Teahupoo from within with and by Jonathan Gubbins

In the midst of one of the best tubes in the world, the Peruvian tube rider reviews several key points of surfing there


June 8, 2018
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One of the most tubed human beings on the planet, Peruvian Jonathan Gubbins has a second home in Desert Point, Teahupoo, Pipe and Namibia. Talent, balls and constant trips to the most dangerous and perfect slab on the planet made him collect a lot of knowledge and tubes, of all sizes and colors (it is worth looking up and down in this note).

In the following paragraphs and in the captions of the photos and videos, Gubbins shares moments and some tips about what this wave is all about.

"This was a super tube that I thought I was not going to get out of. Those waves that look closed but open up, one of the best waves I have ever seen. It was a foam ball ride almost the entire wave." Photo: Luke Shaldbolt
"This was one of the few waves that came in that morning. The crowd, and especially the local pros who were singing about the waves, hesitated a bit and I took advantage to go in at the last minute. The frequency was slow. It's been two years since a swell like this came in and I haven't seen such a predominant local and French crowd at the point. You could tell that there was a lot of desire to ride Teahupoo," says Jonathan about this wave that was surfed about two weeks ago. Photo: Huaprod

Teahupoo when he is 6 feet tall up with a bit of west It is the strongest, driest and most impressive wave I have ever ridden in my life. It is difficult in the sense that if you make a mistake it can cost you dearly. It is the slab par excellence, a perfect machine. It is the most intense wave I have ever ridden far.

From 6'3 to 6'8 you are perfect. Pin tail boards, guns with good paddling but the rails should not be too wide to be able to navigate better in the foam ball.

There are relatively easy waves in Chopes, Those coming from the south can get in more easily. However, you have to think all the time about catching the wave and not getting caught by the next one.

The worst thing that happened to me there I was paddling between sets and I caught a 20-foot wave. If my lip had fallen, I wouldn't be here.

The best one I saw there was Nathan Florence, I was on the inside right when that historic wave was launched. It blew my mind and everyone else's mind, I think.

The most common mistake is choose a bad wave and eat the whole set. End up in the lagoon with the scare of your life.

"This was the next one after the airdrop, it was one that I caught on the inside and it bent incredibly like only Chopo does, the wave kept getting bigger, it caught a good west angle." Photo: Seth de Roulet.
"There is no trip to Teahupoo that doesn't break a couple of boards, the wave and the intensity of the tube I have never experienced anywhere else. It is very strong and breaks boards like nothing else, there are times when you have a swell and you want to make the most of it but at that moment there was a bit of bad wind: Just with that factor, broken boards and bolts are quite likely. Photo: Huaprod

The following video shows my first steps at Teahupoo. The most incredible slab tube I have ever surfed. It is by far the wave that scares me the most but at the same time it achieves incredible perfection. In terms of strength, thickness and perfection it is unmatched.

This is a video that was made during a paddle session that was perhaps the best of my life by Larry Haynes and a tow in session in one of those XXL swells from a few years ago with La Nuit de la Glisse films.

An underwater session with my friend and great local cameraman Huaprod. The first two tubes seemed or thought that I would not get out of the tube and in the end I was able to get out. Epic moments.

These waves that Ryan Moss recorded for me were on a day that, in my humble opinion, had the best conditions of the last swell. It was a Friday when the forecast indicated the highest period. The waves were slow but square in the afternoon and I had just arrived from the plane and entered Teahupoo and they were all in the point. Waiting for a while without paddling, I found this wave that came out of nowhere and it was incredible. The only one I caught that late. It paid for the trip on the first try.

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Jonathan Gubbins Peru Tahiti