The biggest waves in the world. The highest and most dangerous waves for surfing The biggest tsunami in the world
Once upon a time, surfing was the privilege of the royals of the island of Tahiti. And he was not just entertainment, but a ritual that confirms and strengthens the authority and status of the ruler. Or depriving him. And although surfing has now become a popular sport, it is still not accessible to everyone. And it seems that modern surfers have inherited the ideology of the Polynesians: real "kings" strive to conquer the highest, most powerful and most dangerous waves.
Every surfer dreams of one day conquering the terrible and ruthless water element. We will tell you about the ten most dangerous and high waves for surfing.
pipeline. Oahu, Hawaii, USA
This wave has already accounted for seven lives. Its average height ranges from one to five meters. She is far from the title of "highest", in fact, the danger lies at the bottom of the ocean. The wave breaks on a relentlessly spiny reef that maims and kills surfers. However, Pipeline is not becoming less popular. At the place where the wave is formed, there are still many athletes looking for danger and adventure. Apparently, the game is worth the candle.
The main problem of surfing in these places is the lack of safe areas for swimming, which creates difficulties for the rescue service. Getting to an injured or unconscious surfer on a jet ski is very difficult. Therefore, athletes rely on their own training and the ability to hold their breath for a long time.
How to get there
The beach where Pipeline is formed is located near the small town of Pupekei and is called Pipeline Beach. The distance from Honolulu airport to the beach is 50 km, travel time is about an hour.
From Honolulu Airport, merge onto I-H-1 W (JBPHH) and then turn onto I-H-1 W and continue towards Wilikina Dr, then turn onto HI-803 towards HI-83 E, then continue towards HI-83W (Pupukea). The beach is located on Kamehameha Highway.
Waimea. Oahu, Hawaii, USA
In winter, the peaceful and calm Pacific Ocean is inhabited by giant twenty-meter monsters - the children of the storms of the North Pacific Ocean. The Waimea wave forms "next door" to the Banzai Pipeline and is considered one of the first "monsters" in surfing history to be conquered by pioneers.
Large waves have claimed the lives of more than one athlete, but it seems that this only enhances the feeling of excitement. When the waves reach their prime, the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational hosts big wave surfing competitions.
How to get there
To try your luck and take risks, you do not need to rent a scooter and a helicopter. You just need to get to Waimea Beach, which is located on the Kamehameha Highway, and take a board with you or rent it there, on the beach. The landmark is Waimea Bay Beach Park.
Jaw. Hawaii, USA
The name of the wave Jaw (translated into Russian - “jaws”) speaks for itself. Local surfers in 1975 nicknamed her so in honor of the film of the same name released in the same year.
The wave “slams” with the speed of the jaws of a predatory animal and is just as ruthless to any delay. In fairness, it should be noted that the analogy with the film was not drawn by chance: there are really many types of sharks in these places - from the usual gray ones to leopard and Brazilian luminous ones.
The wave reaches a height of 18 meters. Such an extreme size is formed due to the underwater reef. The only way to try to conquer the wave is to use a jet ski, which will take you to the place where the wave formed. You can’t cope here on your own, otherwise you can fall down from the 15-meter “wall”. By the way, in addition to a jet ski, it would be nice to have a helicopter available, which will monitor your safety from above.
An Australian surfer once conquered this wave at night. It seems that this athlete has not only a steel body, but also nerves.
How to get there
Jaws Beach, where the namesake wave forms, is located five kilometers west of Paia, an area on the northern coast of Maui.
The Hana Highway stretches along the entire coast. The task of the motorist is to get to it from any adjacent street and then move north until turning right between road signs 13 and 14. The dirt road will lead directly to the beach and to one of the most dangerous waves on the planet.
Mavericks. San Francisco, California, USA
The Mavericks wave reaches a height of 24 meters. For a second, it's almost a nine-story building. In addition, from the dangers - sharks. Although the opportunity to get to know these inhabitants of the underwater world is extremely small, the chances are one in a million. But the very awareness of the possibility of such a meeting makes you periodically look around the ocean in the hope not to miss the approaching "guests".
In 1994, a wave claimed the life of surfer Mark Fu. Rescuers could not find the athlete's body for several hours. Many assume that the leash (the rope that keeps the board from getting lost after the first fall) caught on the reef and prevented it from surfacing. In 2011, two more athletes could not cope with the Mavericks.
