Sometimes it takes the view of the outsider to capture what locals take for granted.

Distance adds perspective.

If you’ve been visiting Swellnet for any length of time then you’ve no doubt seen Steve Arklay’s photographic work. Aside from the odd gallery he's a regular in the Wave Of The day slot. West Oz, King Island, remote Victoria, his work roams where he does, yet overwhelmingly the surfscape in his viewfinder is that of Thirteenth Beach - the stretch of sand-over-rock west of Port Phillip Bay.

Steve didn’t grow up there, not even in nearby Ocean Grove. He’s originally from Geelong and the introduction to the coast came via schoolmates and long trips via public transport. Time spent overseas followed, plus he discovered photography - his own lens upon the world.

When he returned, Steve set up home in Barwon Heads and found the ideal studio just over the dune line; the beach to where those distant journeys led.

The coastal orientation gives Thirteenth an advantage over nearby waves. From Cape Otway to Breamlea the coast faces away from the incoming swell, yet a kink in the coast at Thirteenth increases incoming energy - also increasing the hit rate.

“There have been instances in autumn or winter,” says Steve, “when I’ve shot seven days straight from dawn to dusk - whether that’s from the water or land or a bit of both.”

So far so good.

What really elevates Thirteenth, however, are the things that you can’t see - a series of offshore bommies that transform the incoming energy from long straight lines into joyful wedges and peaks. They also add to the complexity and options for surfers and photographers.

“The variety of breaks along the seven-kilometre stretch is unique,” says Steve, “Beachies, bommies, reefbreaks, miniature slabs, shorebreaks, not to mention the marine sanctuary around the bluff on the eastern end of the beach.”

The on land features are also part of the appeal. “One of my favourite aspects of Thirteenth is that when surfing or shooting you can’t see any houses along the beach,” says Steve.” It's pretty amazing to have the houses set back behind the dune system to give surfers a rewarding connection to the beach and environment.”

Published last month, the eponymous book isn’t weighed down by text or story, and the reason is simple. “It would result in less images,” explains Steve. “Besides, I thought I’d let my photos do the talking as a picture says a…” you know how the rest goes.

Doing the sums, that means 'Thirteenth' contains 200,000 unwritten words.

Some of the images Swellnet readers may have seen before, though most remain unpublished. In its entirety, 'Thirteenth' is an all angles, all seasons study of a single stretch of coastline. It must sound like madness to anyone but a surfer. 

Though not part of the artistic process, Steve pays kudos to the locals who, along with the waves and the light, also compel him to keep visiting the same stretch of coastline.

“Creating this book has been an awesome passion project,” says Steve of the hours going through his archives, short-listing images from literally thousands of prospective files, “but I’m thrilled to share it with the surfers, locals, and others who love Thirteenth Beach.”

'Thirteenth' is 160 glossy pages and is available from Steve's website.