20 years ago, i would paddle out to big 2nd reef Pipeline and sit right on the inside ledge. it’s a very dangerous place to wait because 15′ Pipeline sets will break on your head. i would take that risk for one reason and one reason only. i wanted to ride the biggest Backdoor barrel out there. when it’s that big, you have to be patient because there is only one or two perfect ones all morning long. and sometimes none at all. i would wait for hours and get smashed on the head by 15′ waves but i knew if i was lucky enough, i could get the wave of the day. on this day, i saw huge waves breaking outside on the third reef at Pipeline. everybody was paddling their hardest to the channel to avoid it. if you do that, you won’t be in position so you have to be kind of crazy patient and wait in the impact zone. i saw this wave trying to break on the second reef and it backed off and started to grow tall and wide right before it hit the ledge. i turned around and paddled my hardest. i knew if i missed it, the 3 bigger waves behind would destroy me. so i’d rather die trying. after i made the drop and did my bottom turn, i saw the whole ocean starting to dump over my head. i was deep and the barrel then it spit me out. for the next 10 years, i searched and searched for something bigger, then i realized that that was maximum Backdoor. it don’t get bigger than that. i’ll never forget that special day…
thank you Kimoro Kondo for capturing my life changing moment. i remember you were the only photographer shooting from Off The Wall that day. i guess you knew too that this gem was coming. haha…