How to get there
By car
To get to Mavericks Beach from Highway 1, you need to drive through Half Moon Bay Community, then turn north onto West Point Avenue and go to the Pillar Point Marsh parking lot, which is located at the end of the road. From the parking area you need to go down to the harbor and turn right. Follow the path to the pier.
By bus:
Travel time from the city to the beach is 50 minutes, the fare is $2.25.
At the intersection of Kelly Ave and Church Street, there is a stop from which bus number 17 of the SamTrans company departs. You need to drive 18 stops to Pillar Point Harbor. From the stop to Mavericks Beach you need to walk 1.7 km. Turn left onto Harvard Ave and walk to the end of the road. Then turn right onto West Point Ave and continue to the Pillar Point Marsh parking lot. Go down to the harbor and turn right. Follow the path to the pier.
teahupoo. Tahiti, French Polynesia
Teayupoo is called the queen of the waves. She is admired and at the same time feared by the most experienced surfers. It was conquered relatively recently: less than twenty years ago. The first was the fearless guru of big waves - Laird Hamilton, who, before taking risks, thoroughly studied all possible "pitfalls". Since then, Teayupoo Beach has attracted surfers from all over the world.
Translated from the local, “Teayupoo” means “place of skulls or headless”. Five people laid their heads at the Queen's feet, including a surfer who stood on the board before he could walk confidently.
On the beach where you can catch Teayupoo, the Billabong company annually holds world surfing championships. To ride such a wave and become the first means to become the owner of a check for five hundred thousand dollars and join the world elite of this sport.
How to get there
By bus:
Every day except Sunday, there is an orange-striped bus with "Teahupoo" written on the screen in front of the Papeete airport entrance. The place where surfers ride is located 800 meters from the coast. To get there, you need to rent a boat. There are many different companies on the coast that provide such a service. One of them is Taxi Boat&Surf Tahiti.
By car:
The distance from Papeete to Teayupoo is 76.7 km, travel time is 1 hour 37 minutes.
From the capital French Polynesia Papeete (Tahiti) from the airport to the beach can be easily reached by rented car. Follow the main road along the coast. After about 1.5 hours you will reach the fishing village of Teahupoo. At the entrance to the village after 100 meters turn right onto Marina de Teahupoo. At the end of the street is Taxi Boat&Surf Tahiti, where you can rent a boat and other surf equipment.
Nazare. Lisbon, Portugal
This wave is a real water monster on the Praia de Nazare beach - its height reaches 30 meters. This giant owes its record value to a rare underwater geography, or rather, a canyon - a large gorge, the depth of which reaches 5 kilometers.
In 2013, daredevil Garrett McNamara rolled down this 30-meter "wall", and broke the world record, listed in the Guinness Book of Records. At the lighthouse in Nazar there is a small museum in honor of the record holder.
Athlete Maya Gabeira also ventured to ride a powerful element. The attempt was unsuccessful. The Brazilian big waver Carlos Burle paid off for this lady and beat McNamara by 1.5 meters.
How to get there
By car:
From Lisbon Airport follow the 2ᵅ circular road to the north. Then exit at 'CRIL' and continue towards 'Cascais' until you reach the intersection with the A8. Exit under the Leiria sign and drive to Nazare.
By bus:
There is no direct route to Nazare. You need to get from the airport to the Sete Rios bus terminal. You can do this either by taxi or by Aerobus 3, which runs every half an hour from the airport building (fare - € 3.50). Then you need to transfer to the Rede-Expressos bus. Travel time is approximately two hours. Follow the schedule and exact rates on this site.
Shipstern Bluff. Tasmania, Australia
The Shipstern Bluff wave was discovered by a local surfer back in 1986, but kept it a secret for a long time. However, you cannot hide an awl in a bag. In 2000, the location was filled with surfers from all over the world, despite the fact that getting to the place is extremely difficult and the skiing conditions are not the most favorable. If you still dare, then take with you a thick wetsuit, neoprene slippers and a balaclava, because the water temperature is very low - you will not be able to splash.
The only way to get to the wave is to rent a boat from the pier. But they say all obstacles are worth it.
How to get there
On the Port Arthur road from Nubeena, then via Highcroft Road to Stromlea Rd. You need to move to the end of Stromlea Road, which will take you to Cape Raoul Nat.Park. At the car park you will see a sign saying "Shipstern Bluff". Follow the signs and after a couple of hours walking along national park you will come to the observation deck of the Shipstern Bluff beach.
