"This was one of those sneaky swells," Nakoa siad. "In the morning I was actually surfing two- to three-foot waves in town. I got a text around 1pm saying "Peahi firing. Soild 15 feet. Draining. Albee and Barger out." I haven't surfed Peahi with less than 20 people in about three years. I couldn't believe how good it was with no-one out." Photo: Tracy Kraft-Leboe

Nakoa continued: "This was my second wave. We had so many glassy days this year, I forgot what it was like to paddle it with some wind. I didn't paddle as much as I should've and got hung up in the lip. I thought it was just gonna blow me out the back..." Photo: Tracy Kraft-Leboe. (Cast your vote on the next slide.)