The swell charts had been saying it for a couple days, but when the North Shore awoke on Friday morning, it didn’t seem to follow through. Predicted swells as of Thursday night were calling for 18-24 feet and rapidly rising, yet when the sun rose, there were small waves everywhere. As the day stretched on, the swell filled in. By the evening, massive sets poured in at the most famous spot in the world: Pipeline. Second and the occasional third reef waves were pouring in and it was all surfers could do to hang on as they descended these beasts. Watching it was a thing of beauty and made viewers consider the origin of the phrase “heart in your throat” as surfers, one after the other, took a steep drop.
Torrey Meister may have had the wave of the winter as he scored a huge wave at Backdoor (sequence in gallery), which makes for a great year as far as his career is concerned with a win at the Santa Cruz Coldwater Classic and, consequently, a sponsorship from O’Neill.
This evening of breathtaking swell precedes the final day of competition at the 2013 Billabong Pipe Masters and what is sure to be a fierce battle between some of the world’s very best surfers. It’s either Kelly or Mick’s to hoist when the day is through and there is no better arena, no better conditions.
All photos taken by Peter Joli Wilson. See more of his work here.