Cyclopos. Australia
The name "Cyclops" speaks for itself - an impregnable monster that is difficult to overcome even with the help of a jet ski. According to the ten-point school, the level of difficulty is estimated at eleven - the wave rises almost vertically. The legendary big waver Ken Bradshaw, seeing the Cyclops, turned around and left without making a single attempt.
Of the obvious disadvantages: the remoteness of the nearest medical center from the place where the wave was formed (about two hours away).
How to get there
By plane:
The Cyclopos wave is formed off the coast of Western Australia, near the town of Esperance. From Perth, Esperance can be reached by plane with local airlines. Travel time is 1 hour 35 minutes.
By bus:
The bus departs from the East Perth Railway station. Follow the website for the schedule.
ghost trees. California, USA
The wave at Pebble Beach got its name from the white cypress trees that grow along the shore. From English "ghost trees" is translated as "ghost trees".
This wave reaches 25 meters in height and 6 in width. Perhaps the coldest and most "shark-populated" place in our top ten. It is a good idea to bring a thick, color-coded shark-proof wetsuit, which was designed in Australia specifically for surfers to take into account the physical features of shark vision.
How to get there
Pebble Beach is located in the city of Monterey, which was proclaimed the first capital of California. You can get to the beach, where you can catch this wave, by car from the city of San Jose along the highway number 101. Distance from San Jose to Monterey - 116 km, travel time - 1 hour 11 minutes.
Dungeons. Cape Town, South Africa
Dungeons translates to "prison". The wave was awarded this name by a local athlete, who was covered by two eight-meter waves in a row.
The wave breaks on the rocks in a place called Shark Alley, and such a nickname is not accidental. The fact is that Dungeons is located near the habitat of fur seals, which are the main food in the diet of sharks.
Since 2000, Red Bull has held the Big Wave surfer competition here.
How to get there
The Prison site can only be reached by boat, which can be rented from Bay Harbor. The harbor is located in the town of Hout Bay near Cape Town. It can be reached from the city center by bus number 108, following from the Helgarda station on Victoria Ave. Get off at the seventh stop - Atlantic Skipper. Then a couple of minutes walk down the avenue to the pier.
Ocean, sand, beach, cocktail, sun lounger and waves 30 meters high. Yes, it's all in one place, but, fortunately, at different times. How can this be? We leave for the town of Nazare on the west coast of Portugal. It is here, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, that you can see a relaxed beach holiday, and the biggest waves in the world.
This landmark of Portugal is located between the capital of Lisbon and the city of Porto.
In summer, the small resort town of Nazare, with a population of about 15,000, is a classic tourist attraction in the country. Its long sandy beaches are occupied by tourists from all over the world. They bask in the gentle sun, bathe in the Atlantic Ocean. All in all, a relaxing holiday.
In winter, everything changes dramatically. Beach tourists are replaced by extreme people and lovers of unusual natural phenomena. During this period, you can observe the formation of giant waves that crash on the coast almost at arm's length. This phenomenon, incredible in its power and amazing in its beauty, attracts both travelers and the most desperate surfers.
Who produces the biggest waves on the planet
Once again, we recall that almost everything amazing, beautiful, sometimes frightening, but bewitching on our planet is produced by nature. In this case, the atypical topography of the ocean floor near the city of Nazare, in particular the underwater North Nazare Canyon, became the creator of giant waves. This depression in the bottom surface reaches almost to the very shore, forming a kind of springboard for ocean waves.
It should be noted that Nazare Canyon is recognized as the deepest in Europe and one of the deepest in the world. It is located not parallel to the coast, but perpendicular. Its length is 227 km, and the depth reaches 5 kilometers (this is almost half the depth Mariana Trench). As you approach the coast, the depth decreases sharply, creating a barrier to the path of the wave and multiplying its height. There are conditions under which colossal masses of water must jump over this obstacle. Do not forget, all this happens in close proximity to tourists.
In the pictures below you can see the geological reasons for the appearance of huge waves.
A typical scheme for the formation of a giant wave But that is not all. The bottom topography alone is not enough to get the highest waves. This requires a combination of many factors.
Hell of a cocktail to get the biggest waves
The presence of the canyon creates special conditions to create big waves. It splits the wave into two parts. One part increases its speed when passing through the canyon, and the second part reunites with the first part at the exit of the canyon into one big wave.
The opposite ocean current coming from the beach can add a few more meters.
