5 minute read
February 2025. Dank, cold, and wet. Everything you’d expect during winter in the British Isles.
Ready to light up the charts and create some commotion, a rare monster wave breaks off Ireland’s wild west coast.
Where exactly? Three of the UK’s top big wave surfers are among the handful of dedicated athletes who know.
Chasing once-in-a-blue-moon forecasts and committing to last-minute missions like this is nothing new for big wave legend and star of HBO’s 100 Foot Wave, Andrew Cotton (Cotty).
Six years since surfing this secret spot, Dryrobe® ambassador Cotty is joined by fellow big wave chargers, Scottish surfer Ben Larg and Tynemouth local Louis Thomas-Hudson, for a strike mission, or ‘Misean Tobann’, to hunt down this phantom wave.
Fuelled with raw commitment and the hope of getting wild rides, the guys gear up and are ready to charge into the brutal Atlantic conditions and freezing emerald water.
Firstly, love the film! You, Ben, and Louis are a great dynamic, haha! How did you find the trip?
It’s always great to travel with a younger crew. It definitely brings its challenges! I’m old enough to be Ben’s Dad! But it’s really cool to have the opportunity to show them some of the spots I’ve been dreaming about in Ireland for years.
I first started surfing there back in 2005, so I’ve been heading over for about 20 years now. To be able to share those waves and that experience with the next generation is pretty special.
We were super stoked to see Ireland’s waves on full show in the film - last time we went with Taz and Izzi, the waves were not working to their potential. What were your expectations going in on this strike mission?
Ireland has some of the best waves in the world, as good as anywhere, but they can be super fickle.
It’s not an easy place to plan a trip for, which is why strike missions usually work best. You’re always at the mercy of the surf gods, hoping the wind and tides all line up. Going into this one, though, I had a good feeling. I kind of knew where I wanted to go, and that’s always exciting.
The conditions we scored were really rare. That combination of solid swell and almost no wind doesn’t happen often. So to see it all come together was pretty special.
It was epic to see you score such an insane barrel, also Ben’s fav 10 seconds of the trip! What were your best 10 seconds of the trip?
My best 10 seconds of the trip… that’s a tough one! I wouldn’t want it to go to Ben’s head, but honestly, watching him get that barrel might have been it. That was such a sick moment. Although I’ve got to say, my own barrel wasn’t too bad either, haha! That’s definitely up there as well.
How did you cope with the cold temps in February?
To be honest, I don’t really mind the cold water itself. We’ve got such good wetsuits, gloves, and boots these days. It’s more the wind chill, and getting changed after that gets you.
That’s where it becomes proper Dryrobe® territory. That’s why I love working with brands like Dryrobe®. It’s functional, it keeps you warm, keeps you ready. You need that out there.
You described the second location as ‘f**king nuts’. What was unique about that place?
Yeah, I definitely need to watch my language. I think the main takeaway from the film is how much I swear! It’s something I’m working on going forward.
That second spot is just wild. Proper grinding left-hand barrels, super technical, and really heavy. It’s not the biggest wave out there, but it's definitely one of the trickiest. I’ve surfed it quite a few times over the years, and every time I go back, I’m blown away by how crazy the waves can get there.
There were some early mornings and we see Ben struggling a bit with the 5:30am start. How do you get in the zone so early?
I don’t actually mind early mornings too much. I think I’ve just always been used to getting up early. Maybe it’s something that’s come with age, or maybe I’ve always been that way.
Louis isn’t too bad. He’s usually up and ready, but Ben is notoriously bad at getting up. He’s always running late!
The thing is, time and tide wait for no one, right? When it’s cold and dark, it’s definitely a struggle, but once you’re up and moving, I love it.
There’s a funny bit where Louis talks about getting held down, cutting to yourself, and Ben telling him to stop whinging about it. What was a hold-down like during this trip in particular?
I love Louis, but he can be a bit dramatic sometimes. He did get a proper beating, though. He reckons I put him in too deep, but honestly, I think I put him in the perfect spot! He just jumped off a bit early and, yeah, took a bit of a smashing!
That wave breaks over this crazy rock slab. It goes from deep to shallow and then back to deep again, so the hold-downs there can be pretty intense. It definitely caught him by surprise. But that’s all part of it, you know? You learn from those moments. I actually love those beatings, they remind you where you are and what you’re dealing with. Louis is still learning, but he’s getting there.
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#dryrobeterritory
Published on November 06, 2025