Cloudbreak is one of the best waves in the world. When it’s working as well as it can, it is almost unbelievably perfect. Over the years, a handful of swells stand out. In the latest edit from Tim Bonython, a guy who has spent decades filming most of the best waves in the world, the viewer is taken through some of the biggest swells at Cloudbreak from those decades.
“My first trip to Fiji was back in 1987, when Tavarua had tents on the beach,” Bonython remembered. “Since those early days, Cloudbreak has become renowned as one of the best waves on the planet. When a serious swell hits Fiji, some of the world’s best big-wave surfers converge on this legendary reef to take it on.”
Bonython is an exceedingly friendly guy. He’s a well-known face at lineups around the globe. In this short film, the manager of the Tavarua Resort, a man named Dylan Fish, remembers some particularly memorable days.
“The Tavarua Resort manager takes us through some of Cloudbreak’s most historic days, starting in 1999 with Conan Hayes, then moving to Shane Dorian in 2006,” Bonython explains. “We revisit David Scard’s incredible bomb ride, nominated for Wave of the Year in 2010, before heading into July 2011 swell with Kohl Christensen, Bruce Irons, and Mark Healey. There’s also definitive historical footage from the legendary Volcom swell in 2012, Paul Morgan charging in October 2014, and Dane Gudauskas in May 2016. Then comes the monster swell of 2018 featuring maybe the biggest tow wave surfed by Ramón Navarro, before we finish with the massive March 2024 swell, with Billy Kemper, Nathan Florence, the Coffin Brothers and Benji Brand.”
Bonython has a deep respect for all big waves, but Cloudbreak holds a special place in his heart.
“Watching these incredible sessions unfold across the years really puts Cloudbreak into perspective,” he writes. “This is a wave that has earned its place among the ultimate big-wave destinations on the planet. Having witnessed so many of these days myself, it’s pretty special to look back at the history of this place and the surfers who have taken it on.”