For the birth of a giant wave, the wave period is important, which should be about 14 seconds. The wind, oddly enough, should be weak. The direction of the wave is very important, ideally it should come from the west or northwest. As a plus to these factors, storms are added in the northern part of the Atlantic, occurring during the autumn - winter. The combination of these factors can increase several times the usual ocean wave.
How often do big waves appear
Looking at the photos on the Internet, as well as on our website, you might think that giant waves in Nazar are formed almost every minute. But it's not. A little higher, you learned how many phenomena are required to come together to get a huge wave. It doesn't happen that often.
The Big Waves season in Nazaré falls between October and February. During these months, there are usually 1 to 6 giant waves and tens and hundreds of much smaller waves. If you want to see a truly huge wave, then plan to spend at least 2 weeks here, or follow the forecasts on surfer sites. For a large wave, the forecast should indicate a wave size of more than 3 meters, a wave period of more than 13 seconds, and a slight northerly wind.
If you are already there, then check the state of the sea in real time through the online forecast and webcams. But, even if all forecasts point to ideal conditions for the occurrence of large waves, then everything can change in just an hour and ruin a day with a favorable forecast.
But in Peru you can see the longest sea waves in the world. They are much safer than the waves in Nazar, and you can ride them for up to several minutes in a row, passing more than one hundred meters on the crest of one wave.
The story of conquering the giant waves of Nazaré
There are people in the world who "don't feed honey", just let them conquer the biggest waves. They are usually called surfers. They, probably, with the advent of boards began to collect the most best places for your hobby. They did not bypass the waves near the city of Nazare. For the first time, surfers were noticed here back in the 60s of the last century. Since then they have been frequent guests here. But there is no data on the conquest of huge waves. It was only in November 2011 that the world learned about the taking of the biggest wave. Then Gareth McNamara, a surfer from the Hawaiian Islands, conquered a wave 24 meters high. The brave comrade did not calm down and in January 2013 he broke his own record by taking a 30-meter wave.
Gareth was the first to describe the sensations of such adventures. This proved to be incredibly difficult due to the unpredictability of wave behavior.
In this event, McNamara involved three assistants and one wife (his own). At the moment of wave formation, the first assistant on the jet ski tries to drag the surfer as high as possible on the crest, and keeps close to him for safety net. Look at the photo of these waves, and you will understand that it is unrealistic to swim to them on your own.
A little further away, the second assistant runs and insures both. The third one watches over all the others. And from the shore, a gray-haired wife watches everything and gives instructions to her husband on how best to catch the wave.
The first time everything went well and no help was needed, but the second time he proved the effectiveness of triple insurance. Then the first assistant was washed away by a wave from the jet ski, and the second assistant pulled out the surfer, and the third one pulled out the first one.
The danger of such adventures is extremely high, so surfers try not to climb waves 30 meters high without much need. They only do it for the records.
In October 2013, Brazilian surfer Carlos Berl rode a wave that turned out to be even bigger. But there is no absolutely accurate data on the height of subdued waves, since it is rather problematic to make measurements.
Annual meeting of surfers in Nazar
Despite the danger of such big waves, since 2016 Nazare has hosted a meeting or competition of surfers Nazare Challenge - WSL Big Wave Tour under the control of the World Surf League. This competition brings together the best surfers from all over the world and lasts only one day. In addition, it does not have a fixed date. It all depends on the forecasts of the state of the sea. The period of holding or better to say waiting is from October 15 to February 28. The day of the competition is approved 3 days before its holding. This is the best that can be achieved with modern sea and wind forecasting technology.
For surfers, this is a milestone event. Here is how one of the participants describes it -
"What followed after the starting signal was a dizzying, wild and unprecedented display of courage, stupidity and skill"
Where is the best place to watch the biggest waves
The best way to watch a giant wave is to stand on its crest on a surfboard. Any surfer will say that. Well, for ordinary tourists it is best to do this from Cape Nazare, on which the lighthouse is located. Since the place is very interesting, you are unlikely to get lost. Fort San Miguel Arcanjo is also located here. You can also go down to the sand on the beach via a dirt road, but be very careful. In the Big Wave season it is very dangerous.
Now, in addition to big waves, the attraction of Nazare are surfers who “ride” them. This, incidentally, gives a good idea of the size of the waves. When you see a little man running away from a multi-ton huge wave, you can imagine how great and powerful not only the Russian language is, but also the Atlantic Ocean.
