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Snapper From The Shoreline

An insight into Cyclone Victor’s visit to the Superbank.

In the highly populated world of surf cinematography, Craig Halstead might not enjoy the same fame as industry heavyweights Kai Neville and Joe G, but the sixty-five year old Gold Coast lensman is every bit as committed. While other filmers are away chasing high-flying pros in exotic locations, he sets up his tripod every day at Snapper or D’Bah (or wherever else might be pumping) and goes about capturing whatever transpires. Over the years he’s filmed everyone from Slater and JJF to the local milkman getting the barrel of his life, and has probably logged more footage of this famous stretch than just about anybody. With the swell from Cyclone Victor still lingering on the points, I thought who better to ask about the action at Snapper than a man who’s camera is constantly pointed seaward.

Cyclone Victor has been gracing the shores of the Gold Coast for the better part of a week now, and not surprisingly, the internet’s been flooded with videos and images of the Superbank doing its thing. As someone who’s witnessed their fair share of pumping waves on this stretch of sand, how do you rate the latest run of swell?

It wasn’t as good as it gets. If it had have been a couple of foot bigger it might have been, but it was still pretty good. The sand is pretty well groomed everywhere at the moment and the swell angle was perfect for the points, but a little straight for most of the beachies.

By all reports the crowd has been biblical in size and some serious sinning’s been going down. How bad has the drop-in situation been? Have things reached a new low at Snapper or does burning and getting burnt just come with the territory when you’re surfing one of the world’s most crowded waves?

Unfortunately these days it just comes with the territory. If you can’t learn to deal with it, it’s probably best not to surf there. Even though it’s always got a crowd the sweep usually keeps everyone moving down the line. As for Snapper itself, unless you have the ticker to take off behind the rock when it’s pumping, you’re not going to get any respect from anyone anyway.

We’re roughly a month away from the tour kicking off at this very spot. Pro-wise, who’s been making the most of this latest swell and who’s looking the goods coming into the season opener?

Well, from what I’ve seen, Mick Fanning has been cranking it up a bit. Him and Steph Gilmore are definitely looking the goods. Jack Freestone is the local debutante this year and he’s been surfing every day. He’s really looking forward to the first comp being at his home break, that’s for sure. The Burleigh Pro is on this weekend so the comp season is well and truly upon us.

Finally, as someone who’s experienced both the joys of surfing and the rewards of filming, where would you rather find yourself these days? Jostling around for a life-changer in the line-up or panning for gold on the shore?

On the shore for sure. I love what I do for a job and it’s my eleventh year working with Coastalwatch. I had my time surfing, fortunately from the mid 60s until the early 2000s, when I had to give it the flick for health reasons. The camera has been a godsend, it keeps me busy and young in the brain hanging at the beach with young people, and that sure beats hanging at the bowls club with people my own age whingeing about anything and everything, as they do. Haha. Cheers.

Here’s Craig’s latest edit of Snapper firing thanks to Cyclone Victor shot on Sunday/Monday this week.

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