Video: Surfing icon Derek Hynd on embracing the wave philosophically

The Man & The Sea is a stripped-back portrait of one of Australia’s surfing greats, Derek Hynd. It was filmed by Andrew Kaineder over two weeks in Jeffreys Bay, along the eastern cape of South Africa, and captures the 58-year-old’s philosophical approach to nature.

“Surfing, for me, is purely an escape into a pure source,” he says in the film. “Communion with the birds and the dolphins… Energy within the universe.”

Hynd, who once lost his right eye in a surf contest when his board hit him in the face, is known for his finless approach to surfing – a contrast in style he likens to the difference between jazz and rock.

“Reflection time grows as you get older – you discover that in the sea. It’s about reducing actions in order to achieve a better understanding of where you’ve been and where you’re going.”

Check out more of Andrew Kaineder’s work.

This film is an entrant in Reelers: The Surfing World Short Film Competition.