Each year there is a particular swell event or a single session that stands out from the rest. It’ll become a highlight for the year and if good enough, it’ll withstand the test of time and be etched into memories forever. On 7 March 2024, Cloudbreak went XXL and delivered perfect freight train tubes, many of which will go down in history as personal bests for those who had the cojones to take it on. If you don’t recall the session I’m talking about, you may recount one of these moments, all of which blew up on the internet: Soli Bailey’s year defining ride, cones that featured in Benji Brand, Parker Coffin and Conner Coffin’s Snapt5 parts, and Billy Kemper’s free fall wipeout.
After sitting on absurd amount of A1 footage from that session for almost two years, surf filmmaker and drone lord Tucker Wooding has just released an edit titled ‘Perfect Cloudbreak – The Best Surfing I Have Ever Seen’, which also includes shots from Tim Bonython and Zoard Janko. Tucker sat on the footage as multiple clips were being used for the Snapt5 film which requires surfer’s to hold onto their clips and prevent them from being leaked on socials until the film is out.
The session included a heavweight lineup of surfing’s biggest chargers: Nathan Florence, Billy Kemper, Benji Brand, Conner Coffin, Parker Coffin, Soli Bailey, Jai Glindeman, and Che Slater.
Tucker said the session included some of the ‘most insanely perfect waves’ he’d seen and said the display of surfing and tube riding was second to none. We decided to hit him up to learn more about that memorable day.
What was it like being in the channel that day?
Being in the channel that day was almost indescribable. Usually when I’m flying drones I’m on land during these swells. This was the first time I’ve had the chance to actually be on the boat with the crew and feel that energy as a set rolls in and everyone hoots and hollas from the channel. I still haven’t felt energy like that since then. Tom Jennings was out there swimming going back and forth from the channel, that guy is a mad man.
What made this the best surfing you’ve ever seen?
When it comes to my surf film career so far I’ve had two sessions that are in the realm of best ever. There was that Jaws swell, but this one at Cloudbreak outmatched it by a lot. Firstly, just being in the channel added to the whole experience and then the swell actually over performed, the waves were just perfect. So many of the guys in the water like Benji and Billy were fully tripping out afterwards claiming it was the best day of surfing they’ve had. We had a pretty good party afterwards so it all wrapped into being this crazy day. I could retire now and be totally fine haha
Were there any standouts?
Jai Glindeman had two crazy waves, Soli got some nuts ones but to be honest everyone was a standout. Billy blew his MCL out on one and then caught two crazy waves after. I’d say Benji was also a big standout, he got so many good ones. It was one of my first times hanging with Benji, he’s such a nice guy and I love his approach out there.
What’s it like shooting Cloudbreak at that size?
Shooting Cloudbreak at that size didn’t even feel real. We were there a few days before and I got a feeling for flying the drone out there when it’s small. But on the day of the swell, we rocked up and I just knew visually in my head of what I was going to film was going to be insane looking, it doesn’t even look real sometimes. Filming on a day like that can be so chaotic with so many boats in the channel. You have to be so locked in with your timing and the speed of how fast the drone is going because those sets break so quickly. I was glued to a screen all day and I think it worked out pretty well haha
Is that as good as Cloudbreak gets?
I’ve seen those swells in the past at Cloudbreak that are like full monsters, there was that one in 2012 where Dave Wassel got one and then that Ramon swell, so I mean there has been way bigger days but conditions wise and for some of the waves that were ridden that day, I’d say conditions wise that’s as good as it gets. Maybe I’m biased because I was there filming it, but I’d say that’s as good a day of surfing can get. Tom Jennings, Billy, Nate were all saying it was as good as it gets. I hope get an opportunity for a day like that again, it was the most rewarding feeling I’ve had from filming and it was so special to be apart of.
