Soli Bailey has a lot to smile about. The newly crowned Australasia Junior Champion has just got back from Indo and into some of the best swells the east coast has seen all winter. To top it off he calls the warmer waters of Byron Bay home, which is fast becoming a surfing Mecca. Sure, that can have its downsides with more crowded lineups but if you’re in the know you can always find perfection lurking nearby. “We had this spot all to ourselves for the first two hours without another soul around,” recalls Chris Peel who nailed this shot. “The last couple of swells to hit the east coast have been some of the best waves we have received all year. Soli had just got back from a two month stint in Indo getting absolutely shacked off his brain to come home to perfect 4-5 foot barrels. The only difference was he was wearing a wetty.”

Photo: Chris Peel