Video: Surfing icon Derek Hynd on embracing the wave philosophically
- Text by HUCK HQ
- Photography by Still from The Man, The Sea by Andrew Kaineder

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.
Latest on Huck

Meet the trans-led hairdressers providing London with gender-affirming trims
Open Out — Since being founded in 2011, the Hoxton salon has become a crucial space the city’s LGBTQ+ community. Hannah Bentley caught up with co-founder Greygory Vass to hear about its growth, breaking down barbering binaries, and the recent Supreme Court ruling.
Written by: Hannah Bentley

Gazan amputees secure Para-Cycling World Championships qualification
Gaza Sunbirds — Alaa al-Dali and Mohamed Asfour earned Palestine’s first-ever top-20 finish at the Para-Cycling World Cup in Belgium over the weekend.
Written by: Isaac Muk

New documentary revisits the radical history of UK free rave culture
Free Party: A Folk History — Directed by Aaron Trinder, it features first-hand stories from key crews including DiY, Spiral Tribe, Bedlam and Circus Warp, with public streaming available from May 30.
Written by: Isaac Muk

Rahim Fortune’s dreamlike vision of the Black American South
Reflections — In the Texas native’s debut solo show, he weaves familial history and documentary photography to challenge the region’s visual tropes.
Written by: Miss Rosen

Why Katy Perry’s space flight was one giant flop for mankind
Galactic girlbossing — In a widely-panned, 11-minute trip to the edge of the earth’s atmosphere, the ‘Women’s World’ singer joined an all-female space crew in an expensive vanity advert for Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. Newsletter columnist Emma Garland explains its apocalypse indicating signs.
Written by: Emma Garland

Katie Goh: “I want people to engage with the politics of oranges”
Foreign Fruit — In her new book, the Edinburgh-based writer traces her personal history through the citrus fruit’s global spread, from a village in China to Californian groves. Angela Hui caught up with her to find out more.
Written by: Katie Goh