Any dispatch from ace photographer Marcus Paladino is a welcome sight to ol’ inbox. Regardless of whatever’s happening, it’s a beautiful reminder that, somewhere out there, good waves are going unridden.
It’d be foolish to think that the kind of moments he captures are regularly on tap. You can’t just fly in direct from a major city and do a surgical strike. There are logistics. There are variables.
Who better than local legend, mega-core lord, Pete Devries to have a supreme handle on both of those fronts. If he’s organizing a trip, you just better hope you have a spot on the boat. Lucky for us, Marcus certainly did. This latest contribution is evidence of the kind of trip that is only getting rarer. No crowds. No signal. Nothing but a wild coast, raw light, and impeccable timing.
Admittedly, it was with a bit of envy that I read Marcus’ message as I slogged through a seemingly never-ending stream of emails. His words, “Pete (Devries) and I recently went on two separate camping strike missions up the coast of Tofino with a few young up-and-coming goofy footers. We ended up scoring a boulder-strewn right-hander on one trip, and an iconic slab on the other.”
Marcus Paladino
As a goofy foot myself, I took a little relief from the fact that they only scored rights. But an off-the-grid, boat-in camping trip is what we desk-bound frothers yearn for — anything that can get us far away from the blue hues of our screens.
Marcus Paladino
To this, Marcus said, “Both missions were completely out of cell service, and with no one else around. Just long boat rides, packing tons of gear, and a couple of really good windows of summer/spring swell lining up perfectly.”
Marcus Paladino
Marcus Paladino
The blue skies were wildly refreshing because every other time we’ve come here it’s been pissing rain.”
They even scored a couple hours with glorious sunshine which was a welcome respite from the typical overcast skies and frequent rains. One of those rare trips when everything just lines up.
Marcus Paladino