Lowers Hurley Pro 2010

I only managed to make it to the Hurley Pro at Lowers on the final day this past year, however I am stoked I did. I woke up around 0630 and took the 1 bus from Long Beach all the way down to Carls Jr in San Clemente. It took two hours but it was worth it. With board and camera bag in hand I began the grueling march from the top of the dirt trail all the way down to the lowers parking lot where shuttles and other cars find parking. On the way down I started talking to a La Jolla surfer next to me but he only surfed uppers so I continued to head down listening to Matt Costa and Flogging Molly. I took a shuttle the rest of the way down and my beanie accidentally fell outta me pocket on the shuttle. The beach was full of people.

I then set up and started getting shots of Kelly Slater and Owen Wright's morning heat.

The shot above is of Owen Wright, and below Kelly Slater.

I continued shooting for another 20 minutes or so and the waves were looking pretty good and the air was starting to warm up as there was a fair marine layer looming overhead. While I was shooting I was trying to get a hold of friend and mentor Steve Harp an amazing surfer and photographer who happened to be there at this time.

I put my camera away and began to search for Steve Harp and finally found him. We were watching Jordy Smith's heat and the waves just south of the contest area particularly the lefts were lookin really fun and rippable. The tide was dropping and the sun slowly creeping out. Harp told me I should go out which was just what I was thinking so I suited and waxed up and he told me he could get some shots of me also, i was stoked. Anyone who has ever surfed lowers on a low tide knows just hot sharp and also slippery the cobblestones lined with barnacles with waves pushing against you can be. So I paddled out and managed to get a few pretty fun lefts.

I came back in after an hour and a half or so and tried to make it back out but got stuck on the inside for what seemed like forever I must have gotten 20+ waves on the head and I was already tired so took one in to get some water and rewax. Paddled out again 20 minutes later and got some more good ones. Someone's nose broke and it was floating out there being tossed from one grom to another I grabbed it once and tossed it to some blonde grommet. There was a surfer out there named Nate, he was from Hanalei Bay Kauai, we both talked about some of the spots over there that we have both surfed, and talked about the idea of surf basketball. Where they would put inflatable trash-cans out in the water and when you surf by it, a small ball you pull out of your suit or from somewhere you toss it in as you surf by, Kobe couldnt handle. During the expression session Kolohe Andino paddles past, the waves reminded me of how sunset beach on the north shore would break minus the razor reef, warm water, and large hawaiians. I was the one sitting closest to the contest area and got a few really good rights and lefts there. Then came Kelly Slater and Bede Durbidge's final, a showdown of USA vs. Oz. After an intense right, Kelly paddled past us as we hooted and cheered as did the jetski dudes did. It was incredible surfing uncrowded trestles with slater and a few other guys although it technically wasnt lowers, but it also wasnt middles either. My board was getting increasingly more slippery so I paddled back in and sat down with Steve Harp and his GF. Watching the final and commenting on how epic the waves were, how glassy it was, and how Slater pulled off that 2 second barrel. Durbidge put up a good fight but it wasnt enough to take down the dominant slater. Shortly thereafter the awards ceremony was held and Pat-O, and Rob Machado both made little speeches on the event and the surfing.

Dane Reynolds barely said a couple words despite earning the 3 of the top 10 waves of the whole event. Durbidge mentioned on how he was to soon get married and Slater congratulated him and everyone else on their performances. He also stated "I would let 150 people punch me in the face to surf these waves and you guys are paying me to!" Then came the champagne, and the victor's check.

All in all, everyone surfed amazing, the waves were killer, the water about 60 degrees where this time of year it usually is about 69-73 degrees, the coldest summer I can ever remember.