Ok, that's funny sfts2...and I agree, those guys have got the biggest, brassiest balls on the planet to jump on those waves, no matter where they are. I've watched several documentaries on big-wave surfing and have followed the sport from the time Laird Hamilton revolutionized it with the tow-in style to today's crazy daredevils. Truly amazing stuff. I can remember boogie boarding little 5 to 7 footers in Santa Cruz as a teenager, and I thought THOSE were huge. Couldn't even imagine 30, 40 or 50 foot waves. That doesn't even compute. I have a lot of admiration for extreme skiing, but big-wave surfers are a different breed because in their sport, the mountain is actually moving and changing constantly. Not to knock skiers by any means but I've actually gone down a few double diamond runs. I would NEVER jump on a surfboard and ride one of those waves. Forget what I said...Jessica Alba would be out of luck.
cowabunga, lets go and live on the sand, just like in the sixties
Not to mention the very cold water and great white sharks that lurk in the waters at Maveriks. Very scary place indeed. I believe this is a paddle-in and not a tow-in event based on the "gun" sized surfboard Peter Mel is riding. An even more difficult task to paddle into one of these monsters.
If you are motivated by money big wave surfing is not for you. You just do it because you love to. There is no bigger thrill. I do consider Laird Hamilton to be one of the worlds greatest atheletes. Mark Foo's death at Mavericks a few years back illustrates how even on a relatively small day, that particular spot can be deadly to the most highly skilled and experienced. Take it from someone that has surfed big cold water waves, there is nothing more challenging in sports.
fatty, you kill me sometimes.
Hey WC2002, Good thing your doctor is a doctor I guess
An even more difficult task to paddle into one of these monsters Quite right, madchad. I didn't look closely at the photo, but just assumed that Mavericks was a tow in situation. Good to hear from some surfers on this site amongst the new members. There's been a few surfing FPPs in the past but not as much interest.
Owlhouse, I think Mavericks is a tow-in situation when it gets really huge. Most of the time the waves are paddle-in. The guy who discovered it surfed it for years by himself before the rest of the surfing community found out about it, so he had to paddle in I'm assuming.
I would do this in a second. (Rutting with starlets also welcome but not necessary.)
Just because the thread is dying and surfers are riding here, let me ask...anyone know what the current status of the foam board industry is since that major producer quit making the material...has anything changed? New producers, new investment/buy-out etc. I'd post a link, but don't actually have any clue on search terms (tried foam surf board)...it just struck me as an sad/interesting development. Surfers...any idea on what I'm talking about?
Mavericks is one of those purists type spots. Ross Clarke surfed this spot for many years alone because he couldn't find anybody else that had the balls to paddle out there with him. It is like a 3/4 mile paddle from the rocky shoreline. The watercrafts that you see in the pics are "taxis" for the surfers and camera people when they are doing photo shoots. On a regular day most of the guys out there are paddling in to these waves. Although i have not seen this wave in person, it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure that the amount of water just falling from the top of these waves could kill you upon making the slightest mistake. We are talking about thousands of gallons of water being heaved at a rapid rate. It definitely takes a skilled and confident surfer to ride giants like these. As far as the foam industry goes, loosing Clark Foam was a devastating blow to the surfboard builders. Their production was unmatched by others in the industry. This just gives the other foam blank buliders a chance to step it up and collect on the other 90% of the market that Clark had locked down for decades
thanks, I hope someone steps up...I always wished I'd learned to surf...
sfts2...I read an article about Clark closing down and it said there are 2 or 3 smaller companies trying to pick up the slack but it's nearly impossible to replace 90 percent of the market (which is what Clark had) overnight. Needless to say, it's going to be a tough road for surfers in finding quality blanks for a while. According to the article most surfboad-building shops aren't selling blanks to customers, they are keeping them for their own production of boards, which is making it hard for the individual board-builders out there. Hopefully someone will step up in a big way, and soon...
Hey Donnnnychris, why Jessica Alba? Do you subscribe to the same magazine I do?
