Caleb Vs. Kelly

My biggest fear was the foil hitting the bottom. I was sure it would happen. But it never did. Once you’re flying, you barely need any depth. That first little test session gave me confidence and maybe more importantly, it showed the crew I wasn’t going to hack myself in half. I walked out of that session buzzing. I knew I had to come back and go all in.

I ended up riding my go-to setup: the FLITELab* Flux 707 front wing with a 125 stabilizer. It’s a combo I know really well, super reliable, responsive, and something I trust in critical moments. Looking back, if I had to do it again, I’d definitely downsize the front wing to a 606. There was way more power in that pool than I expected, and a smaller wing would’ve given me more control and less lift in those tight, fast sections. But at the time, the 707 felt right. It’s what I’m comfortable with. And when you’re about to try something for the first time, comfort matters.

Session Two: This Is Where It Gets Wild

When I rocked up for the second session, it was game on. Foil only. No surfboard safety net. Just six waves, three lefts, three rights and the chance to ride the actual Kelly Wave.

The very first attempt was… not planned.

I breached on the take-off and somehow managed to recover. That recovery shoved me way deeper behind the section than I intended. Suddenly, I was in the exact spot you’re not meant to be on a foil, staring straight down the line of a hollow mechanical barrel. I bottom-turned, set my line, and tried to thread it.

For a few surreal seconds, I was inside the barrel. I thought, “Holy shit, I might actually make this.” Then I slowed down just a touch too much because to fit in a barrel on a foil, you actually have to drop off foil completely. Once the whole wing is in the water, drag kicks in like crazy. I lost speed and got swallowed. Still, I came up laughing. First wave and I’d already accidentally pulled into a tube. It was the best kinda chaos.

Four Attempts, Two Take-Off Falls, One Completely Rattled Wallet

Across the session, I had four proper attempts at making the barrel. The other two? Fell on the take-off. Each fall hurt a little more mentally, because each wave costs around $175. Every time you nose-dive, you’re basically hearing a cash register “cha-ching” somewhere underwater. But each real attempt taught me something.

And physically? I was mostly trying not to slice myself up. Getting folded inside a barrel while holding a meter-long carbon blade isn’t something I’d recommend. Pretty sure the foil missed me by a bee’s dick more than once.

No Makes But No Regrets

I didn’t come out of any of the barrels, and yeah, it stung a little. But watching the footage back, the sections I made it into were ridiculously tight. Just getting inside on a foil felt like a win. And I 100% believe a make is possible. Give me a couple more sessions on a smaller front wing, and I reckon I’d lock one in. So, if anyone’s keen to sponsor another six-wave slot… I’m around!

Session Three: Back to Where It Started

My final session was pure fun. I left the foil on the beach and grabbed a surfboard. And honestly? It felt incredible. Smacking the lip, doing proper turns, slotting into a barrel the traditional way… it was a perfect reset. Reminded me why I fell in love with the ocean first.

But every time I got spat out of a tube, all I could think was: “Imagine doing this on the foil.”

The pool is nothing like the ocean. The buoyancy feels different. The power surges in weird ways. You go from zero to overloaded instantly. It took me ages to figure out where the energy actually lived in the wave. But that’s what made it exciting. And it made me wonder: What would a wave pool built specifically for hydrofoils look like? Longer pockets, more space to pump, a shape tuned for glide and not gravity. If someone ever builds that, I’m in. No hesitation.

Looking Back

The whole trip still feels surreal. The desert. The oasis vibe. The lifeguards trusting me not to turn myself (or them) into a kebab. The photographer Yaando risking his life in the firing line. I might not have made it out of a barrel that day, but I pushed foiling somewhere brand new. And I got a taste of what’s possible. Would I do it again? Without a doubt. And next time, I’m bringing the 606.