BIG WAVE SURFING

'Big wave surfing' is a discipline in surfing where riders paddle into or are towed onto waves which are at least 20 feet (6,2 m) high, on surf boards known as "guns" or "rhino chasers". The bigger the wave, the faster it travels, and the bigger the surf board needed to catch it. A larger board allows a rider to paddle fast enough to catch the wave and has the advantage of being more stable, but it also limits their maneuverability.
This discipline in surfing was the origin of the cross-over sport known as tow-in surfing. While many riders participate in both sports, they remain very distinct activities. Tow-In Surfing is only for the most experienced of big wave surfers.

Contents

Hazards of big wave surfing

Notable big wave surfing spots

Noted big wave surfers

Big wave surfing movies

References

See also

External links

Hazards of big wave surfing

In a big wave wipeout, a breaking wave can push surfers down 20 to 50 (6,2 m to 15,5 m) feet below the surface. Once they stop spinning around, they have to quickly regain their equilibrium and figure out which way is up. They may have less than 20 seconds to get to the surface for a breath of air before the next wave hits them. Additionally, the water pressure at a depth of 20-50 feet can be strong enough to rupture one's eardrums. Strong currents and water action at those depths can also slam a surfer into a reef or even the floor, which can result in severe injuries or even death.
One of the greatest dangers is the risk of being held down by two or more consecutive waves without the chance to reach the surface for air. Surviving a triple hold-down is extremely difficult which is why it is important to know how to swim out of these situations.
Despite these hazards, very few big-wave surfers have ever died in the practice of the sport, with the notable exceptions of Mark Foo, who died surfing Mavericks on December 23rd, 1994, Donnie Solomon, who died exactly a year later at Waimea Bay, and Todd Chesser who died at Alligator Rock on the North Shore of Oahu on February 14th, 1997. A possible explanation for the relatively low fatality rate is experience; most big-wave surfers are highly skilled in the water and have likely trained themselves to handle the situations described above.

Notable big wave surfing spots

★ Waimea Bay, Hawaii

★ Mavericks, California

★ Ghost Trees, California

★ Teahupoo, Tahiti

★ Jaws, Hawaii

★ Shipstern, Tasmania, Australia

★ Pico Alto, Lima, Peru

★ Aill na Searrach, Ireland (AKA " Aileens")

★ Hout Bay, South Africa (AKA "Dungeons")

Noted big wave surfers

★ Ken "Skindog" Collins

★ Titus (Nihi) Kinimaka

★ Mike Parsons

★ Laird Hamilton

★ Eddie Aikau

★ Ken Bradshaw

★ Jeff Clark

★ Shane Dorian

★ Mark Foo

★ Greg Noll

★ Milton and Michael Willis

★ Ross Clarke-Jones

★ Cheyne Horan

★ Koby Abberton

Big wave surfing movies

★ Riding Giants (2004)

★ Billabong Odyssey (2004)

★ Biggest Wednesday - Condition Black (2001)
Raleigh Thompson

References

★ Matt Warshaw: ''Maverick's: the story of big-wave surfing'', Chronicle Books, ISBN 0-8118-2652-X
Bruce Jenkins 'North Shore Chronicles'

See also

★ Diving hazards and precautions

External links

★ Wave Warrior (pbs.org)

★ Shipstern photo gallery

★ Surfing Forum

★ Summary of the worlds biggest surfing waves