The Perfect Wave…..in Alaska

I recently returned from a surf trip to Alaska with pro surfer and Grain Surfboards poster boy, Ben McBrien. Back in the early months of ‘06 Ben spent many weeks in our basement banging his head and building the first two 5′4 Waka’s ever. Lucky for us Ben brought his board along for the trip to Alaska. What I witnessed over the next 8 days was pure magic between Ben and that board. After returning home I asked him to write a few words about his experience. Below is what showed up in my inbox only minutes later.

Ben and his 5′4 Waka’s in ‘06

“If you asked me a week ago to describe my wooden board I would have told you it was a novelty board. Sure it looks good. Yeah it’s a miracle of modern woodworking. But looks only go so far until you combine the right board with the right wave and I had ridden it only 5 times with only marginal success in the wrong conditions for it.

Taking the plunge in icy Alaskan waters

Alaska is more beautiful than any tropical destination on earth. For serious!!!!! Walking out of the snow and moss covered forest and seeing driftwood piled up on the dunes, four foot round trees thrown onto the beach like matchsticks, and oil slick glass with a perfect head high swell reeling just off the beach was a dream come true. It was clear that I had chosen wisely. But my first session with the wood board was not what I expected. First of all we were at a beach break and I was working against the weight of the board once again and second, I was chased from the water within 10 minutes by the Alaskan locals, Sea Lions; huge, hulking, masses of gristle and fat coming at me with teeth-bared. I was out of there.

Perfect trim

GLIDE… that is the gift of a wood board. Taking off on my first wave I realized that this board and this wave were meant for one another and I was along for the ride. I could go on for hours bro-ing out over how perfect my session was but it won’t do it any justice. I’ll just let Nick’s pictures do the talking.

I had one of the most perfect sessions of my life the first night, I was on fire, (if I don’t mind saying so) riding the board better than I had ever guessed I could.

Hard on a rail in Alaska

This board has been through a lot in its life and put me through a lot as well. Like all the greats this board went out on a high note, in it’s prime, like the Beatles or Seinfeld. I want to remember that session for the rest of my life and I may not ever ride it again. I’m never going to top that session, and that’s fine with me.

Chased out of Alaska from all angles