Powers of Three: Behind the Lens

FEATURES.

Riding the waves that others dare not surf.

12, 700, 50, 3, 25, 2, 18 and 0: seemingly innocuous numbers, but for me, full of significance. Let me explain.

I’m standing 12 inches from the edge of a 700 foot sheer drop to a no-chance-of-survival landing, in a 50mph wind that’s strong enough to push you places you really don’t want to go, just to get a clear view of 3 driven men, surfing in 25 foot swell in temperatures of 2 degrees, just hours before the heaviest snow for 18 years dumped all over these Isles. An experience I intend to repeat precisely 0 more times if possible.

But why?

Relentless is here on the beautiful, dramatic and when it choses, deadly West Coast of Ireland to make a new film, surrounding what can really only be described as a mission for big wave surfers Tom Lowe, Fergal Smith and photographer, videographer and diabolically talented discoverer of terrifying breaks, Mickey Smith.

At the time of writing, Tom Lowe is regrettably out for a few weeks with a dislocated shoulder.

This unassuming triumvirate, while able to surf in all manner of less imposing and frankly warmer locations, have chosen to make Ireland their winter project, to challenge, overcome and document what crosses the Atlantic and rears up in one last act of defiance before colliding with the immovable obstacle of jagged, unforgiving rock.

While there is a language to describe the precise nature of these waves, a surfer’s vernacular of power, weight, texture and so on, I am drawn to more prosaic terms. Tom, Fergal and Mickey can describe waves like an Eskimo can describe snow, but to me, these waves are purely and simply massive, unstoppable, moving unimaginable amounts of water at pace until they break and crash with a glorious and terrifying sound. Ahh, the sound - more like artillery fire than anything you might think water meeting rock would be able to generate.

For the rest of the season, Relentless will follow, record and then share, in conjunction with Carve magazine, what, if the Atlantic storms provide, will be an epic story. As production on the film progresses, we’ll keep you posted here.

ABOVE: Mickey Smith

Mickey runs a generously open house for those many surfers he counts as friends and, last week, two of the higher profile big wave surfers - who will remain nameless - visited from South Africa and California to share the Irish experience. I asked them how they found it out there, in this cold, turbulent Irish water, and the answer tells its own story: ‘30 seconds in and we knew we were in over our heads.’

For those who may suspect that I exaggerate for effect, on the day I arrived, one of the hardy locals who ventured in emerged with his nose uncomfortably close to his ear and a broken back. At the time of writing, Tom Lowe is regrettably out for a few weeks with a dislocated shoulder. Despite the acute frustration of the enforced rest, he is philosophical and feeling pretty lucky.

I asked them how they found it out there, in this cold, turbulent Irish water, and the answer tells its own story: ‘30 seconds in and we knew we were in over our heads.’

When asked to describe Tom’s battle with the wave, the descriptive language of the surfer seemed to abandon the usually articulate Mickey. After a long, contemplative pause, grasping for words, he finally said, eyes staring at the floor, ‘Basically, a house fell on him.’

I’ve since seen the footage. Take it from me, ‘house’ is too small a word.