Tubular Time Machine

Roadtrips to outer space with big wave surfer Dane Fisher | Images, Words & Video by Megan Costello

Somewhere in Australia lies a stretch of coast known for its razor-sharp reef breaks and deep cavernous waves. In this stretch of land lies a collection of surfers who live in their vans and chase these monster waves. One of them is Dane Fisher. A writer and big wave surfer, Dane charges with the sun and goes where the good energy flows. This story begins when the energy flowed north to Byron Bay. Summer was singing it’s song and the four of us, Dane, Matty Wilson and my sister Elise and I were living by the surf, eating passionfruit off the vine and catching sun rays.

When the waves call, we answer.

Sometime on a Tuesday, Dane got the call. Swell was coming back home and it was going to be huge. The four of us piled into Matty’s beat-up sedan and hit the road. The plan was to meet the swell at sunrise. On nothing but burritos and Neil Young we drove deep into the night.

Somewhere not here.

A drive is a dark place at night when the lights have gone to bed and there’s nothing but the black hole of the open road.

We arrive to the big wave rumble. Dane checks the swell and decides it’s on.

Dane waxes up the gun.

Dane prays to the sea gods for massive barrels and easy hold downs.

Matt Dunsmore rides the blue dream machine.

“Monsters on the Moon”

Clips from the great abyss. Featuring: Lachie Rombouts, Dane Fisher, Kipp Caddy and Matt Dunsmore.