Life is full of
shoulda-woulda-coulda moments. Some would say that’s the essence of surfing. “You should have been here yesterday,” and “Should have seen it an hour ago.” All-too-relatable mantras in the wave-riding world– phrases that tell us we just missed something incredible.
Meanwhile, a common surfing mantra reminds us to seize the moment, go with your instincts, and that incredible things can happen (like perfect waves).
Almost a year ago, New York-based photographer Brian Shannon sent us a handful of images from a day that could be described as nothing less than epic. He’d trekked out from the city to Lido Beach and was greeted with waves worthy of a magazine cover. Coincidentally,
Staff
Ryan Moss was on the back of a Jet Ski that was caught by a huge set. Now, he’s in the hospital with a broken back. Images: GoFundMe/Instagram
Saturday, January 16 was a big day for surfers in Hawaii. It’s rare that a swell gets big enough to get a name. Big Wednesday. Code Red. The Century Swell. All days for the record books; all days that won’t be forgotten. Saturday, January 16 has been dubbed “Super Swell Saturday,” and for some people, it’ll be remembered as the day they got the wave of their life. For Ryan Moss, though, it’ll be remembered as the day he broke his back.