Author Topic: Surfing the World's Largest Waves (Read 803 times)

Halo · « **on:** March 11, 2004, 06:35:39 PM »

You don't have to be a surfer to love the new dvd Billabong Odyssey now at Best Buy (and presumably other places).

Absolute outa sight stokin' water avalanches!

Most awesome surf mopic I've ever seen. Gorgeous stunning thrilling incredible.

This is what happens when you stalk the world's biggest waves with recon planes, choppers, fast boats, fast wavecraft, and daring photographers with latest equipment.

The outrageous surfers have no chance of catching or surviving the largest of these waves unless flung into them with a jetski tow and, when things go bad, plucked out of the head-high foam by jetski snare.

If you don't involuntarily say Oh My God throughout this video you are not breathing.

Halo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 11, 2004, 07:09:46 PM »

No Lopez. These are newer guys. I don't follow the names anymore but these seem to be some recently famous big wave guys plus a couple older ones.

Towing surfers in and out of giant waves is like helicoptering extreme skiers up to virgin mountain tops not otherwise skiable. Whole new sport.

Halo · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2004, 12:01:04 AM »

Yeah, the cameramen in the water are the unsung heroes. One time I braved Sunset in about 6-foot surf with a Nikonos underwater camera and just swim fins.

Then, duh, the waves increased to around 10 feet (measured Hawaiian style, i.e., from the BACK of the wave -- wave face was more like 15 feet plus) and I was really glad to finally make it back to the beach 45 minutes later.

Worst part was fighting to get out behind the breakers, then seeing the surfers getting real small as I got caught in the rip heading out toward Kauai.

Dunno how far I was out, but might have been a quarter mile. Really big water and teeny distant shore. First time I ever felt my hands and feet start tingling and realized I was near panic.

Had to talk to myself and get calmed down. Fortunately salt water is very buoyant, Oahu water is gorgeously clear and warm, and my sleeveless rubber vest kept me comfortable.

Finally made it back behind the surfers and started hunting for the rip to the beach at the end of the breakers. Found it, got to about 10 feet from the beach, then the beach started getting smaller again as the outflow carried me back to sea.

I was getting tired. There were plenty of surfers around but I was too proud to call for help. Finally, just as I was ready to wave for help, a surfer came alongside and said, "Hey man, want a tow?"

I did, and he did. It was so much easier to make progress just getting most my body out of the current and on the back of the board. Yet during most my trial, I was grateful I did not have a board so I could evade each water avalanche by diving down and coming up behind the wave.

Naturally that too gets quite exhausting, especially if in the break zone and surfacing in froth a foot or so deep with more waves coming in.

Didn't mean to ramble, but it was definitely a key life experience. I learned my big wave capabilities, and they weren't much. I love the sea but when it comes to that kind of power, I'm essentially chicken, a land bird.

Pfunk · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2004, 12:16:33 AM »

On January 28, 1998, Ken Bradshaw rode the biggest wave ever surfed -- a colossal 85-footer -- on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii

Makua Rothman rode a 66 footer and is the youngest at 18 to ever do so.

LAWCobra · « **Reply #4 on:** March 12, 2004, 12:24:50 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Pfunk
On January 28, 1998, Ken Bradshaw rode the biggest wave ever surfed -- a colossal 85-footer -- on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii

Makua Rothman rode a 66 footer and is the youngest at 18 to ever do so.

These guys float well because there very big balls are bouyant!:eek:

gofaster · « **Reply #5 on:** March 12, 2004, 08:14:11 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Halo
Didn't mean to ramble, but it was definitely a key life experience. I learned my big wave capabilities, and they weren't much. I love the sea but when it comes to that kind of power, I'm essentially chicken, a land bird.

I had my first near-death experience surfing hurricane waves south of Clearwater.

The particular beach I was at had very little shore - the hurricane had driven the waterline up so the waves would come onshore full force, hit a seawall, then bounce back into the next oncoming wave. When the two waves collided they would unleash a big whitewall. So, being young and immortal, me and some buddies decided to surf the incoming wave, then catch air at the collision with the outgoing wave.

Things were going well for the first hour or so. We were hopping waves pretty well and having a lot of fun. Now, being in Florida, the opportunity for riding surf that big is rare and I wasn't quite used to the turbulence of the boiling whitewater the waves were leaving. A big set came in and I caught the 2nd wave (so that I could catch air when the 2nd wave going in collided with the 1st wave going out). I was on the 2nd wave, timed my released with the impact with the 1st wave, caught some air and tumbled into the whitewater.

