The Story Behind "White Horses"
Documenting the historic surf of Peʻahi
“White Horses”
Ocean Therapy Series
It was Monday morning when I called up my good friend & fellow photographer Aaron Lynton and suddenly found out there was a big north swell heading towards Maui in two days. I’ve lived on the island for 11 years and have always wanted to see the immense waves break at Jaws, especially from a boat to create fine art photography for my Ocean Therapy series. I contacted everyone I knew for the next hour searching for a spot on a watercraft, and by surprise, I was able to get the last opening on a 25 foot fishing vessel.
Wednesday morning came fast, and the next thing I knew our crew was on the water just after the sun rose. It was a clear morning, and seeing our beautiful island home from the water was a treat. Along the 45 minute ride from Kahului Harbor to the surf break, we watched large pulses of water move towards the shore. My adrenaline and excitement grew as I watched huge splashes occur from waves crashing against the sea cliffs. This signified that there would be surf at Pe’ahi, which takes at least 25-foot water faces to really form a breaking wave. The ocean was smooth from calm winds and the sun was shining. Could the conditions be any better?
Approaching our destination, we joined nearly 50 jet skis and several other boats on the shoulder of Jaws. One by one, swells ascended and shaped into beautiful rolling barrels with so many shades of blue. I quickly unpacked my camera gear from my dry bag, and fired shots at the first surfer I witnessed coming down a wall of water in front of me. It was Kai Lenny, Maui’s well-known waterman whose skills range from big wave surfing, stand-up paddle racing & surfing, to windsurfing and kitesurfing. The crowd cheered as he successfully completed his ride. Wow, this was just the beginning!
Though it was my first time out there witnessing this rare event, I quickly learned from the others around me that the size and conditions of the waves were truly exceptional and something the regulars hadn’t seen in a long time. Being the first XL swell of the season, what also made this day very special was that it was a locals-only session. The entire day we witnessed only Maui’s best surfers riding these incredible big waves.
Kai Lenny just makes it out of the barrel surfing Jaws!
Tyler Larronde deep inside the barrel of Pe’ahi