 Monster Energy Pro, Day 2 -- 2/6/06 Date: February 6, 2006 Contest was on hold a few hours in the hopes that the wild surf would settle down. Facing limited options because of poor weather and surf forecasts, the contest director went for it. "Gotta earn our pay," was what Tamayo Perry fatefully told me on the beach.
I definitely had to think twice, then twice again, before deciding to venture out and shoot from the water. Proudly, I made it outside the breakers on my own before Kai Garcia grabbed me and shuttled me to the channel with his jetski.
Once out there, I was pretty much ok. Wish I could say the same for the surfers. Conditions were much harder than it looked, with some funky peaks and lots of power.
From a photographer's standpoint, lighting was pretty horrible too. But I wasn't complaining--just enjoying the view.
In the end, the surf did indeed take its toll. Lots of broken boards were to be had, with a few broken bodies. Tamayo ended up tweaking his knee really bad and had to pull out of the contest. It truly was a Monster day.
Aloha from Paradise, 
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