“The absence of limitations is the enemy of creativity.”
That’s, allegedly, a quote attributed to pioneering media mogul Orson Welles. And while Welles was likely talking about limitations with regards to his theatrical pursuits, the saying is applicable to other aspects of life. Complete freedom can, somewhat counterintuitively, be restricting; it’s in the limitations that force creativity to flourish.
So, when a massive swell descends upon the California coast – like the one over the past couple days, and continuing right now – many surf spots have been off-limits due to the size, thus, forcing surfers to get creative. For example, hunting waves 1.5 miles out to sea off an oil rig.
That’s oil rig platform Esther, located off the coast of Seal Beach. Dating back to 1965, Esther “is a permanent, fixed base, sixty four-slot drilling and production platform. The field is producing nearly 570 barrels of oil per day, approximately 7500 barrels of water per day, and 518 thousand cubic feet per day (MCFD) of natural gas. There are 18 active producer wells and 5 active water injection wells. At least two operating personnel a shift continually operate the platform.”
Related: Surfers Score Offshore Oil Rig in California During Historic Huge Swell (VIDEO)
It’s also, on occasion, a novelty surf spot.
Judging by the footage, December 22nd was a pretty epic (and hectic) day at Esther for the handful of surfers who made the trek out there. There were party waves, wipeouts, and even an outrigger canoe crew who got caught inside and sent overboard.
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When everywhere else is too big, too closed out, motoring (or paddling) 1.5 miles out to sea is pretty creative. Kudos to those who didn’t let the swell restrictions hold them back from scoring.
Related: Santa Cruz Wharf Collapses in “Life-Threatening” Surf (Video)
