FROGGIES BY SIMON WILLIAMS
SURFER: JOEL PARKINSON
LOCATION: FROGGIES BEACH
DATE: 2014
No one really knows who or why, but some creative local began painting a large rock overlooking the small cove between Snapper and Point Danger to resemble a large, green frog. Hence, the name Froggies. Barely a surf spot, and often the preserve of eager bodyboarders pulling into close outs, just occasionally the sand and conditions align to provide a makeable, heaving barrel. World champ Joel Parkinson was in the right place at the right time to claim this jewel. And photographer Simon Williams was on the spot to capture the moment. “Parko rang me and told me he was heading out. When I got to top of D-bah hill I couldn’t see him. Then I spotted him at Froggies. It looked so cool from up there,” he says. “What a gem to get. Parko reckons it’s one of his favourite shots.”
While the shot may be cool, cooler still it was also captured on film – filmer Simon ‘Shagga’ Saffigna also captured Parko’s wave that day.
And the film don’t lie – he didn’t make it.
“Parko rang me and told me he was heading out. When I got to top of D-bah hill I couldn’t see him. Then I spotted him at Froggies. It looked so cool from up there,” he says. “What a gem to get. Parko reckons it’s one of his favourite shots.”
Buy tickets