What It Takes
An Insight Into Big Wave Surfing With Ollie O'Flaherty
Opening image by Kev Smith
When it comes to understanding what it takes to surf big waves in cold water, look no further than the dedicated crew of homegrown talent on Ireland’s west coast who are respected around the globe for the world-class waves they have pioneered and how they ride them. In County Clare you’ll find C-Skins ambassador Ollie O’Flaherty surfing waves of consequence like Riley’s and The Cliffs of Moher alongside a close-knit team of other die-hard locals. When he’s not also tackling the likes of Mullaghmore in County Sligo, he coaches the next generation of Irish surfers and works as an environmental educator. He is also an expert on the fact that it takes a perfect balance of physical strength, forecasting knowledge, years of experience and psychological training to take on the epic waves that he does.
Catching up with our Irish ambassador, we picked Ollie’s brains about what it takes to ride big waves, from technical kit to mental preparation.
Ollie at The Cliffs. Photo by George Karbus.
Can you please talk to us about the mental progression/journey from “regular” surfing to the desire to ride bigger/heavier waves of consequence?
The progression really starts with surfing slightly heavier waves and feeling a bit of comfort, or maybe an affinity, with that rush, feeling okay with taking waves on the head. We’re lucky here in that we have a couple of regular heavy waves, open ocean-type waves around Doolin and County Clare. There are a few reef breaks there that are Sunset-type waves: open ocean, with plenty of power. You get a good idea from that whether you’re able to, or want to, take on some of the heavier waves. We have those stepping stones here, so we’re lucky.
I think you either want it or you don’t. The big thing for me was that, about 20 years ago, a lot of these slabs and bigger wave spots were being discovred in Ireland, and I always looked at them and thought, if I don’t take this opportunity, if I don’t go and at least try, I’ll look back in 20 years and think, "I could have got the wave of my life. I could have been on that cover." I’d see other surfers and think, "I can definitely do what they can do."
I also wanted to represent Ireland, for it to not just be international surfers coming over and getting the best waves. I wanted us to try to match that, to get to that level. I think we’ve done a pretty good job. There’s a small crew of us here who have pushed it, and I think we’ve really put our best foot forward and represented Ireland in that respect.
Dropping in to Mullaghmore, photographed by Alice Ward.
What do you do to train, and does it change through the year to ramp up to big wave season in the winter?
In terms of training, I do a good bit of strength work pre-season, and then in-season I’ll keep it ticking over. If we get a week or two of bad waves, I’ll definitely get into the gym. I’ve leaned into strength work more over the last few years because of some pretty full-on injuries - shoulder and neck issues, nerve pain, ankle injuries. The foundation of coming back from that, and of rehabbing, has been strength. Just the basics - push, pull, squat. Nothing fancy, no bells and whistles. Just getting strong with those foundational movements.
Then there’s just maintaining good health - finding the best trainers who can give you the right feedback. I’m lucky to have a couple of those around here. Having that regular feedback from people who know what they’re talking about is so much better than guessing. Going to the right people, getting the right programmes and physical therapy, that’s all in-season. And then just surfing. Surfing is the foundation. We’re surfers at the end of the day. We’re there to paddle. We’re there to surf. That’s the sport we want to do.
I try to keep it to strength and mobility work and surfing during the season. I enjoy doing a bit of jiu-jitsu too. I’ve been on and off with it. I laid off recently through the winter to avoid any extra injuries, but I do enjoy it. It’s high risk, but very enjoyable.
On top of that, I do a lot of visualisation, future-surf type stuff. I try to manifest those good feelings into situations. Not necessarily the best or most gnarly wave, more the feeling of getting that wave and getting that ride. I find that really important. It gives me patience. I’ll think, "If I put myself in the right situation, it’ll come - whether it’s today or another day." That really helps.
I also do basic breath work. Some yoga nidra stuff. When I’m in the water, I do extended exhales, maybe four in, eight out. What I find really helpful too is a 60–70% inhale, then a little top-up inhale, followed by a long physiological sigh. Five, six, maybe ten of those breaths every couple of minutes while I’m waiting out the back, especially when the waves are big. It really brings me back to the moment. It’s a well-researched way to bring your nervous system down a little.
