"I only thought it was going to be a day of big surf," says Wilem Banks, "but lo and behold we got five days of pumping swell and perfect conditions."

Season 2024/25 was a banner year for Hawaiian surfers. A seemingly endless stream of storms deepening off Japan cast their vibrations far across the North Pacific. This meant weeks of west swell for Pipe, and when Pipe got too big then those same west swells did magical things at Peahi on Maui.

Typically a one-and-done wave - one stellar day then wait and wait till it breaks again - Peahi went back to back allowing surfers to leave off from where they left off the day before, pushing the performance barrier to never before seen heights.

You all know Tucker Wooding from his drone work, but here he's matched his footage with that of other shooters. Plucked a five-surfer storyline from the morass and given it his full-saturation treatment.

The three-way coverage of Wilem Banks' mine-shaft drop is the high point. Wilem describes the moments leading up to the wave, his movements backed by drone and channel footage. Only ten or so seconds of real time yet maxed out with emotion.

"The adrenaline dump was just out of this world," says Wilem of the aftermath.

Highly recommended viewing.