Photographer John Respondek’s South Pacific Outtakes

A few extra frames from TSJ 34.3’s “The Cradle of Polynesia.”

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Kael Walsh

“I got some really nice waves. Harry was going ballistic, as he always is. Dion was sitting right over the ledge and getting under some crazy double-ups—proper square ones. Kael, Louie, and Toby all got plenty of huge tubes. Lucas did really well out there. He knew the lineup like the back of his hand, and it was paying off. He was getting about as deep as possible, it seemed. We surfed ourselves silly for about five hours, then the wind picked up.” —Chippa Wilson

Harry Bryant

“It’s nice visiting tropical zones that aren’t your bread and butter with easily accessible breaks—Indonesia is littered with surf camps like that. I’m entering a stage in my career where I know exactly what to expect because I’ve traveled to many similar setups. But going to Samoa had a sense of adventure and exploration that made it exciting regardless of the waves. It was just a bonus that the surf was 10 feet and offshore.” —Harry Bryant

Chippa Wilson

“Even though it was big and glassy, it was still pretty rogue out there. Being undergunned, it was hard to pick the good ones. Harry was doing well on a bigger board.” —Kael Walsh

Dion Agius
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