How do you develop the detailed understanding of these waves that’s required to ride them? Their intricacies and moods and what affects them?
Understanding the waves, their moods, intricacies, different swell directions, that just comes with time. And turning up. Just keep turning up. You really get to feel the mood of a wave on certain swell directions and winds, different periods, directions - just five or ten degrees can make a difference, especially with some of the slabs here. They really rely on specific conditions. Something as simple as seeing a chart and realising there’s actually a secondary swell can explain a wobble, for example.
It’s also about showing up on days when it looks like it’s going to pump, but doesn’t, and then going back to the charts to understand why. I keep a little folder on my phone with a lot of info on file. I’d say I’m a pretty good forecaster. I nerd out on it, to be honest. I keep a lot of data on different days and past swells.
It just takes time, sacrifice, and being there, even when the weather’s shit. Driving around, standing in the wind. But over time you learn. And then it’s about riding the waves and being in the water, not just tow surfing, but paddling too. Seeing how different swells and periods completely change a spot. Big tides too, that’s another factor.
So yeah, just time, observation, and almost becoming a student of forecasting. That’s probably why seven or eight people text me every swell asking what I think. I should probably start a subscription service!
Ollie riding Riley's. Photo by George Karbus.
What safety preparation goes into a big wave season and session?
Safety prep, especially for paddling, starts with having a good vest and making sure it works. Just staying on top of that. Getting skis can be tricky for paddling heavy waves because it takes people and time. Sometimes we’ll do a whip-around if it’s going to be a really crazy day, just to get at least one ski in the water.
For the bigger days, we’ve done quite a bit of training with Peter Conroy. Pete’s a world-class paramedic and a world-class rescue driver on the ski. We’ve been lucky to lean into his knowledge. I’d say myself, Cal, and a few others are at a pretty high level when it comes to rescues. We’ve had some heavy situations, people breaking femurs and all sorts.
We've gained a lot of experience over the years, but Pete is the safety guy. It’s his life’s work. He works as both a fireman and paramedic in Dublin. His knowledge sharing goes way beyond regular first aid. We’re also constantly updating, doing courses at least once a year, ski-driving courses, practice days at different spots, pick-ups, all sorts of scenarios. We’re lucky we have that here because it’s just crazy. Really mental waves.
Ollie on a big day at Mullaghmore, by Alice Ward.
Every last bit of kit is specialised and often personalised. Can you please take us through the kit that you need for big waves (boards, wetsuit, vest, ski/sled/rope, radios etc) and their tailoring and maintenance?
First of all, you need your [inflation] vest. There are a few companies making those. I’ve got an Up Vest at the moment. They actually kindly sent me a whole new inside last winter after a malfunction, which was really kind of them. That’s the one I use.
Then I’ve got my impact vest, which goes underneath. Depending on the wave size and what’s happening, I’ll sometimes wear just the impact vest or both. Washing them out after use is important. The pins on the pull vest can seize or rust, so keeping them rinsed and dried properly is essential.
With the skis, it’s about maintaining them - making sure they’re running well, serviced and washed down properly. We use radios too. Usually, we’ve got a cameraman on the cliff and someone on the radio, Kev Smith has done that a lot. Recently at one of the slabs, he was letting us know if the second wave in the set was bigger. That’s super important. Having someone on the radio for safety is a big help.
Your sled, your ropes - keeping them salt-free is key. Boards - well, I’ve still got some slab boards without straps. My tow board actually belonged to Fergal Smith. I had another one that got snapped, and a friend had this one. I tried it and it’s amazing. It’s about 15 years old and still as good as any tow board I’ve ridden. They’re very specialised, weighted down, straps positioned just right to be able to ride over big chops or going at a very high speed. Then for paddling, you’re looking at 65-litre boards, crazy volume, shaped specifically to handle those waves. Markie at Cord shaped me a few this winter and they’re amazing. I’m really thankful to him. He’s making top-class boards now for a lot of the guys. Especially for heavy waves, he’s really nailed it.
