JOB with POV cam

Date: January 24, 2009
Time: Morning
Spot(s): Pipeline
Conditions: Sweet
Swell: WNW
Surf: 6-8' Haw'n

Words: Cruised on the beach waiting for a little more light. Surf was decent, but not the 6-8+ that was expected. While stretching, I gazed at the sky and saw the clouds cover everything except the Big Dipper constellation. Trip.

Was eager to get out after watching Mike Stewart's movie "Fire" re-premier. Very different movie, but overall quite good.

Finally paddled out at 6:20 AM and was shocked to find another bodyboarder already out there in the darkness.

I had a "not so good" session. Took off one in the darkness and the bottom just fell out on me on the takeoff. What the? Think the combo low tide and mixed swells were creating some peaks and suckouts. Caught a couple of "verandas", but cut my losses after a spectacular top-to-bottom free-fall wipeout.

Retired the bodyboard and went in for the camera. Had a great conversation with videographer Mike Hess before jumping in.

By that time, the surf seemed to be getting bigger, and the crowd much thicker. I chose the fisheye lens which was probably a bad idea. Waves started breaking way outside and I was way out of position (and not willing to put myself too much in harm's way).

Ended up taking over 400 clicks. Edited 47 of them. Most have been *extremely* cropped just to see the action.

I did score one solid sequence. Jamie O'Brien was using some helmet camera system with a backpack. This one peak reared up and I was luckily in a good position.

Aloha from Paradise,

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