- As a rule, many famous surf spots have a bottom topography similar to that near Nazare, but on a smaller scale. The most famous are Teahupoo in Tahiti, Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii and Maverick's Beach off the coast of California.
- Local fishermen have long been afraid of this place. There have been several shipwrecks here. At the bottom of the canyon is a sunken German submarine from World War II.
5 most famous surf spots where the legendary huge waves come
The biggest
waves of the world
5 most famous surf spots,
where the legendary go
huge waves
Waves most often calm and fascinate the person watching them. Just imagine: the beach, the setting sun is drowning in the ocean waves, one after another running white foam on the golden sand. Idyll, you say. Now imagine: strong gusts of wind, a cooling breeze and a huge 30-meter wave that has grown right in front of you in a matter of seconds. “Idyll,” big wave surfers will say. Today we will talk about the most famous spots with big waves: how and where these ocean Hulks appear and who hunts them.
Mavericks, California
Perhaps these giant waves have become the most popular and familiar even to people who are far from surfing, and all thanks to the film Conquerors of the Waves (2012), which tells the real story of the young surfer Jay Moriarty, who conquered those same Mavericks. But now is not about that. The spot got its name back in 1967, when three surfer friends came to ride on an unnamed spot. With them was a dog - a German shepherd named Maverick, who loved to swim next to the guys. Leaving the dog on the shore, they took a boat to the line-up, but the dog still went after them. The boat had to be turned around to tie Maverick tighter - the weather had deteriorated badly, and it was not safe for the dog to be in the water. In terms of skiing, that day was not successful: the guys surfed close to the shore, and the giant waves rising far in the ocean seemed very dangerous to them. Returning to the shore, they decided to name the place after the dog, who was much more fortunate that day.
Since then, the small town of Half Moon Bay in southern California has become a mecca for surfers who do not know life without deadly waves. But not for everyone. For many years the spot was a great secret, jealously guarded only by the elect. And all the rumors about the Mavericks were more like crazy nonsense. Only in the 90s, thanks to Surfer Magazine, the spot received wide publicity and became a magnet for everyone to stare and break in killer waves.
These waves acquire such power due to the unique bottom topography: at a distance of about one and a half kilometers from the shore, the reef has depressions that, like a pump, pump up the wave with an additional volume of water coming from other deep-sea reefs. But this is only a “meeting a good friend on the threshold”: the waves themselves form long before approaching the coast of California. Mavericks in their pristine state are the echoes of storms in the nearby North Pacific. Overcoming a distance of 320 km (ideal), the waves move south, driven by the westerly wind. Another important component for a large Maverick is the period with which the swell waves come to the reefs, this period should exceed 16 seconds. When all factors add up, a huge 25-meter wall rises in front of you.
Nazare, Portugal
The waves of Nazare "feed" on strong Atlantic storms, reaching a height of more than 30 m.
Who would have thought that an ordinary fishing village would instantly become a surfer center of attraction? And all thanks to the recently opened spot of the same name with truly frightening waves. As in the case of the Mavericks, the deep Nazaré Canyon (“Canhão da Nazaré”) plays into the hands of surfers. This is the largest underwater gorge in Europe, stretching along the coast for 170 km. In some places, the width of the Nazare canyon reaches 5 km, and the depth is about 300 m. The waves of Nazare “feed” on strong Atlantic storms, the swells of which move to Europe. The canyon, like an arrow pointing straight to the beach of Praia do Norte, increases the power of the wave, and a sharp drop in depth between the gorge and the reef allows the waves to grow in height, reaching 30 m, and sometimes even more. There are plenty of madmen who have conquered such giants. Take, for example, the holder of the Guinness record, the American Garrett McNamaru, who in 2011 rode a wave 23.7 meters high. And after 2 years, he increased his success by conquering, all in the same Nazar, a 30-meter giant. The deadly storm "Saint Jude" helped the Brazilian Carlos Burle outrun McNamara by 1.5 meters. By the way, Burle's girlfriend, big wave surfer Maya Gabeira, almost lost her life after falling off a giant wave in Nazar.
