Stuffing my surf gear into a green canvas backpack, I loaded up at the end of the day to leave one of my favorite surf spots. A long day of surfing smooth swells had my body still surging and moving like the ocean even after I walked out onto the shore. I shouldered the backpack, hefted a long surfboard in its silver wrapper under my arm and started hiking the steep upward trail leading away from the beach. The trail was a sharp muddy set of steps leading into a lush forest. A mile through the forest sat my car and the ride home.
Reaching the top of the trail some 200 feet above the curved beach, I stopped and turned for one last look into the ocean. It was early evening. As I turned the sun dropped to just the right place that it kissed the sea out on horizon. In an instant, the ocean turned to roiling, liquid gold. I was stunned. The suns light seemed to fill the ocean and transformed iit. I quickly dropped my backpack to the ground and searched its pockets for a camera. There was none.
My camera was 110 miles away at home. On my desk.
So I stood up and glared back out at the ocean, forcing my mind to remember every detail of this breathtaking golden scene. The sea surged and shuddered, a rippling metallic sheet. Waves slowly rolled in, peaking to a crest and then breaking over into golden explosions. I opened my eyes achingly wide to drink in every second. Then the sun dipped below the edge of the ocean at the horizon. The golden light winked out. It was gone. I reshouldered my pack, picked up my surfboard and walked away into the woods.
David Pu’u mission is to seek out this living, golden love affair between sun and ocean. He travels, surfs and swims. He also packs his camera. Living in California helps as well since the sun seems to love the water especially on those oceans. David hoists himself out of bed before dawn to paddle out and meet the sun’s early rise. He stays late with friends at their favorite surf spot to catch the suns last golden touch on the water. He captures these moments in his camera with a skillful hand, inviting us join him in water turned to heaving gold.
Like any true blooded surfer, David’s photos never tell you their location. But I don’t think David is really interested in one specific beach or one especially good swell. He is looking for that instant when everything comes together - waves, water, surfer and sun all meet up and somehow merge. He captures the time when time dissolves and everything just feels right.
Isn’t that what surfing is all about? Finding the golden moment and losing yourself in it.
[ View David Pu’u Portfolio or better yet follow him on Facebook ]
Reaching the top of the trail some 200 feet above the curved beach, I stopped and turned for one last look into the ocean. It was early evening. As I turned the sun dropped to just the right place that it kissed the sea out on horizon. In an instant, the ocean turned to roiling, liquid gold. I was stunned. The suns light seemed to fill the ocean and transformed iit. I quickly dropped my backpack to the ground and searched its pockets for a camera. There was none.
My camera was 110 miles away at home. On my desk.
So I stood up and glared back out at the ocean, forcing my mind to remember every detail of this breathtaking golden scene. The sea surged and shuddered, a rippling metallic sheet. Waves slowly rolled in, peaking to a crest and then breaking over into golden explosions. I opened my eyes achingly wide to drink in every second. Then the sun dipped below the edge of the ocean at the horizon. The golden light winked out. It was gone. I reshouldered my pack, picked up my surfboard and walked away into the woods.
Like any true blooded surfer, David’s photos never tell you their location. But I don’t think David is really interested in one specific beach or one especially good swell. He is looking for that instant when everything comes together - waves, water, surfer and sun all meet up and somehow merge. He captures the time when time dissolves and everything just feels right.
Isn’t that what surfing is all about? Finding the golden moment and losing yourself in it.
[ View David Pu’u Portfolio or better yet follow him on Facebook ]
