Viewed 35933 times since 8th Feb 2012

BRUCE Irons surfs solid Teahupoo blindfold, proving that ability and instinct transcend our assumed necessity for vision.

When Sam at Stab Mag rang and told us this is what he had planned, we just laughed. But after scouring the charts we latched onto a late season swell and Bruce stepped up to the plate as promised. Pulling what he called "panties" over his head, Bruce Irons, dropped down the face and threaded constant companions ability and instinct to safety.

"It’s really something to see someone that knowledgeable ride a wave, to see his hand in the face, reading it as if it was Braille." said Tahitian photog Domenic Mosqueira.

“I’ve tried to close my eyes in the barrel before, just messing around, but, with those pantie things on my head, it was weird." Said Bruce. "My eyes were open but all I saw was black. But, if you grew up surfing, you can call on that instinct you’ve built. You can feel how close you are to the wave face. The thing is, the best barrels you get, the deepest ones, you don’t know what you’re doing ‘cause it’s black in there and you’re riding the foamball like a rodeo.”

© Stab Mag - 2012