Jaws, Hawaii
The Hawaiian spot Jaws (Jaws) on the northern coast of the island of Maui is happy to open its “mouth” for everyone from November to March. This name was dubbed by local surfers in 1975 in honor of the just-released blockbuster of the same name by Steven Spielberg. The waves rising here really look like the unpredictable behavior of a shark: suddenly, quite a friendly wave can turn into an 18-meter monster. The Jaws arrive thanks to the storms of the Pacific Ocean's rich big-wave entertainment. These high, fast and powerful waves attract town-in-surfers i.e. those who get on the wave with the help of towing on a jet ski. By the way, this method was invented at the Jaws spot in the 1980s. Jaws arise thanks to an underwater ridge that appeared as a result of a volcanic eruption. The ridge sharply slows down the fast movement of the swell, driven by sharp gusts of wind, and the reef, concentrating all this mass, brings it down in a certain place. In the same place where the XXL Big Wave Awards will be held on May 1st.
Tahiti
Spot Teahupu (or rather, in the local dialect, the name is pronounced as "Chopu") is located in the southwest of the main island of French Polynesia - Tahiti in pacific ocean. In translation, the name sounds like “tear off your head” and fully justifies itself. Of course, it appeared as a result of bloody tribal wars that happened in these parts hundreds of years ago. But today it does not lose its relevance. And all because giant heavy waves rise 500 meters from the shore and collapse on reefs slightly covered by shallows, sharp as a thousand knives. This is the merit of a strong southwestern swell, carrying a left wave, and the unique semicircular "jagged" relief of the reef, sheerly going down, allows it to show itself in all its insidious heavy beauty. It seems that giants just grow out of nowhere.
Rhys Wartenberg
Surfer, traveler
“When I got out of the water after my first cruel “kiss” with the reef in Chopu (on the hip), one of the surfers warming up on the shore said that I was lucky that I didn’t grab this beauty with my face. And then I realized: yes, damn it, I really am lucky!
Chopu is included in Transworld Surf Magazine's "Top 10 Deadly Waves" list. In 2000, surfer Bruce Taerea experienced the full power of the “break-head”. An unsuccessful attempt to dive through a 4-meter wave by duck-dive ended in death for a professional athlete: a powerful wave pushed the athlete out, throwing him onto the reef. From a fracture of the neck and spine, Bruce fell into a coma, and then died in the hospital.
Pipeline, Hawaii
What can we say, Hawaii is the historical birthplace of surfing, attracting riders of all levels and ages to its waves. But big wave hunters have a certain point here - the Pipeline spot on the coast of Oahu, or rather, on Banzai Beach. In winter, huge (up to 10 meters) pipes rise here, which, closing in shallow water, add another 10 points to the level of danger. It is noteworthy that, depending on the size of the incoming swell, the wave on the Pipeline breaks into several peaks, the most traveled of which is First Reef. It is logical, because the reef that goes into the ocean is divided into three parts by depressions that give the incoming waves additional power. Encountering shallow water, all this huge mass collapses, creating a perfect, but damn dangerous pipe. Speaking of pipes. The Pipeline spot got its name, surprisingly, not at all for the peculiarities of the waves. It was in 1961 when director Bruce Brown decided to shoot some guys on unnamed waves for his surfer film In Search of Summer. And very close by, work was underway on laying underground communications in the ocean. So Brown dubbed the place - Pipeline - very unromantic. Since the 1970s, The Billabong Pipeline Masters has been held here every year, where the strongest athletes fight against the elements for a prize of $425,000. But not everything is so rosy: since 2000, 6 deaths of professional surfers and photographers have been recorded here.
Of course, these are not the only places on Earth where you can come face to face with huge waves. But to learn, and most importantly, to understand them all, you need to make a lot of effort. Not only physical, but also mental. After all, big wave surfing is a deadly enterprise. And for those who still dream of riding, for example, Mavericks, we came up with a motto: “Study. Ride. Rule."
Waves driven by the wind and breaking near the shore are one of those things that you can look at forever. Especially if their height is so record-breaking that the water can cover you to your full height. There is a special place on our planet where you can observe the highest waves regularly.
Nazare - fishing village with giant waves
In Portugal, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, there is a small village of Nazare. This is a real fishing village, founded in the 16th century, where about 10 thousand inhabitants live.
The village is colorful, with beautiful sandy beaches(according to some sources, the best in Portugal), with good-natured residents who can still be found in bright traditional attire. There is even a fisherman's museum here, and besides this, other attractions: the Church of Our Lady, the Sitio quarter with a stunning panorama, a 900-year-old chapel and a lighthouse. But this is not what travelers come here for. The fact is that here the waves are of gigantic height, on which surfers set world records.
Therefore, everyone who loves surfing simply needs to visit this place. And also for those who want to look at the raging elements, because nothing fascinates like the ocean, its strength and power.
