Riders of the Surf

Artist’s Statement: D J Wilson, LRPS

Captured at the peak of action during the 2024 Cape Agulhas Inflatable Boat Challenge, this image freezes a dramatic moment of determination and force. One boat vaults skyward as it slices through a wall of water, while its companion vessel steadies in the trough of the surf — a perfect visual tension between chaos and control.

The photograph preserves the raw reality of sport and the sea as well as a wider exploration of human challenge against ocean force, as this image highlights not just speed or spectacle, but the grit and unity of team sport in unpredictable elements. It is a tribute to coastal resilience — and to the communities that gather to celebrate the thrill of the wave.

Engines snarl like caged thunder,

as the ocean opens her teeth.

Through spray and sunlight they charge,

yellow and red against the green breath of the sea.

No time for fear —

only instinct,

the lean of muscle,

the answering thrust of a wave.

Salt burns, hearts race,

the horizon a blur of wind and roar.

And for a heartbeat,

man, machine, and ocean

are one unstoppable thing —

riders of the surf.