Rock Island Siargao

Outer Reef Mission to surf Rock Island Siargao

Rock Island Siargao. Here we have a series of shots taken during a small, fun sesh. At that particular time of the year it was low-season for swell. During the peak of the swell window, around typhoon season, this place has been known to have 30ft sets unloading and smashing over the top of the island that you can see in the background. It's an amazing spot, miles out on the outer reef of the island. The water is crystal clear and the reef below is inviting. There are gaps in the reef, where cool currents push out and along, and you can swim into them for moments at a time. It offered some relief from the sun and heat, as I'd choose not to go back to shade for the hottest section of the day, and come back later like in the arvo when it's cooler..... No, No, No. Have swell, will stay, all day.
The wave wraps around the island and reef to form a right-hander. There is a left, well I call it a left, but no-one else deems it ridable. It can be a bitch getting caught inside and that's exactly what happens when you go left and shoot the section...plus it sucks dry at the end with minimal margin for escape. Decent paddle effort required when it's 4ft plus and you're caught inside. First impressions can be very deceiving.



There are 3 main zones for take-off, and there are some shifty random spots throughout with fun sections pending on swell stacking and direction. As the swell wraps around the island, it breaks from the inside all the way down the line. Most prefer to sit out further down the line, toward the channel where the swell has had a chance to glass-off as it escapes the wind from the other side of the island. The take off is generally cleaner and more consistent by this stage. You can take-off right under the cliffs, but the swell has to stack and groom right for you to make it. Sometimes you can race around the smashing lip or float over the section. Then there are times when you get caught out on the churning face, as you're digging the rail in and copping a walloping from the lip as it desimates your stance and sends you ass-over-tit into a rabid washing machine and snaps your legrope. Meanwhile you get sucked down the line, fast,  into shallower, and shallower sharp reef with the swell just closing out on you and pumping you into the reef, then dragging your ass across sharp reef and battering your board, which has by now dissapeared way down the line, till you manage to escape to the channel.



When this place fires, it's off-chops. Even on an average day you get rides that just keep reforming and throwing fast, sucky sections at you, before walling up again for a few slashes. Then you get the rogue bumper set that comes through every 4-5 sets and just takes the whole line-up out. Motherload-warehouse-clearance. You can either dive deep, real deep, or if you think you can make it, even when you really know you won't, simply turn and charge. It's worth the drop even if you do get smashed....and when you land it you're totally stoked as it just racks up down the line...so whackable.

• Reef Cuts
  Reef Carnage and Reef cuts - What Can Happen surfing. One of the boys copped some love from the reef. The lower the tide, the hollower the wave and the harder the fall.