Halves #10 NilDestination

Today, with the Internet at our fingertips, seven-day forecasts, swell maps, and wind charts, it is easy to get carried away when it comes to the next blip on the system. It’s Tuesday and you’re already getting calls about the weekend. “Where should we surf? Where should we go? Yeah, I think it will be on. The wind sucks on Sat morning, but then it swings and the period pulses…Geez it’s going to be cooking!”

Then you have four days to dream up visions of how good it is going to be. It is a blessing, but also a burden, that the human psyche is very positive. What I mean is, when you look forward to something, it’s not like you imagine it is going to be shit, do you? So when you have days to build on your imagination it often becomes the case that reality doesn’t live up to the projection of the mind. So what is the answer? How do you set yourself up so you’re not just hit back down?

NO EXPECTATIONS : Words by Ryan Glover

Check out the short film for NILDESTINATION BY CLICKING HERE.

2

HALVES #10

Published by DAMAGED GOODS ZINE

Art Direction JAMES SKIVINGTON

Photography JEREME AUBERTIN RAMBO ESTRADA

Layup & Design JEREME AUBERTIN KAREN DOWNEY

Words RYAN GLOVER JEREME AUBERTIN

On the cover / Luke Hynd

nil destination

is a long-weekend road trip with Luke Hynd, Alex Dive and Sean Kettle. Bugger all planning窶馬o set destination and no expectations. Escape the real world for a while and discard all expectations about what the waves could or should be like. Anything will be fun.

PHOTOS: ESTRADA

6

8

LUKE “We nicknamed this wave ‘the grub’, as it ended up being our workhorse break for the trip. The wave itself is unique because it was pretty far out to sea, but the peak broke in the same spot every time.”

PHOTO: JEREME

Luke HYND Perfect emerald green walls greeted the boys on the very first session, a boulder setup that had a really northern California feel in regards to water colour and surface conditions.

Mechanical rights and lefts peeled forever off a perfect A-frame peak.

PHOTO: ESTRADA

10

12

ALEX was the first out every session; he couldn’t contain himself and who could blame him? Matching power with power on the long walled rights.

PHOTO: JEREME

Luke has a perfect mix of style and unpredictability in the water. His surfing was very impressive and mature—well beyond his 19 years of age. Every wave was linked perfectly with smooth transitions, solid rail game and a very high strike rate above the lip.

What made it even cooler was that you never knew what he was gonna do next.

PHOTOS: JEREME

14

16

ALEX DIVE Alex hunting out a little cover up.

PHOTO: JEREME

18

SEAN KETTLE It wasn’t really a road trip for Sean Kettle; he was a local and our guide, you could say.

Although he was terrible when it came to making any kind of call, he sure knew his way around every wave we hit.

PHOTO: JEREME

It only takes one wave to change your entire perception of a surf. Try focusing on catching just one good wave and your entire session will feel far more enjoyable. Luke and Alex finding a couple in average conditions.

20

SEAN KETTLE Impressing the locals…in and out of the water.

PHOTOS: JEREME

22

When something took our interest we would stop and check it out.

Because we weren’t expecting anything, there was no racing ‘just to get there’; we took our time to enjoy new surroundings.

PHOTOS: JEREME

24

26

LUKE HYND Coffee breaks are essential on any trip. Luke juiced up on caffeine.

PHOTOS: JEREME

28

Tom Smith, our filmer, was also a local on the trip and brought us here to this spot. He said that he surfs it regularly and it was the best wave his home has to offer…but we had heard a gnarly guy named P-rat ruled the place. Tom swore that in fact he was the head local out there, not P-rat, and assured the visiting lads that they would get a few waves out there if they were seen with him (Tom). It worked and Alex snagged this lovely set wave off the heavy pack.

PHOTO: ESTRADA

30

Sean didn’t believe Tom and wanted to play things pretty low key while we were around so he could keep his own local status intact. Hood up, sunnies on and moving too fast in the water for anyone to recognise him.

PHOTOS: JEREME

Luke almost refused to surf out here after the stories he had heard. Once knew Tom Smith had his back it was all good though.

PHOTOS: JEREME

32

Is that P-rat? No wait, it’s Sean Kettle…Some say the locals are basically part of the scenery here.

PHOTOS: ESTRADA

34

We took a risk for this little novelty session. The waves were OK right in front of us, and yet we decided to drive almost two hours down the coast on a whim. We were greeted by perfect 3ft shore-break peaks. Maybe it wasn’t as good as that…maybe it was only 2ft…but we didn’t care—we had expected it to be flat.

PHOTO: ESTRADA

36

PHOTO: JEREME

PHOTO: JEREME

The waves were so close to shore you could yell at the boys in the water. Alex sneaking into a super fun little wedge.

PHOTO: JEREME

38

40

PHOTO: ESTRADA

LUKE. PHOTO: JEREME

PHOTO: ESTRADA

42

Sean is generally so laid back you’d think he’s about to fall over, though when we pulled up to this novelty spot, firing fun little corners left and right, I’d never seen a man so possessed.

PHOTOS: JEREME

44

Life is about perception and a small thing like an expectation can alter your whole experience.

Luke looking very content with his surroundings.

PHOTOS: JEREME

We woke this morning to a pleasant surprise. The waves were amazing in town and we didn’t need to drive anywhere. Luke getting stuck right in.

PHOTOS: JEREME

46

Sometimes everything can go your way on a surf trip: the wind cooperates, the swell fills in; and when you have few or no expectations, it can all seem too good to be true.

Alex Dive inside the wave of the trip.

PHOTO: JEREME

48

Our final afternoon back out at our favourite wave, ‘the grub’. Luke hooking under the lip.

PHOTO: JEREME

50

PHOTO: ESTRADA

52

Afternoons at the grub would be brushed by a cross-shore trade wind, making clean faces on the rights and wind into the face of the lefts for Luke to throw a little flare.

PHOTO: JEREME

Eventually the wind would drop completely, making the dreamiest walls you could imagine.

Luke mixing it up with a different line.

PHOTOS:JEREME

54

PHOTO: ESTRADA

PHOTO: ESTRADA

56

It’s surreal to be out in the water and then looking towards land to see a snow covered mountain. Only thing is, a river that runs directly from the mountain flows out through this wave.

Alex Dive feeling pleased he’s head to toe in rubber.

PHOTOS: ESTRADA

58

Luke Hynd, frontside spin as cool as you like. Check out the short film for NILDESTINATION BY CLICKING HERE. PHOTOS: JEREME

60

This trip was made possible thanks to our good buddies at Dragon Alliance. Hit this LINK to grab yourself a pair online or in-store at North Beach and Amazon.

PHOTO: JEREME

62

damagedgoodszine.com