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Watching this video makes me sad. It reminds me too much of how Sebastian Inlet’s First Peak used to break before mechanical science killed the wave post jetty reno. And it sucks still. Hard. I moved from Jersey to Central Florida to be near this wave and to photograph it’s cutting edge crew while witnessing up close Slaters moonshot rise from grom to G.O.A.T. Shooting that unique, one-of-a-kind wave with all those rippers was the absolute shit and I owe it, and that crew, a lot. It helped get me a senior staff position at Surfer Mag ( thanks Lisa Roselli! ) covers, centerfolds, posters $6,000. photo buy-outs and so many ad shots sold to all the big brands that it paid a nice chunk of my mortgage. And, most importantly it led me to the eventual birth of Eastern Surf Magazine 30 years ago this month with my partner at www.easternsurf.com, Tom Dugan. Watching this brought back a flood of memories how that peak use to bounce off the jetty and do the freakiest, craziest stuff I have ever seen any wave do on this coast and most places I have travelled to. This edit of First Peaks more potent,Pacific Doppelganger looks a lightly edited rough cut. No music, just the sound of the breaking waves with a little filmer chat and a lot of no makes. And honestly, it’s actually really cool that way and just like being at the beach watching every ride, good, bad and ugly. Hopefully this wave will not suffer the same consequence as Sebastian Inlet’s First Peak and it made me so sad I’ve watched it three times already. And I’m definitely planning to watch it again and drop more tears in my beers. Viva La Cima ! – Mez –
Shea Lopez takes the First Peak Freak Wave challenge trying to get over the hump during the legendary “Fat Tuesday Swell” circa March 3’rd, 2001. Photo: Mez
