Like a reaper on the rocks, Benny Serrano stood atop the Deadmans cliff this morning. Hooded and grim with violin pressed to his neck he played a soft lament. The music soared and then it fell, as did the fortunes of the surfers below; from huge barrels to frightful wipeouts Benny provided the soundtrack to their session.

The oscillating harmony best exemplified by the last sequence: a simple drop followed by a horror one-footed ride through the bowl into an inside barrel.

All photos by Craig Brokensha.