Five years ago, Mark Brightwell got on a plane to Tahiti. It was 2011, and he was beginning the process of filming RAW THE MOVIE. In the following days, Teahupoo turned into something that rocked the world. It quickly became known as the Code Red Swell.
Tahitian cops shut down the harbor. The Billabong Pro was put on hold–only for the best webcast in pro surfing’s history to take place. The world watched, stunned, as some of the biggest waves in memory slammed into Teahupoo’s shallow reef. It will never be forgotten, much like Big Wednesday. That swell made history.
RAW was released in 2012. It won awards for best cinematography. If you’ve seen it, it’s worth watching again. If you haven’t… well, you’re welcome. Just watch out for the music.