And promptly got spun upside down and faceplanted into the shallow sandbar with my legs exposed above me.

The third wave in the set then caught my legs and pushed me over onto my back, but my face didn't move. I thought for sure I was going to break my neck and be paralyzed.

Fortunately I was able to get one hand under me and roll over on my side. But that shook me up and I decided to take a breather on the shore and watch the other guys do their stuff.

Years later we reunited for one last surf session at Cocoa Beach before everyone got corporate transfers out of state. That was when I found God 50 yards offshore, but that's another story.

I'll have to look for that DVD at lunch today.

Halo · « **Reply #6 on:** March 12, 2004, 10:17:46 AM »

Finding God? Yeah, that too. The most beautiful moment of my life probably was at No. 3 off Waikiki. Perfect 3-footers at long comfortable intervals with glassy surface in between, brilliant sun, breathtakingly clear water.

Then rain came. In Hawaii, don't have to flee for shore when it rains because never any lightning. The rain wafted down in an approaching veil but there was still sunshine everywhere.

Soon, like slowly turning on a spigot, I became bathed in brilliance -- ocean and air and rain temp all in mid 80s, like amniotic fluid, I guess ... back to the womb. Everything was incredible translucent blue and green and white and silver.

The raindrops, larger than the usual Hawaiian mist, raised a floor of dancing sparkles everywhere. Couldn't even see the buildings on the beach. Total immersion in shimmering crystal light and warmth and wet all around, a light and airy temple of baptism in the sea.

To be quietly sitting there on a surfboard in all that splendor was truly a gift from the gods.

gofaster · « **Reply #7 on:** March 12, 2004, 10:49:57 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Halo
To be quietly sitting there on a surfboard in all that splendor was truly a gift from the gods.

That's it.

I had perfect glass, warm water, great friends, sunshine . . . 50 yards offshore.

Vipermann · « **Reply #8 on:** March 12, 2004, 01:37:12 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Halo
Total immersion in shimmering crystal light and warmth and wet all around, a light and airy temple of baptism in the sea.

To be quietly sitting there on a surfboard in all that splendor was truly a gift from the gods.

That's wonderful. I've got to get out there sometime. All i ever get is the grey Atlantic skies, and a lighthouse.

gofaster · « **Reply #9 on:** March 12, 2004, 03:12:28 PM »

I stopped at my local Best Buy. The only surf videos I saw right off were "Big Wednesday" and "Blue Crush", so I went over to the "Special Interest" section and all they had were a couple of the X-games crap DVDs with bicycles, skateboards, motorcross, and a smidgeon of surfing.

Found it on Amazon, though, along with "Step Into Liquid".

Halo · « **Reply #10 on:** March 12, 2004, 06:04:20 PM »

Gofaster, let me know what you think about Step Into Liquid. Heard about it but have never seen it.

Sorry Billabong Odyssey wasn't yet available locally for you, but it's worth ordering. Guaranteed wow.

Another thing I love about some surf footage is the underwater revelation of how the waves break. Used to paddle out to a smaller body surfing break around 3 feet (up to 6-foot face) and watch that underwater, then experiment with positioning at various spots in the break. Fascinating.

LAWCobra · « **Reply #11 on:** March 12, 2004, 06:06:09 PM »

Best surf movie
Endless summer a classic

Halo · « **Reply #12 on:** March 12, 2004, 06:20:07 PM »

Endless Summer and its sequel are definitely classics. Staples of any surf mopic library. Especially as more achievable for average good surfers without major team support including power equipment.

Surfing kinda reminds me of golf, all kinds of ways to do it. I'd like to see golf tournaments with no caddies -- the players carrying all their own equipment and walking all the way. Probably would have much different results.

Like tiger hunting on foot instead of on elephants. Bullfighting or bullriding without the picks and clowns. More equal one on one with more equal chance of winning or losing, that's ultimate sport.

Gotta admire the Lone Surfers, the Lone Athletes in any sport who don't compete with helpers.

Granted, most every activity has a support train somewhere. But ultimately it's most thrilling to see the competitor as much as possible in his or her heroic oneness.

type_char · « **Reply #13 on:** March 12, 2004, 07:06:39 PM »

Thats some awsome waves.

midnight Target · « **Reply #14 on:** March 12, 2004, 08:34:38 PM »

Used to body surf "the wedge" Newport Beach, CA. Breakwater adds several feet to the swells. Ate sand many times.

Gawd was I stooopid!