While the rest of the crew was elsewhere when an early-season swell hit Maui recently, Pe’ahi still had its moments. The morning started slow and then it all went from zero to 100 in what felt like an instant.
A ski driver showed up and tried to outrun a wave. He didn’t. It ate him up. I was amazed the ski didn’t flip in all the carnage and that it actually started right back up. Sometime after that, two guys paddled out and watched for a while before each took at least one wave on the inside.
And then Nic Lamb paddled out solo and headed straight for the peak. When a big set came one of the other surfers got caught inside and snapped his board. He was left with one helluva time stuck in the rip and trying to swim back to shore. His buddy shared his board and eventually, the two were able to work their way far enough inside to get pushed back into shore. While all of that happened, Nic was left out the back with Pe’ahi all to himself.
“This could be the first time in 15 years or more that someone surfed it alone with no safety,” videographer Marcus Rodrigues said. “It was like a trip back in time watching these giant waves break with no one around.”
Editor’s Note: You can find more from photographer Aaron Lynton and videographer Marcus Rodrigues on Instagram.
