Before drones were invented or used by civilians, capturing aerial images was only possible with a helicopter. On this particular day, the swell was forecasted to build throughout the day, reaching 10 to 15 feet in the afternoon with a westerly direction ideal conditions for Pipeline. I quickly arranged for a helicopter to pick me up at Dillingham Airfield. As we flew along the coast towards Pipeline, I observed the ground swells moving from the second and third reefs to the first. Instantly, I knew Pipeline was going to be spectacular. To capture these incredible moments, I used a 500mm telephoto lens and a Nikon D4, shooting handheld while hanging out of the helicopter. To time the shots perfectly, I hovered about 1,000 feet above Rockpiles. As the sets rolled in from the third reef, I communicated with the pilot via headphones, asking him to slowly approach Pipeline. Hanging out of the helicopter, I began shooting the incoming waves. We hovered for about 30 to 45 minutes, limited by the helicopter’s fuel capacity. After capturing three or four sets, we returned to Dillingham Airfield. The experience of photographing surfing from a helicopter is surreal, offering a profound connection similar to swimming in the surf with a water housing camera. Today, flying a helicopter over North Shore Surf is no longer allowed. This image stands as a testament to one of the last opportunities to photograph Pipeline from a helicopter, capturing a moment frozen in time.