In typical Nathan Florence fashion, the Hawaiian has started 2026 in the same vein as 2025, popping up in every part of the globe chasing swells across remote island chains, at home on the North Shore and, more recently, in the cold corners of an Irish winter.
Nate was joined by the likes of Russ Bierke, Willem Banks, Miguel Blanco and young Northern Beaches charger Lex O’Connor for a recent session at a heaving XL right hand slab which features a sketchy take off over a number of boils before the wave goes square top to bottom and tubes in front of rugged cliff faces.
Tim Bonython was on hand to capture the session for his ‘Surfing Visions’ YouTube channel. Here’s what he wrote about the day:
“A bigger swell. Cleaner lines. Super strong offshore winds. The kind of morning at the Cliffs of Moher that makes even the world’s best pause before they paddle.
This was as big as it gets out there – maxing, heaving and absolutely unforgiving. With that wind carnage was guaranteed.
Even the elite – Nathan Florence, Russell Bierke, Tom Lowe and Willem Banks were getting properly tested, trying to knife into towering, top-to-bottom barrels that looked like they could swallow a building.
Wait until you see Willem fall out of the sky on what had to be a 15–20 feet monster, somehow hold his line, set his rail and ride clean out of one of the waves of the swell. It’s the kind of ride that makes you rewind just to believe it.”
Hit the link above to watch.
