Mirage

A documentary tracking how a fickle sandbar on the Skeleton Coast became the most captivating wave you’ll never surf.
Film

Light / Dark

In TSJ 29.5’s “The Sands of Walvis,” author Will Bendix and photographer Alan Van Gysen trace the natural and surf history of Namibia’s left-hand anomaly, Skeleton Bay. While the sands that make up this section of West African coastline date back nearly a million years, their current formation—resulting in the perfect, mile-long, sand-bottom point—has only taken shape over the last 20, and may soon shift again. 

“Mirage” is a short documentary by Bendix and Van Gysen that adds motion to their deep-dive into the wave and its environment, showcasing that behind the record-breaking tube rides are a slew of challenges and harsh realities necessary to even get a chance at such cartoonish perfection.  

It is our distinct privilege to offer this online premiere of the film. Enjoy.

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