I
remember it as if it were yesterday standing on the beach at The Spit, looking
down at a lone surfer taking some late
afternoon offshore lefts just next to the pier.
Next to me a bloke named Jeff is telling me,
“See? See how she surfs, she’s got it” - and
she certainly had something. It was easy to
spot, and it wasn’t her ability or skill, it wasn’t
her style or power, it was simply her stance.
The most fundamental building block of high
performance surfing was just oozing out of
her surfing - she was low, her feet set right,
her shoulders turned in and her bottom turn
was perfect.
Jeff had commissioned me to shoot some
water footage of his daughter - a frothing
thriteen-year-old named Stephanie and I had taken them to where
the north west winds blow
best. I think it was
the first water
footage
ever shot of Steph and we had nailed a few
close passes in the golden light. I had already
left the water, satisfied that we had captured
all that we could, but Steph stayed out just
going for one more, and one more, and again
and again. Jeff would later have to signal for
her to come in. I think she would have stayed
‘til darkness fell had he not been there to call
her home.
I admit I was honestly a little
sceptical, and I put it down
to my presumption
that Jeff is
being
e
h
ds
n
r a ght
a
i
ye
g r Wr
n
is
azi yle
m -T
th
a
are now
an it.”
h
did ved
ll s for e
a
e
ld ine mor
Sh eser
“ d
u
co t’s m Gil
we ut i nie
ish r, b pha
w
“I ethe - Ste
tog ha!”
LiQUiFY | 88