Medium: Acrylic paint

Paper: Drawing paper

Size: 12 in w x 16.5 in h

When visiting Venice beach in 2023, I arrived on a rare week with a storm coming in from the Pacific. After 2 days of high winds and heavy rain, the weather cleared. I walk out to the beach by the breakers a spotted a line of lifeguard vehicles parked in a row pointed out to the ocean. Out in the surf, one of their crew if fully suited up paddling out past the breakers. I watched him for :15 mins, finally sitting up beyond the breakers with the tide rolling south and away. After another :15 of rest, he chooses as wave to drop in on. I record him as he rides a very long wave down the beach for over 6 min. He pops out of the surf and onto the beach totally exhausted, but exhilarated. I congratulate him and ask if he’s making another run. “No way, I would push it, that was amazing, but I’m done.”