We could sit here and dribble on shit about how heavy Shippies is a wave… It’s bloody world-renowned for being one of the heaviest waves on any coastline. A wave that has damaged more than a few bodies in its time! Usually, we don’t push EDM music on Savage but when an artist has the balls to tackle a wave of consequence. He definitely deserves a mention for tackling Australia’s most southern beast and it is only fitting that the story is told in the words of What So Not himself.

“4yrs ago I found myself on the North Shore of Hawaii, staring at perfect double overhead Pipeline. But I couldn’t bring myself to go out… The 16hr days in makeshift studios, 250+ flights per yr & all the stress of working in this industry had my mind & body fried.

I made a pact with myself that day to never let an opportunity like that slip by again. Despite my travel, workload becoming ever more intense, I started arranging things differently in my mind, creating more time to just be, live, experience life & make sure to always check in on my head & body. Surprisingly, this simple adjustment made me hyper-productive, creative & if I kept the right attitude most things just fell into place.

Even with setbacks like ending up in a wheelchair twice last year, a crippling neck injury from a tour bus & some broken/dislocated limbs I’ve taken great lessons & every time come back stronger, more prepared, laughing & smiling about the whole scenario. And so, all of this brings me to last week… Another ‘Pipeline’ moment. Sitting in an Airbnb at the very Southern point of Australia waiting for show day, looking at a 16ft swell whipping up from Antarctica. I make a couple of calls & all that we could control was in place.

The day starts with a water & air temp of 44°F, 1hr boat ride out to a great white shark mecca & news that ‘it’s on’. We pull up to this oceanic amphitheatre as the only skerrick of humanity & I start to understand what is about to take place. Nature is in control here…

I’ll let the rest of the day speak for itself… but wanna give a huge thank you to Charles Ward, Cohen Thomas for their local knowledge, Olly Cummings for captaining our ship, Ash for renting us the boat, Sam Thomas for putting me in touch with all the crew & Luke Eblen always being there at the right moment to capture something magic.”