Waves that break records
IN summer time Nazare is like a classic resort: heat, sea, beach with many tourists. But the fun here does not stop even in winter: real extreme people and lovers of gawking come here, and swimming here at this time is a real killer. It is in winter that the surfer season begins: waves near the coast reach 25-30 meters in height.
The Hawaiian surfer Garrett McNamara first brought popularity to the town. He came to Nazare to skateboard. It was here that he conquered the world's largest wave on a sandy bottom. Its height was 24 meters. A couple of years later, the surfer returned and broke his own record, this time the wave reached 30 meters. After that, the lighthouse in Nazar was turned into a museum named after Garrett McNamara. The main exhibit here is the same board produced by Mercedes Benz, on which the world record was set.
Why such big waves?
In fact, such waves are quite rare (of course, if we are not talking about tsunamis or killer waves). However, in reality, everything is explained quite easily. The fact is that the village is located next to the largest underwater gorge in Europe - Nazare Canyon. And this gorge is actually huge: it stretches for about 170 kilometers in length, and the most deep point canyon - 5 thousand meters from the surface.
Waves most often calm and fascinate the person watching them. Just imagine: the beach, the setting sun is drowning in the ocean waves, one after another running white foam on the golden sand. Idyll, you say. Now imagine: strong gusts of wind, a cooling breeze and a huge 30-meter wave that has grown right in front of you in a matter of seconds. “Idyll,” big wave surfers will say.
Today we will talk about the most famous spots with big waves: how and where these ocean Hulks appear and who hunts them. Source: birdymag.ru
(Total 14 photos)
Mavericks, California
1. Perhaps these giant waves have become the most popular and familiar even to people who are far from surfing, and all thanks to the film “The Conquerors of the Waves” (2012), which tells the real story of the young surfer Jay Moriarty, who conquered those same Mavericks. But now is not about that.
The spot got its name back in 1967, when three surfer friends came to ride on an unnamed spot. With them was a dog - a German shepherd named Maverick, who loved to swim next to the guys. Leaving the dog on the shore, they took a boat to the line-up, but the dog still went after them. The boat had to be turned around to tie Maverick tighter - the weather had deteriorated badly and it was not safe for the dog to be in the water. In terms of skiing, that day was not successful: the guys surfed close to the shore, and the giant waves rising far in the ocean seemed very dangerous to them. Returning to the shore, they decided to name the place after the dog, who was much more fortunate that day.
2. Since then, the small town of Half Moon Bay in Southern California has become a Mecca for surfers who do not know life without deadly waves. But not for everyone. For many years the spot was a great secret, jealously guarded only by the elect. And all the rumors about the Mavericks were more like crazy nonsense. Only in the 90s, thanks to Surfer Magazine, the spot received wide publicity and became a magnet for everyone to stare and break in killer waves.
3. These waves acquire such power due to the unique bottom topography: at a distance of about one and a half kilometers from the coast, the reef has depressions that, like a pump, pump up the wave with an additional volume of water coming from other deep-sea reefs. But this is only a “meeting a good friend on the threshold”: the waves themselves form long before approaching the coast of California. Mavericks in their pristine state are the echoes of storms in the nearby North Pacific. Overcoming a distance of 320 km (ideal), the waves move south, driven by the westerly wind. Another important component for a large Maverick is the period with which the swell waves come to the reefs, this period should exceed 16 seconds. When all factors add up, a huge 25-meter wall rises in front of you.
Nazare, Portugal
4. Who would have thought that an ordinary fishing village would instantly become a surfer center of attraction? And all thanks to the recently opened spot of the same name with truly frightening waves.
As in the case of the Mavericks, the deep Nazaré Canyon (Canhão da Nazaré) plays into the hands of surfers. This is the largest underwater gorge in Europe, stretching along the coast for 170 km. In some places, the width of the Nazare canyon reaches 5 km, and the depth is about 300 m.
5. Find a surfer
6. The waves of Nazare "feed" on strong Atlantic storms, the swells of which are moving towards Europe. The canyon, like an arrow pointing straight to the Praia do Norte beach, enhances the power of the wave, and a sharp drop in depth between the gorge and the reef allows the waves to grow in height, reaching 30 m, and sometimes even more. There are plenty of madmen who have conquered such giants.
