A sign on the 130-year-old pier at Saltburn-by-the-Sea warns people not to jump off it. On a big surf day surfers make their way to the end of the sturdy 206 metre structure and jump like lemmings into the cold, murky North Sea. Words: Simon Palmer Photos: Ian Forsyth

From cliff-top vantage points to harbour hop-offs, beach-side hammocks to unglamorous car parks, Mat Arney raids his photo archive to document a different perspective in surfing

Ireland's fierce and unpredictable breaks have been valued by its home-grown big wave riders for some years now, but competition has been a long time coming. All that changed with the inaugral Mullaghmore Tow Session 2011. Conn Osborne got in harm's way to steal a photo essay.

In early 2008, longtime buddies Billy Hume, Jeff Myers, Joey Carter and Ben McBrien got together for a trip off the beaten track trip in search of waves and adventure. They headed for the icy waters of Alaska... Words: Jeff Myers Photos: Nick LaVecchia

Chris Burkard's photographs are about more than barrels, perfect point breaks, and carving radical lines – they capture a moment in which the surfer is a mere player and the real star is the scenery. Words: Dan Hamlin Photos: Chris Burkard

Chris Preston interviews Sydney's Matt Chojnacki. His surfing may be heavily influenced by the glories of the past, but to tag him as just another retro dude is missing the mark. Words: Chris Preston. Photos: Matt Johnson / thesealife.com.au


Carlos Burle up for XXL Big Barrel Award

February 03, 2010 | Words By: Finisterre

xxl_carlos_burleOn Christmas day 2009, Carlos Burle – renowned top ten big wave surfer became father to Reno Kai Moura Burle. That was a little over a month ago, in the meantime, he’s still been training on the North Shore and grabbing the occasional bomb off Pe’ahi.


According to the WHO (World Health Organization), once you become a parent you lower your life risks, in other words – you gear down. It seems according to Carlos Burle – you gear up. As Tom Kay, Finisterre’s founder described, “he’s not stopping, he continues to push the big wave world every year – Just a little over a month after his sons birth, he’s just scored one of the biggest barrels of his life. We knew this season was going to be a good one for Carlos in the Islands and he’s out of the gates with a pace”.

The barrel he grabbed at Pe’ahi was extraordinary – see the video below. Some industry pundits have suggested this is one of the biggest slots the North Shore has ever seen and with it follows once again – a XXL Big Wave Award Nomination.

We speak to Carlos often, we never ask anything of him, we’re just happy to have him close and then he pulls things like this out of the bag – so super stoked”, remarked Ernest Capbet, Finisterre’s Marketing Director.


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