Interview: Alex Harmon. Main image: @phresh

One May day it was flat and then, seemingly out of nowhere, the east coast of NSW was lashed with huge southerly swells. Beaches along the coastline were hammered by wild surf as strong winds up to 70km/hr churned the ocean. While most of us took note of the hazardous surf conditions and stayed on dry land, some brave surfers flocked to the ocean to take on mammoth waves. These guys took a beating but came out relatively unscathed, many saying they scored the waves of a lifetime.

One of these surfers happened to be Joel Pilgrim, CEO and co-founder of WOW. He paddled out to Wedding Cake Island (near Coogee Beach in Sydney) where the mountainous waves were at least 12-14ft high.

We quizzed him about what it takes to tackle waves of this size, how he prepares mentally and his advice for anyone wanting to take their surfing to the next level (after all, the size of ‘big waves’ are relative to the surfer).

In the days leading up to big swell, how do you prepare yourself?

Check the forecast: There’s a bunch of factors that need to work together to get good conditions – wave height, wave direction, wave period, wind direction, wind speed. Checking the weather and swell charts is a sport in itself. You can often see weather systems and swells coming from a while away, but more often than not the swell is downgraded the closer it gets
This reduction in swell size can be from a range of things, but a big one on the east coast can be there's too much west in the swell. If that's the case, it simply marches past the coastline, and it's hard to watch those big groundswells on the horizon while it's missing the beaches. This time around the charts were looking good the whole time, so you start to get pretty amped.

Equipment prep is a big part of it, having the right gear, that you can trust. Snapping your board or leggy can get pretty wild when you're out at sea. As you can imagine, there's a lot of pressure slamming down in big waves, so boards do break, but having a proper board is key (I used to be a battler and take out longboards and was almost guaranteed to snap a board on a big wave session).
It's one thing to have the gear, but you've also got to check it's in working order. Board – check. Legrope – check. Fins – check. Wetsuit – check. Impact vest – check. Booties – check. Wax – check.
If the swell is building sometimes you can get a session in the evening before. I managed to score a fun little session solo at a great spot between Coogee and Maroubra, with a mate watching on, shooting. A few beatings help to get you excited for the next day.

You wake up on the day of big swell, what goes through your mind?

The goal is to always be calm. You make silly decisions when you rush, so I wake up super early so I’ve got enough time to get ready without rushing. I make sure I eat a decent meal so I’ve got a good level of energy. Oxygen levels in the body are super affected by hydration, so I drink stacks of water too. The car is packed the night before, and the morning poop is key so nature doesn’t call when you’re in the middle of the ocean in a full length wetsuit!
The big question on your mind is usually “How big is it?!” I jump on a range of apps to see the current conditions live, as they can change a fair bit over night. When you read 6 meter waves at 180 degrees, that’s when the heart starts going – and the sun isn’t even up.

What's going on in your head just before you paddle out?

I always check the surf for a while before heading out, you want to see a good 15-20 minutes so you know what you’re in for. Where is it breaking? What angle is it hitting the reef? Are there wash-through sets? How far wide do I need to paddle? You never want to go out by yourself in the real big stuff, so keeping in touch with who’s heading out is a good shout.
You’ve made the call, it’s a green light! While suiting up you’re buzzing. It’s a tight squeeze stretching the steamer over your impact vest, so you’re jumping and wriggling around in excitement.
First things first, you have to navigate the cliff and rocks. Big wave surf spots are often far out to sea, or in hard to access spots, so sometimes the rock-off can be pretty gnarly. I more often than not wear booties at certain spots, if I know I'm going to have to climb up or down the rocks.
It's easy to get super excited and paddle your heart out to get to the break, but energy conservation is important. Don't go too hard too soon, or you won't last for a long session, or have the energy if you need it to get out of a sticky situation.
There’s a lot of stoke on the paddle out, everyone is pretty chatty and frothing to get out there.

Which tools do you use to overcome fear/panic as you go down the face of the wave?

When I see a big set approaching, I take a few deep breaths. When going for a wave, I paddle hard and fast – 3 strokes more than you think (especially when it’s windy AF). Get in early and stay super low. A lower centre of gravity means you can deal with the bumps and chatter as you fly down the face of the wave.
Your level of pupil dilation determines the level of oxygen that is sent to your outer body parts (ready for your fight or flight response). So I try not to look directly at the wave, weird I know.

How do you stay calm when you're being held under?

Remind yourself that you can hold your breath for a lot longer than this wave will hold you down.

