Belly of the Beast

Pat Shaughnessy is one of the best yet lesser known surfers at Maverick's in Half Moon Bay. Every year I make it down there on the biggest swells of winter, and on this day the conditions were horrifically perfect. Getting to watch these elite athletes up close is a true trill.

We're Gunna Need a Bigger Boat

This has become one of my most published images on the internet. It's a bit of a camera trick with the compaction of the foreground and background resulting from shooting with a long lens. The boat is actually safely in the deepwater channel, only fifty yards from the massive set wave in the distance but do not mistake this situation as fully safe. At Maverick's anything can happen - and often does!

Luminescence

Published, January 19, 2019 - NatGeoAdventure. "Luminescence is spontaneous emission of light by a substance not resulting from heat; it is thus a form of cold-body radiation. It can be caused by chemical reactions, electrical energy, subatomic motions or stress on a crystal." Seen here is big wave surfer, Pat Shaughnessy flirting with the paradox of destructive forces and incredible beauty. Maverick's, Half Moon Bay. CA. flirting with the paradox of destructive forces and incredible beauty. Maverick's, Half Moon Bay. CA.

Dragon Spit

Thick, nasty, heavy shore pound. #norcal

Peter Mel at Maverick's

Peter Mel is an American professional surfer. Mel began his surfing life in Capitola, California before moving on to Santa Cruz. He is known as a 'big wave' surfer and son of John Mel, a four time surfing National Champion.

Unridden Bomb

Massive Mavericks is rarely this perfect (and unridden) but exactly three years ago today this swell had all the key factors of tide, direction, winds and massive size to conspire into this moment in time. This place humbles the world’s best surfers, a naturally occurring vortex of beauty, power and palpable fear. Would you paddle out?

Fort Point

This wave only breaks a few times a year, but when it does happen it's fun to be there! San Francisco proper.

To the Rescue

Coast Guard life boat heading out to sea to do big wave drills. Moments after I shot this, that boat was taking those waves on the nose. Impressive!

Double Latte

(1/19/18) The morning after the biggest west angled swell of the decade assaulted the Pacific Coast, the ocean was still in throws of passion. While yesterday’s 24 feet-19 second swell produced ominous conditions veiled in fog and rain, today’s 16 feet-16 second swell was more approachable and lit with warm early light. The churned up sea foam, rich in color and texture made for a muffled sounding wave that was much bigger than it looks. If a surfer were riding this wave, (s)he’d be standing upright in this tube. This day, no takers.

Glass Slipper

The west coast has been blessed with back to back days of perfect surf with hard off shore winds, west direction swells and good sandbars. It's left the boys with sore arms and great stories to embellish on. Here is a NorCal local reaping the rewards. (el nino 2016).

Chase Sapphire

An unridden and undeniably mesmerizing wave rolls by. Cool and clear as she gets. Sot on the Nikon d810, drop for drop resolution.

BCP

Beautiful evening lighting accenting the tops of waves as they break along the California Coastline. Spring 2016. What you ask does BCP stand for? Please comment and let me know what you think, but I may never tell.

Silent Observer

Being too far out on the shoulder is bittersweet; from one perspective you're bummed for missing the opportunity to ride a perfect wave, and from another you're stoked to just watch the beauty of the scene unfolding around you.

311

Warm amber toned tube, the California coast stuff of dreams.

Green Lantern

This photo was taken during intense sunset light which for a split second illuminated the barrel as it rolled through. On this day a big west swell was pummeling the coast and at this secret Central Cal break, it was holding. Even though it looks like perfection all around was complete victory at sea and actually making a wave on this day was un-likely. No one out this session, just me. (2:1 Panoramic crop)

Honolua Bay's Finest

This photo was taken on Christmas Day 2012 and a medium resolution version was uploaded to Surfline.com on December 4, 2014. Within a few days it became the most viewed photo on the entire website, with over 55K views in only a few days time. You're right, it's not very likely that when the conditions are this absolutely perfect at Honolua, that no one would be on this wave. There is someone on the wave, but you can't see him because he's throated in the barrel. When this photo is blown up you can see the tip of his board about to emerge. For all intensive mind surfing purposes, it's your wave - charge it!

Unridden Honolua Bay

It still happens, usually after a big swell when everyone 'got some' already and won't even show up to check when the numbers drop...but see still squeak through unridden.

Opening Day, Maui North Shore

Kaho'olawe mysto reef, After a long slumber, the first swell of winter arrived on Maui in October and I was lucky enough to get a call from a local Jaws surfer. The next morning I was set up at this secret spot on the north shore shooting set after set or perfection, surfed only by the local boys and Maui pros. Many waves, like this one, went un-surfed this day…the boys were still getting their bearings.

Clean & Mean - Maverick's

On November 28, 2018 - the season opener at Maverick's in Half Moon Bay, CA there wasn’t many perfect, clean or unridden waves but this beast reformed over the inside reef and no one was around. This moment was also met by a sudden burst of sunlight which helped my camera focus sharply on every drop of water and luckily it didn’t overexpose with all the spray. Such a pretty moment, a juxtaposition of menacing beauty and I was stoked I didn’t blow it!

Coming Out Party

On Christmas day 2012, with a perfect swell in every way - the scene was crazy at Honolua Bay. A literal hundred cars parked on packed cliffs and a packed lineup. When you get barreled on days like this, people notice. (2:1 Panoramic Crop)

Lonely Reef Pass

There are still places that exist, just on the outskirts of places well known where perfect waves roll through unridden. This spot in particular does not break often but when it does, most surfers choose to sit on the beach and watch because it's very consequential when you don't make your wave. The exposed lava field in the foreground is just part of the mental battle one has to fight, the other is the fact that this wave breaks over a sharp reef in waist high water. Location: Somewhere in Hawaii.

Honolua Bay, Violet Dawn

Shot October 21, 2013 at one of my favorite places on Earth, Honolua Bay.

Wake Up Call

After a sleepy summer, fall brings swell...north swell that travels all the way from storms brewing in Alaskan waters. By the time the chaos travels a few thousand miles, it organizes and unloads on the north shores of the Hawaiian islands. It takes some time to get your bearings at heavy spots like this, pros included. Over the long off season sands shift and you never quite know where to sit, especially on the first big swell of the year.