Mick Fanning Interview: On Finding That Insane Right
The inside scoop on Ain’t No Wave Pool... On February 14th, 2017, we released Chapter 18 of The Search – and for anyone who’s been paying attention to the Internet, you’ll know that it was a very special episode.
It was the “Ain’t No Wave Pool” episode, featuring Mick Fanning and a wave unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Five kilometres long, breaking 20 metres off the beach, holding six feet of swell.
We asked Mick a few questions today, now that Ain’t No Wave Pool has made its rounds of the Internet. He commented on...
Expectations...
“I really didn’t have any expectations when I went to find this wave, because I didn’t know exactly what I was getting myself into. I had literally seen one short clip. So I went off complete trust, and that was it.
“What happened was I saw a clip of the wave I was just like, ‘That’s it, I’m going.’ I spoke to Rip Curl about making it happen and we worked out the best way to approach it. Once we worked that out, a swell popped up and we were going.”
Ain’t No Wave Pool versus Kirra...
“Hmmm… can I compare this wave to anything? Maybe. It was similar to a mix of old Kirra and the Superbank, I think. There were some really good Kirra sections, and a few sections that were like the Superbank. But because it was so fast, you had to manage speed – a lot. Kirra you get longer ones for sure.
“This wave is just so different because of the sheer speed – you’re trying to figure out if you want to stop or start or what. It was actually a lot trickier than I thought it was going to be, but I think that’s what made it exciting.”
On secrecy...
“The Ain’t No Wave Pool clip has been going wild in the last 24 hours, and everyone has been ringing up me up trying to find out where it is. I haven’t really been answering every call, but if I did, I wouldn’t be giving out any information.
“Do I think it’ll stay a secret? Well, I’m sure not telling anyone! Haha. Nah, you know, there will be people who will try and find it. And they might eventually, but until that time I’ll be keeping it to my chest.”
On keeping The Search alive...
“I’m so sure there are other waves out there. It’s just a matter of having the time and the patience to research them, and then waiting for the right moment to go and show up to ‘em. Most people don’t have the luxury to wait around, including myself. But they’re there – the secrets are there – and the Search will always be alive.”