There are five principal types of surf tripper. You are probably one, or possibly an emulsion of several… 

Illustrations by Hucknall.

The Lone Wolf goes alone. His favourite line from a war movie is Sgt Elias’s “Nah, I move faster alone” hiss under fire in the ‘Nam jungle. He gets up earlier than everyone else and sits on average 11m further outside for the sets. He knows the biggest sets come every 40 minutes. At the airport, when surfers are waiting by the door for board bags, he stands apart and avoids eye contact, with a knowing sneer. If you sit next to him on a flight and read a surf mag he will do precious little to betray his secret inner contempt, save pull that face you pull when in a smelly public toilet and are holding your breath. He has seven pintails in a board bag made for three.

Kepa Acero ain’t afraid of no solo mission.