There’s a video that was taken from the news helicopter last week, where all of us cop the biggest wave of the day on the head. You can see me bottom left of screen, sitting still, off my board, prepping to dive deep under water. I try to stay as calm as possible, rather than paddling my heart out and standing up to jump off my board true Hawaiian style.
There’s two theories: dive deep to try and miss the heaviest impact, or dive shallow so you get pushed in, out of the impact zone. I steer on the deeper side, but with an impact vest on you can’t dive as deep due to the floatation pads.
When the wave hits you, you’ve got to brace so it doesn’t rip your limbs off. Picture holding your hands up close to your chest like you’re in a boxing match. I do this to hold my arms in, and I tense my whole body up as if I’m about to be punched.
When someone goes down, everyone is watching to make sure they come up. There’s an awesome sense of camaraderie, and having each other’s back. I went over the falls on a big one last week after getting hung up from the wind, then copped the next one on the head. It was good to come up to see a mate, Lachy, checking in on me asking for the ‘OK’ signal. We exchanged a few ‘oh shit’ laughs then paddled back out the back.
I don’t count when under water, but some people do. If you know the swell period is 14-15 seconds, you know that if you don’t surface by this many seconds, you could cop another wave on the head before getting a breath. Usually you’re underwater for just under 14 or so seconds, and have just enough time to take another breath before you have to go under the next wave.

Do you do any breathing exercises to prepare your lungs?

Solid cardio is a must. Being fit and healthy means your lung capacity is greater.
On flat days, I’ll paddle a board long distances for training. The other week I paddled from Clovelly, almost to Maroubra and back. Some would say stupid, but I enjoy it.
I’ve just gotten into the Wim Hof Method, that’s a pretty good way to control your breath.
Breath holds in a pool should never be done without training, and certainly not alone.
If you want to expand your lung capacity, do a course such as BET.

What kinds of safety precautions do you take?

Big wave surfing isn't for everyone. You've got to prepare.
I've done a big wave training course (Breath Enhancement Training, by Nam Baldwin) and it’s a great way to get ready for bigger surf. It’s also a good chance for people who are not comfortable in the waves, to become more at ease with some expert training.
I’ve also done a freediving course (APNEA International) and that was good with breath work too.
On big days I wear an impact vest. It’s not a lifejacket by any means, but has padded foam around your chest, ribs and back, which helps you that little bit getting to the surface when underwater.
Having a jet ski support in the water is always the safest option, but not always possible. This is helpful to pull you out of the impact zone if injured, or you break your equipment. Skis can also help you save paddling energy by being towed back out the back.

What calculated decisions do you make in the line-up?

I try not to ever catch the first wave of the set, I reckon it's better to let the first one go as the second is usually cleaner. The face of the wave can be smoother as the first wave has ripped through and cleaned up the water. In big waves you also want to avoid going the first wave, because guess what's coming after it?!
You want to avoid being in the impact zone copping bombs on the head.

How can us regular surfers develop mental strength and overcome fears when faced with 'big' waves?

Understand your ability: going out in waves that are too big for you or using a surfboard that isn't right for your level not only hinders your progress but can be a safety risk for you and others around you. While surfing is a very individual journey, it's important not to be selfish by putting other people's lives at risk who might have to rescue you. On that note, if you get separated from your board, you need to trust that you have the ability to get yourself out of that situation. Surfing is a slow journey, not a race to the top - don't push it or be too hard on yourself.
When you’re out in smaller, more manageable waves, let go of your board and allow yourself to get thrown around by the wave. Feel what it’s like to surrender to the wave, and allow it to pass. As you get more and more comfortable with this, you can try it in slightly bigger conditions, and notice the change in wave size, shape and strength.
Your board is always attached to you, so if need be, reach for your ankle and pull your board back towards you.

BIG WAVE SNAPSHOT

Biggest waves you've surfed and where: Cloudbreak in Fiji, I didn’t surf the 2016 Red Alert day, but scored perfect 12-15ft waves the day after.

Ideal board for big waves: My go-to is my 3P Surfboards 8'0 gun, but you need different shaped boards depending on the wave type. Big boards with lots of volume get you in early, but there's a balance if you need to turn or there's a chance of a barrel. I had this board out The Island that day and was very ‘under-gunned’, meaning my board was too small for the combination of wave size and wind strength.

Gnarliest wipeout you've had: One of the heaviest beatings I’ve experienced was at Cloudbreak, Fiji. I was too far behind the curtain, the foam ball threw the board up and smacked me in the face, breaking my nose. I came up with blood everywhere and a favourite board in 2 pieces.

How does your wife feel when you go out in big surf: When she knows it’s big, she always says “be safe”. She’s a big advocate for me getting out there in my happy place. After a good session in big surf, she can see it on my face.

Editor’s note: this is salt water therapy in action, and can be applied to surfing even the littlest waves. Remember, always know your ability. If you’re not confident - don’t surf alone, and if you’re still not sure, you can always hold off and see what tomorrow brings…

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