RIPPED OFF ON THE NORTH SHORE...

The story behind this shot... Sam Hammer and I were staying on the North Shore of Oahu, this particular winter season we had the house that sat right on Rocky Lefts. Sam had already broken three of his short boards the first few days we were there. On our third or fourth night it was... Our house was robbed as we slept, and they took off with the remaining three of his short boards...

Sam was more upset than I’d ever seen him that next day, once we got a final inventory of everything that was stolen. I lost my tripod to the crooks, and I’d like to give huge “SHAKAS” to Bernie Baker, who let me borrow his mono pod for the remainder of the trip!

For Sam, I felt badly knowing he had to wait 2 weeks for more boards to get shipped from California, AND the surf was GOOD that next morning, so as I left to run into Haleiwa, (The nearest town on the North Shore), I asked Sam for his board dimensions, and jokingly told him I was going to buy him a board, SO WE COULD SHOOT!

“Tropical Rush” surf shop, in Haleiwa had this very board, used and for $125.00... It turned out being the BEST digits I spent that whole year! This shot is the first of MANY shots I got of Sam the remainder of this trip. Billabong used it repeatedly...