Photos: Austin Kieffer and Carter Johnson insane Downwind Conditions 2 hours N of San Francisco

Carter Johnson, race director of the Gorge Downwind Championships in Hood River just posted these shots of his downwinder adventure with Austin Kieffer. The downwind run was from Salt Point to Duncan, 2 hours North of San Francisco.

According to Carter, “…this was big. I made the choice to peal off of 3 waves vs go down them as I did not believe they were surfable in a ski… Guaranteed pitch pole. I have never done this in a Molokai but have in the 2014 M2M…. Let’s just say it was top of most any scale when the set swells rolled under you.”

Carter had a 45 minute head start and was able to get to land to capture these shots of Austin. “I put on 45 minutes ahead of him as there was another videographer they’re doing drone shots. Soon as I got out I grabbed the camera took photos of him coming in. Paddling out there though by ourselves was definitely not the best idea.”

On the sharkiness of the run, Carter commented “This is the northern point of the Red Triangle. One of the 3 sharkiest spots in CA. But. we don’t get the crazy juvies of Santa Barbra that chomp everything they see. just the Massive adults that eat elephant seals for a snack.”

There are 2 photos with circles where you can see Keiffer. These photo are taken “6 miles away from where taken on the cliff) nearly 10x crop on these to find the 10 pixels that is Austin. We only found him in post. Did not see him when taking the photos.”