For a hot second there a few years back, finless surfing almost caught on. People like Derek Hynd made us regular folk think that we too could glide effortlessly, friction and fins free, spinning as we pleased.
But most everyone soon realized that finless surfing is incredibly difficult. Oh sure, you can paddle into a wave, but more likely than not, the finless learner will not be making a bottom turn. But with the knowledge of just how hard it is comes a new appreciation for those who are good at it. Like Tahlija Redgard.
Now, you might not have heard of Redgard, but her surfing is, in a word, spectacular. She’s a surfer, through and through, living her life as the waves dictate.
She will surf any wave, big or small, barreling or not. All kinds of surfboards, too. And when she rocked up to a NSW beach on a wet and windy day, her surfboard of choice was one without fins.