7. Take, for example, the owner of the Guinness record, the American Garrett McNamaru, who in 2011 rode a wave 23.7 meters high. And two years later, he increased his success by conquering the 30-meter giant in the same Nazar. The deadly storm "Saint Jude" helped the Brazilian Carlos Burle outrun McNamara by 1.5 meters. By the way, Burle's girlfriend, big wave surfer Maya Gabeira, almost lost her life when she fell off a giant wave in Nazar.
Garrett McNamara catching the Nazaré monster
Jaws, Hawaii
8. Hawaiian spot Jaws ("Jaws") on the northern coast of the island of Maui is happy to open its mouth to everyone from November to March. This name was dubbed by local surfers in 1975 in honor of the just-released blockbuster of the same name by Steven Spielberg. The waves rising here really look like the unpredictable behavior of a shark: suddenly, quite a friendly wave can turn into an 18-meter monster.
9. The Jaws arrive thanks to the storms of the big-wave entertainment-rich Pacific Ocean. These high, fast and powerful waves attract town-in-surfers i.e. those who get on the wave with the help of towing on a jet ski. By the way, this method was invented at the Jaws spot in the 1980s.
10. "Jaws" arise due to an underwater ridge that appeared as a result of a volcanic eruption. The ridge sharply slows down the fast movement of the swell, driven by sharp gusts of wind, and the reef, concentrating all this mass, brings it down in a certain place. In the same place where the XXL Big Wave Awards will be held on May 1st.
"Jaws": a surfer for mom, a surfer for dad ...
Tahiti
11. Spot Teahupu (or rather, in the local dialect, the name is pronounced as "Chopu") is located in the southwest of the main island of French Polynesia - Tahiti in the Pacific Ocean. In translation, the name sounds like “tear off your head” and fully justifies itself. Of course, it appeared as a result of bloody tribal wars that happened in these parts hundreds of years ago. But today it does not lose its relevance. And all because giant heavy waves rise 500 meters from the shore and collapse on reefs slightly covered by shallows, sharp as a thousand knives. This is the merit of a strong southwestern swell, carrying a left wave, and the unique semicircular "jagged" relief of the reef, sheerly going down, allows it to show itself in all its insidious heavy beauty. It seems that giants just grow out of nowhere.
Rhys Wartenberg, surfer, traveler: “When I got out of the water after my first cruel “kiss” with the reef in Chop (on the hip), one of the surfers warming up on the shore said that I was lucky, since I didn’t grab this beauty with my face. And then I realized: yes, damn it, I really am lucky!
Chopu is included in Transworld Surf Magazine's "Top 10 Deadly Waves" list. The full power of the "daredevil" was experienced in 2000 by surfer Bruce Taerea. An unsuccessful attempt to dive through a 4-meter wave by duck-dive ended in death for a professional athlete: a powerful wave pushed the athlete out, throwing him onto the reef. From a fracture of the neck and spine, Bruce fell into a coma, and then died in the hospital.
Chop gave
Pipeline, Hawaii
12. What can we say, Hawaii is the historical birthplace of surfing, attracting riders of all levels and ages to its waves. But big wave hunters have a certain point here - the Pipeline spot on the coast of Oahu, or rather, on Banzai Beach. In winter, huge (up to 10 meters) pipes rise here, which, closing in shallow water, add another 10 points to the level of danger.
13. It is noteworthy that, depending on the size of the incoming swell, the wave on the Pipeline breaks into several peaks, the most traveled of which is First Reef. It is logical, because the reef that goes into the ocean is divided into three parts by depressions that give the incoming waves additional power. Encountering shallow water, all this huge mass collapses, creating a perfect, but damn dangerous pipe.
Speaking of pipes. The Pipeline spot got its name, surprisingly, not at all for the peculiarities of the waves. It was in 1961 when director Bruce Brown decided to shoot some guys on unnamed waves for his surfer film In Search of Summer. And very close by, work was underway on laying underground communications in the ocean. So Brown dubbed the place - "Pipeline" - very unromantic.
14. Since the 1970s, The Billabong Pipeline Masters have been held here annually, where the strongest athletes fight against the elements for a prize of $425,000. But not everything is so rosy: since 2000, six deaths of professional surfers and photographers have been recorded here.
Of course, these are not the only places on earth where you can come face to face with huge waves. But to learn, and most importantly, to understand them all, you need to make a lot of effort. Not only physical, but also mental. After all, big wave surfing is a deadly enterprise. And for those who still dream of riding, for example, Mavericks, we came up with a motto: “Study. Ride. Rule."