Great South Land | Swellnet

A volley of emails leads to a quick dash down underer where Ross Clarke-Jones hooks up with Doug Young and photographer Derek Morrison of Box of Light, the three of them motoring into New Zealand's deep south.

Young is one of New Zealand's finest big wave surfers and, like RCJ, thinks nothing of pulling out the throttle as lightning, wind, and 20 foot seas - the whole fire and brimstone happenstance - unfolds around them.

Ben Matson - Wednesday 30th September:
Ross - not sure if you're keen for an NZ mission, but it looks like there’s gonna be a window of good winds and a mackin’ swell at Papas on Sunday, probably 20ft+.

At the moment it looks like it’ll be offshore in the morning but become really windy throughout the day as another front approaches (gale/storm force W’ly eventually tending S’ly) but I reckon there’ll be a good 6 hour period through the day where it’s huge and clean from the W/NW or NW.

RCJ - frothing!
Ross Clarke-Jones - Wednesday 30th September
I'm keen! Who's got a ski there?

Derek Morrison - Wednesday 30th September
Let me check with the lads. My alerts haven’t pinged yet, but will double check with everyone.
Ross Clarke-Jones - Friday 1st October
Frothing now! Just finished racing Porsches with Mark Webber at Eastern Creek, and read him your forecast. Wonder if he wants to come and experience my racetrack? Ha!

Significant wave height goes into the white as the isobars converge south of New Zealand
Derek Morrison - Friday 2nd October
Holy shit this forecast looks good and the signs are already peaking on other models, so let’s make this happen. Best bet will be to fly into Dunedin. I believe we have an assortment of skis for this one, but check with Doug Young as to how we make it work.

Ben - pretty excited to see you peg this one so far off. Looking forward to making the most of it.

Doug Young - "Mad as ever"
Ross Clarke-Jones - Friday 2nd October
Already made contact with Dougy, mad as ever, and trying to sort flights out… what a mission.

Ben Matson - Friday 2nd October
Latest forecast looks well and truly on track, it’s looking to be large all day - swell front kicking in around dawn, rapid increase through the morning, peak around lunchtime holding into the afternoon.

As mentioned in earlier forecasts, the only concerns are the winds - direction will be fine for most of the day but another intense low approaching from the west will initially strengthen N/NW winds through the morning to 25-30kts, before swinging W/NW at 35-40kts mid-late afternoon.

So, winds will become very strong at times.

Papas overview
Ross Clarke-Jones - Sunday 4th October 7am
Hey Ben! Standing here at Papas with Dougy. Swell starting to kick. No wind! What's the latest?

Ben Matson - Sunday 4th October 7:15am
Wow.. I’m very surprised that there’s no wind - at 9am Stewart Island was reporting NW winds at 45kts! So it’ll probably get very windy soon. As for surf - it should build rapidly all morning with a peak expected this afternoon. I don’t have any other data available to verify the incoming swells (i.e. there are no wave buoys off the coast like we have in Australia) so we’ve just gotta hang in there. But it’s definitely coming!
Ross Clarke-Jones - Sunday 4th October 8am
It's definitely showing now on this other reef! Going out now, we're down the coast from Papas.
Troy Clutton:
I foiled the first prototype for C-Drive fins in early 2002 and have continually developed the design to this day. Basically we took the surface area out of the middle to tip of the fin and extended the base with a secondary fin.

The reduced surface area in the middle to tip of the fin allows for manoeuvrability and the extended base gives you drive and stability. The shape is derived from balancing those two key components - base length and surface area.

Ross and Maurice have been tow surfing C-Drive for over five years. I'm guessing the combination of drive, stability and manoeuvrability is why they use 'em.

Dan 'Delta' Smith cave dwelling in EnZed's deep south
"It’s the most wind I've ever attempted to tow in." - RCJ
Ross Clarke-Jones - Sunday 4th October 11am
Just got in. The wind was so strong offshore, struggled to get Dougy on one or two. It’s the most wind I've ever attempted to tow in! We're aborting and trying to back track to Papas before the winds hit - it's beyond gale force! The ski is so light and was getting airborne.
RCJ winding out across a Papatowai wall
Dan 'Delta' Smith with the devil at his heels
Ross Clarke-Jones - Sunday 4th October 3pm
Just came in from Papas. I reckon we got the peak and nailed a few nice buttery clean ones, then all hell broke loose! Lightning, thunder and hail - classic Storm Surfers shit! I reckon I got my biggest one in the hail storm! Good call, well worth the trip over.

