In Winter 2021, I was suffering from a debilitating bought of sciatica. I was nearing the end of my recovery, but I was exhausted. The doctors had just kept prescribing me painkillers. To numb the pain and, in turn, I’m not going to lie, it numbed my creativity, it zapped my motivation. I needed to escape this cycle and craved warmer water to swim and shoot in. You could call it a self-imposed retreat, the ability to immerse myself in the ocean, re-engage with it, and find that place of flow within my shooting.

As luck would have it, some good friends and their family would be out for the winter as well I could have my time alone but could drop in and feel like part of the family. I feel grateful to have places on this planet that I can call a home from home, but I realise it’s not the where it’s the who. The joy I get from walking into a house after a week, a month, a year, and everyone looks around, says hi and tells you to sit down, grab a plate and tuck into dinner with them. That gives me the deepest sense of belonging, no judgement, no explanations.

The place will remain unnamed due to the dark side of the surf world this island has been notorious for its unfriendly attitude and heavy localism. Fortunately, I found some smiling, un, cut demons during that stay.