Cloudbreak needs no introduction. It’s often labelled as the best wave in the world, and for good reason. I remember Joel Parkinson telling me once that it’s one of the few waves where the section can look like the scariest closeout, which you’re convinced you won’t make, but within a pump or two can become the best barrel of your life. Since then, I’ve always been curious to see if others echo the same sentiment.
Last week the Pacific provided ample opportunity to put Parko’s theory to the test, with an XL swell marching towards Cloudbreak and a plethora of heavy hitters travelling to Tavarua for the swell. The likes of Billy Kemper, Kai Lenny, Lucas Chumbo and Harry Bryant were all in attendance.
Amongst the pack of big wave beacons were also a few Fiji newcomers. For WA’s Ned Hart and Sydney’s Lex O’Connor, it was their first taste of it. The challenge was familiar territory for the pair who have been steadily making their mark in heavy waves across the globe, and neither looked out of place in a packed Cloudbreak lineup.
While the swell did not reach the heights of the Thundercloud swell which called off the Volcom Fiji Pro in 2012, there were still plenty of wash throughs and beat downs to keep those in the channel entertained. At either end of the swell there were a number of slightly smaller days which also presented opportunity for closeout looking cones that turn into the wave of your life.
We caught up with Ned and Lex to hear about their introduction to Cloudbreak, the madness of the swell, the standout performers and why they’ll both be heading back. Check out those conversations below.
Tell us about your first trip to Fiji, how’s it been? Looks like it’s been a full swell bender.
Lex: My first Fiji trip was amazing, we had surf well over six foot every day, me and my buddy Fletcher Kelleher, four to six hours in the water every day and got super sunburnt, full swell bender, we’re knackered but stoked to have a first sick trip there and will definitely be going back there for sure.
Did you have this trip planned for a while or did you just pull the trigger once you saw the swell?
Ned: This trip was a bit of a planned strike mission. I’d first heard about the swell two weeks out, but the forecast was extremely variable, so I started sketching out a plan to see if I could make it happen, given I was in Sumatra at the time. I didn’t pull the trigger until two days before.
Lex: It wasn’t really planned, I noticed something on the forecast about a week out, so I hit up my mate Fletcher, and we kept our eyes on it. About three days before the swell we booked our flights, it was just a swell strike and we scored.
How was it surfing Cloudbreak for the first time?
Ned: It was a surreal experience, to be honest. I’ve dreamt of surfing Cloudbreak for years, so being able to pull the pin and get it at that size was a bonus, you could say.
Lex: First day we got there it was only four to six feet, so it was a great introduction before the big day. Then the big day came and it was definitely surprising; it almost breaks like Queenie Bombie but a left. It’s so powerful and it breaks over deep water, it’s such an amazing wave.
A crazy introduction to the wave getting it at that size – Did anything surprise you about the wave or was it how you imagined?
Ned: Everything about the wave surprised me. It wasn’t anything like I’d painted in my head, it was a lot more technical and challenging than I’d expected. It can be a tricky wave to read unless you’ve got your wave selection dialled.
Lex: I was surprised about the power of the wave. Other than Nazare, it’s the only other wave I’ve used a pull vest and yeh it was well needed on some of the big ones that came through.
Tell us about the conditions over the last couple of days, it looks like it’s been unruly with a lot of wash throughs too.
Ned: The first few days of the swell were rogue, everything was getting broken up by the wind, there were straight closeouts if you picked the wrong waves. When it picked up, since it wasn’t quite breaking on the outside ledge, it got even harder. So, if you wanted a hollow wave, it forced you to sit in between and hope a clean one would sneak through to the inside.
Lex: On the big day it was tricky to find the good ones, it was super windy and big wash through sets that come through unexpectedly and because it was that in between size, 10-15ft maybe, where it wasn’t quite breaking on that second ledge properly, it was definitely hard to position yourself as the best ones were those inside 12 footers.
Describe your most memorable ride during the swell?
Ned: Not a single wave but a whole session. We were roasted from the past few days of sun and floggings, but we spent Monday dawn till dusk hoping for the window we got. It came as the backup swell was filling in on a flood tide, windy, but the combination made it line up beautifully and it was surging on the reef. Me and Robbie Goodwin both got the waves we were looking for before the rest of the crowd came out.
Lex: Most memorable one was my second wave on the big day, it was a slight insider from the second ledge, and it just doubled up, steep take off and bottom turned into a big closeout barrel which felt nice and then I ended up getting smoked after.
Scariest moment?
Ned: I found out fast that the higher up the point you are, the faster it sucks you back behind the reef. It was super low tide and ugly, there were only a couple crew battling.
Lex: Scariest moment was last day, it was only four to five feet and I went on a little insider and got tubed and then got greedy through the shish kebab section and ended up hitting my ribs on the reef, resulting in three broken ribs so that was pretty scary.
How was the crowd, it looked hectic?
Ned: There were certainly a few heavy hitters in the water, but it’s a huge playing field and especially when it’s washing through it breaks up the crowd. When it was smaller, clean, and lined up, it was a totally different story.
Lex: Crowd was hectic, 30-40 people almost every day. There were some big names out there – Billy Kemper, Kai Lenny, lots of other amazing big wave surfers.
Standout performer?
Ned: No doubt the wave of the swell goes to Pedro Calado, he wrangled one of the only outside ledge nuggets that came through. I also saw Lex O’Connor get a thick one, but he was too deep, which was insane. And I’d have to say Luke O’Connell, too, for the sheer quantity of quality waves I saw him on, unmatched.
Lex: Standout performer was the Brazilian guy Pedro Calado who got the best wave of the whole swell and then on the smaller days when it was six to eight feet, Fletcher Kelleher and Luke O’Connell they were getting some crazy ones.
Keep your eyes peeled for a full Tim Bonython edit dropping from the swell next week.