StokedI
Derek Morrison - Sunday 4th October 5pm
It was really big with howling winds! Some amazing waves ridden between the lads with horizontal rain, lightning and hail. An epic day out as always when Dougy and Ross are involved.

"Lightning, thunder and hail - classic Storm Surfers shit!"
Many thanks to Derek Morrison from Box Of Light, without whom this trip couldn't have been possible.
Swellnet would also like to thank Mick Freeman.

Comments

saltmotion Friday, 16 Oct 2015 at 1:58pm

"Swellnet would also like to thank Mick Freeman."

Epic mission fellas' just wondering where Mick fits into the picture?

Joel...

wellymon Friday, 16 Oct 2015 at 6:15pm

Mick knows a few cats for sure haha;)

Great journey/article.

Hi Derek, how's things going! Still pushing the button on that lens of yours, nice work, Welly ;)

stunet Friday, 16 Oct 2015 at 2:01pm

Prolly best summed up as 'networking help'.

You know how it is.

caml Friday, 16 Oct 2015 at 3:30pm

Great pictures of the escaped madmen ross & doug during the breakout

memlasurf Friday, 16 Oct 2015 at 5:06pm

Hard core that one. Freezing water, massive waves and howling wind, makes the warm water chargers look like pussies. Well done.

pigdogger Friday, 16 Oct 2015 at 5:47pm

Great story. It's even got a rainbow.

wellymon Saturday, 17 Oct 2015 at 6:37pm

No local boys out during the session!

stunet Sunday, 18 Oct 2015 at 4:13pm

Couple of local lads Welly. Dan 'Delta' Smith, Sam Hawke, and Andy Eman were giving it a nudge. In fact it's Delta not Dougy with the 'devil at his heels' in the photos. Fellas got in touch and I corrected it.

caml Saturday, 17 Oct 2015 at 9:50pm

I saw picture with the lineup & paddlers on the peak . Rusty was there

wellymon Saturday, 17 Oct 2015 at 9:54pm

A few good young Dunedin paddlers down thats ways Caml, you'd be proud of the for sure :-)

caml Saturday, 17 Oct 2015 at 10:05pm

How are the crowds ? Do they mind pictures exposure etc ?

caml Sunday, 18 Oct 2015 at 4:32pm

Right ?

stunet Sunday, 18 Oct 2015 at 4:34pm

Got emails from them this morning Camel. Only issue is that we got some names wrong (fixed now).

caml Sunday, 18 Oct 2015 at 5:24pm

Good to hear

caml Sunday, 18 Oct 2015 at 5:24pm

No reply from wely

wellymon Sunday, 18 Oct 2015 at 6:46pm

Not sure Camel.
My best mate has been surfing the joint for years and mentioned awhile back that a few young crew paddling in now who are charging;)

caml Sunday, 18 Oct 2015 at 9:51pm

Yeah you just confirmed what already thought welly . Leroy & me have been competing & very closely too . We have been in the finals of the oakley bwa for the last 3 yrs in the top group always . I figure what you saying is they're charging & keeping it lowdown & not blowing trumpets about the wave & their feats

huggie11 Monday, 19 Oct 2015 at 7:27am

Nice one

the diggly Sunday, 1 Nov 2015 at 7:01pm

Boys be paddlin underground these kooks be bluffin! Fuck evey one ! these poofs no nothing ! look out
t.p.o.s be coming we a do not partake in any ass fucken sus cunts be clucking! I crant stop chucking swellnet no"s nothing >>>>> thanks for discssing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

caml Sunday, 1 Nov 2015 at 11:23pm

Got the feeling that the ol tow surfing a spot theres crew paddling goes on here . Well its the same here .

crip Monday, 2 Nov 2015 at 8:28am

Could someone translate for me?

Many thanks to Derek Morrison from Box Of Light, without whom this trip couldn't have been possible.
Swellnet would also like to thank Mick Freeman.

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Many thanks to Derek Morrison from Box Of Light, without whom this trip couldn't have been possible. Swellnet would also like to thank Mick Freeman.

Comments

Many thanks to Derek Morrison from Box Of Light, without whom this trip couldn't have been possible.
Swellnet would also like to thank Mick Freeman.