NLV Editions 1155: Mid Tide

Having surfed the shallow slabs and reefs of Australia's east coast for three decades, finding the right conditions at a particular spot has been a lifelong pursuit. There are so many factors to consider, such as swell direction, the period of time in between each swell (a longer period means more powerful waves), wind direction and speed, as well as the tidal height. Not to mention the differently formed shapes of each reef, point break, or beach and their sandbars. Over the years, I have found that more often than not, most breaks work best at mid-tide. Occasionally, some spots work best at high tide, and even more rarely, dead low tide is good.

The spot where this piece was captured works best at mid-tide going high. The shape of each wave pitches more and creates a hollower barrel inside the wave. I find that the best conditions for surfing also produce the best conditions for photography, which can be a tough choice for a surf-obsessed photographer.