Author Archives: Dan Fitzpatrick

Kelly Slater: How It All Began

The GOAT, days from 50, won his 56th career pro event. At Pipeline, no less. Against a surfer half his age. If you, like us, are still numb from witnessing such a rare athletic achievement, maybe it makes sense to resurface the story of how it all began. It was 1990, and Kelly Slater was […]

Issue 3 Q&A

Well this was fun. Stack Magazines asked us to talk through issue 3, and here is what we had to say. 

Live From The Pipe Masters

We were live on the North Shore of Oahu for a raucous finish to pro surfing’s 2018 season. See here for an illustrated depiction of the Pipe Masters.

The Pipeline Sketches

Ignacio Serrano produced a remarkable illustration for our second issue that places the viewer inside a wave at Pipeline in a way that no photograph could. The Spanish illustrator relied largely on Internet footage and Pipeline research to construct the point of view. “I discovered a whole new universe of images that I had never […]

Behind The Cover: The Pipeline Issue

Surfing was a new subject for Taiwanese illustrator Yu-Ming Huang. Yet his image of Hawaiian surfer John John Florence is one of the most powerful depictions we’ve seen of the two-time world champion. We liked its emotional intensity so much we put the drawing on the cover of our second issue.

Behind A Famed Ride: Frame By Frame

Tom Servais’ November 1991 photograph of a Tom Curren cutback is one of the best known images ever taken of a surfer and a wave. But what came before and after? These 15 images provided by Servais help fill in that picture for those interested in how a skilled surfer navigates one of the world’s best […]

Editor’s Note – The Pipeline Issue

Fear. It’s a central part of the surfing experience, even if it’s seldom acknowledged. From pros to beginners, all who enter the water know what it’s like to encounter a situation beyond their abilities. We hope to overcome our jitters in that moment. But how?

Beyond Pipe: Where The Rest Of Us Can Surf

Surfing Pipeline is for experts only, said Hawaiian Water Patrol’s Brian Keaulana. It’s “like skiing down Mount Everest.” So where should the rest of us go? Keaulana, a surf safety expert, and Patrick Caldwell, a surf forecaster with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, offer advice on spots more appropriate for beginners or first-time visitors […]

The Hazards Of Hawaii

If you travel to Hawaii in search of surf there is a lot to know before you go. We asked Brian Keaulana of Hawaiian Water Patrol to identify common hazards that first timers overlook. Visitors, he said, frequently underestimate Hawaii’s dangers. “People are coming here to fulfill their fantasies and dreams and escape reality of […]

The Portuguese Pipeline

John John Florence grew up surfing Pipeline, a wave on the North Shore of Oahu that breaks in his backyard. When he clinched his first world title he was more than 7,000 miles away, in southwest Europe. But it happened on a Portuguese wave that looks a lot like his home break. “Supertubos” produces Pipeline-sized tubes […]

A Rivalry In The Making

John John Florence and Gabriel Medina turned pro the same year. Florence now has two world titles and Medina is trying to match that same trophy count this month. Those who follow pro surfing expect the rivalry between the Hawaiian and the Brazilian to define pro surfing over the next decade. Here is how the […]

A Lucky Moment In Time

During the final months of 1991 Tom Servais captured two images that remain the best known Pipeline photos ever taken. One, of Australian Tom Carroll, came during the height of pro competition with hundreds watching. The other, of American Tom Curren, unfolded in the fading light of afternoon with few people around. Servais explains the […]

How To: The Pop Up

Getting to your feet is the most basic maneuver in surfing, yet for many beginners it can feel like an insurmountable obstacle. We asked Adam Dufner, an instructor affiliated with the Hurley Surf Club and Skudin Surf, for a tutorial. He suggested that anyone who is new to surfing follow these steps with a longer, […]