Big Wave Surfing

When you picture a surfer riding a wave into the beach, what size of wave do you think of? Many surfers ride waves as small as five feet, and even many professional surfing competitions take place on waves that are around eight feet to ten feet. A ten foot wave is nothing to sneeze at, for sure, but now imagine a wave that is twice that size. Those are the starter waves for big wave surfers. Big wave surfing is defined as surfing a wave that it at least 20 feet tall, and many cases, much, much bigger than that. Pictures of big wave surfing and big wave surfing videos can be thrilling to see; when you see a tiny surfer on the riding down that big wave, it can all look very peaceful. In reality, however, big wave surfing is extremely dangerous. Big wave surfing is not for the faint of heart, and it is not for amateurs, either. Although professional big wave surfers may make riding those monster waves look like a cakewalk, they are highly trained and take what they do very seriously. You just can’t make a mistake on a 20+ foot wave.

The Dangers Of Big Wave Surfing

Even when a surfer successfully rides a big wave into the shore, this kind of surfing is dangerous. Many of the big wave beaches are surrounded by rocks, and big waves don’t just fizzle out – they come crashing into the peace with tremendous power. A surfer must make sure not to get lost in the breaking of the wave and pushed into the rocks or forced underwater. But while successful surfing in big waves can be dangerous, wiping out on these waves can be deadly. When a surfer falls off their board when surfing a big wave, they are immediately pushed on the ocean to a depth of 50 feet or so. This depth is enough to break their ear drums, and while they’re going down, they may be flipped around and around by the wave’s power. Once the water finally stops pushing them down, they must make it to the top again fast. The next wave will be coming right before that one, and if they don’t beat it, they won’t get a breath before that one pushes them down again.

Amazingly, almost none of the mavericks of big wave surfing have died while practicing their sport, however, which speaks to their dedication and training. For other surfers, however, big waves should be enjoyed from the sidelines.