Getting suited and booted. Photo by Luke Gartside.
What are the logistics of a big wave session – forecasting, co-ordinating teams, safety, making a call, out on the water etc.
First of all - forecasting. Like I said, you become an amateur meteorologist. Having all those things on file, past swells, tides, direction, period, wind, is so important. Being able to correlate good days with bad ones and understand why something did or didn’t work. I have all those notes saved on my phone and Google Drive. It’s gold.
Coordinating teams - that’s the hardest part. Some of the waves we end up surfing, especially the secret spots, are logistical nightmares. Convincing people to come can be tricky because there are only a handful in the country really dedicated to it. You’re asking people with families and full-time jobs to turn around and drop everything.
It usually works out, but we’ve done some dodgy missions with only two skis and taken some risks. Making the call is tricky, you’ve got to be on it, up early, using your knowledge. Sometimes what you hope is happening and what’s actually happening are two very different things.
I’ve definitely fallen foul of that - showing up and it’s not great, taking risks that can lead to injuries. But once I’m on the water, everything disappears and I get in the zone. I’m way more nervous the day before or in the morning than I am once I’m out there. Out there, I can accept whatever happens and just lock in.
How do you manage the psychological side of this pursuit – anticipation, patience, anxiety, disappointment, humility, the adrenaline come-down and so on?
The anticipation and lead-up can be really hard. You start to doubt yourself. “Do I really want this? Do I really want to be here?” That part of your mind, you just have to accept it’ll happen. I’ve accepted that anxiety and stress are part of it. You’re doing something dangerous and it’s just part of being human - that doubt will always be there.
If I’m feeling that, I try to focus by getting all my gear together, like I’m 100% committed. I get everything ready - ski, tow partner Callum, everything in place. Once I’m out there, things usually settle and click into gear. For me, the biggest thing is just getting there. Paddling out or sitting and watching, it all starts to calm once I’m there.
Disappointment can be really deflating, especially in big wave surfing. I’ve driven to Mullaghmore so many times. In October I drove up with Ol, had one take-off, one pocket ride, paddled back out then went over the falls. I broke my board, got pounded, washed in and had to drive home with my tail between my legs. That’s happened many times.
Surfing slabs up there or here at Riley’s, they’re humbling places. I’ve been at Aileen’s on really heavy, high-period days and not caught anything. Literally paddled in. That happens more than people think. They’re hard places to surf.
With experience comes lower expectations. If an opportunity comes, I’ll take it. If it’s heavy and not quite right, that’s okay. There are other days. Every tricky day teaches you something.
The comedown? That’s hard. You get this deep contentment for a couple of days, you slip into this lovely feeling of accomplishment, but day-to-day life can feel mundane after. The challenge is to find fulfilment in everyday life.
I think it’s a big challenge for anyone who is in a sport with that height of adrenaline and flow state. It floods you full of these happy hormones and feelings. It’s a really high high, like a drug, But you shouldn’t need that rush to fulfil you. You should feel it in day-to-day life. Finding other things that fulfil you and give you a sense of belonging and community, that’s the tricky part. There is a danger there of surfers leaning into other things to generate that feeling.
Big, cold, grey, and exhilarating. Ollie making it through on at Mully, captured by Alice Ward.
What would your top piece of advice be to any surfer looking to progress to surfing waves of consequence?
Find a mentor. Lean into someone with experience and find a starting point. Come up with a short-term and long-term plan, and be realistic. Set smart goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. That really helps.
That’s something I do with the groms I coach. Be specific. Say which breaks you want to surf. Can you measure it over time? Is it realistic? That’s important - you don’t want to let yourself down. Then find people who understand the stepping stones. Ask yourself: Am I in the right place? Do I need to leave the country? Spend a couple of months in Hawaii? Or stay in Ireland?
Approach it with an open mind and no pressure. Take it as it comes. Keep turning up and if you’re consistent, things will happen.
Check out Ollie's Session of the Season from last winter at Riley’s here.
