photo: Al Mackinnon (@almackinnon)
-
Mullaghmore is evil. Evil is Mullaghmore. When it pays off and you have defeated evil, nothing seems to matter anymore. The Earth stands still in your little mind. Man vs. beast is what it comes down to. David vs. Goliatch, if you will. With its random steps, its freezing waters, gale-force winds, gurgling boils, its capability to handle any storm sent in its direction, Mullaghmore is totally insane. When this wave hit me, I took flight. It launched me in the air so high that I was weightless for at least 5 seconds. And then, like a ton of bricks hitting me at high speed, my limbs flung around like a rag doll. I was still attached to half of my board when I felt a strong wrenching on my left leg. It stretched and pulled my ligaments in my knee so hard that it felt like my entire leg had been ripped right off my body. After it forced me to the bottom, I got torpedoed back up thanks to my life vest. What a sigh of relief to see my buddy Lyndon there to pick me up. Back to the harbor we went to assess the damage. Photo: Christian McLeod
-
We all have those special days that we will never forget. This is one of mine in Portugal. When it's on, it really turns on. My good friend Lyndon Wake and I - among a handful of Portuguese and French surfers, including Nic Von Rupp, Fransisco Alves, and Frederico Moraiis - surfed it for three days solid until the perfect low pressure ventured north. Numerous barrels, beatings, and sun burns later, Mother Nature left us drained and reflecting on how crazy and beautiful the world really is, capable of creating something so very special. Photo: Christyan Ventura
-
I've always thought that I was born to be a contest surfer. The feeling I get from a win is similar to the sensation of pulling into a massive pit and making it out on the other side. The adrenaline, however, is multiplied. On this particular wave, I didn’t make it out on the other side. The moment I knew it was going to smash me, the adrenaline was like nothing I had ever felt before. My stomach churning, gut-wrenching, and my nerves pulsing signals of sure-death through to my brain. I was happy to come away from this wave with just a few pulled ligaments in my knee and a snapped board. Photo: Roo McCrudden (@roo_mccrudden)
-
The Search. Since 12 years old, Rip Curl has had my back. From a grommie just loving life to competitive streaks on the Pro Junior and WQS tours to living the search, creating content, traveling the globe, and venturing on intrepid adventures to working as a team and marketing freelancer, it's been a long and fulfilling journey thus far, in which I plan to carry on. This shot was taken by one of my best friends and videographer, Luke Pilbeam, on a trip to the very north of Norway, in search of new waves and new stories. I’ve always wanted to see the Northern Lights, and this trip delivered the goods. We didn’t surf once, but we found some epic lineups for the next time we get out there on a swell. Surfing for me is a lifestyle that opens up so many opportunities and doors that would've never appeared before me if it weren't for that magnificent blue mass we call the ocean. Photo: Luke Pilbeam (@lukepilbeam)
Editor’s Note: #HeavyMissions is a brand new series featuring surfing’s big-wave elite members. These are the stories told by the watermen and women from the heaviest waves around the world. The second in the series is big-wave hellman from the UK, Jayce Robinson.
It will be winter soon here in the UK. I’ll be sitting at home tucked up cozy with a cup of tea, sitting in front of a warm fire. It won’t be long before I check the charts and see a massive low pressure system thundering across the Atlantic. From that very moment is when the mission begins. My stomach curdles as I’m overwhelmed by a panicked rush to organize equipment, ferries, flights, and so on. Before you know it, it’s on. You’re on the road with your mates trying to get to your destination before the low pressure does. The battle is about to ensue. That cozy arm chair in front of the fire is now miles away, but I know it will be awaiting my return. My head fills with mixed emotions. Negative thoughts creep in on the night drive without any sleep. However, daylight brings excitement.
We finally arrive. Maybe not with the amount of preparation I would’ve liked, but that doesn’t matter anymore. The beast is breaking and shaking the ground we stand on. I will run on adrenaline for the next 24 hours… or however long the swell sticks around for. To me, this is a #HeavyMission. It’s more than just a feeling. It’s a burst of life that pulses through my body, a reality check that humbles in so many waves. Bring on the next mission. I’m waiting.
Keep up with Jayce’s wild ride by following him on Instagram.