5 most famous surf spots, where the legendary giant waves come

Waves usually calm and fascinating man watching them. Just imagine: the beach, the setting sun sinks into the ocean waves, one after another impinging white foam on the golden sand. "Idyll" - you might say. Now imagine: strong winds, a cooling breeze and a huge 30-meter wave that has grown up in front of you in seconds. "Idyll" - say Big Wave surfers.

Today will tell you about the most famous spot with big waves, as well as where there are the ocean of Halki and who hunt them.

Mavericks, California

Perhaps these giant waves have become the most popular and familiar even far from the surf people, and all thanks to the film "Chasing Mavericks" (2012), tells the real story of the young surfer Jay Moriarty, who conquered those same Mavericks. But now is not about that.

The name of the spot was back in 1967 when three friends surfers came to ride on the fourth spot. With them was a dog - a German shepherd named Maverick, who loved to swim next to the guy. Leaving the dog on the shore, they sailed by boat to the Apu-line, but the dog still went after them. The boat had to turn to stronger tie Maverick - the weather deteriorated badly and the dog was not safe to be in the water. In terms of skiing that day was not the best: boys surf near the shore, and the giant waves that confront far into the ocean, seemed to them very dangerous. Back on shore, they decided to name the place after the dog, which on that day was lucky a lot more.

Since then, the small town of Half Moon Bay in Southern California has become a mecca for surfers who do not know life without the deadly waves. But not for everyone. For many years the spot has been a great mystery, jealously guarded only elected. And all the rumors about Maverick's more like mad ravings. Only in the 90s, thanks to the magazine Surfer Magazine, the spot has received wide publicity and has become a magnet for all who want to take a look and break in the killer waves.

This power of these waves become thanks to the unique bottom topography: at a distance of about one and a half kilometers from the shore reef has depressions which are pump, pump up a wave of additional volume of water coming from the other deep-sea reefs. But this is only "meeting on the threshold of a good friend": the waves themselves are formed long before the approach to the shores of California. Mavericks in their original condition - echoes of storms in the surrounding areas of the North Pacific. Overcoming distance of 320 km (ideal), the waves are moving to the south, west wind driven. Another important component for a large Maverick is a period in which Swell waves come to the reefs, this period should exceed 16 seconds. When all factors are added together, it grows a huge 25-meter high wall in front of you.

Nazare, Portugal

Who would have thought that an ordinary fishing village suddenly become the center of attraction surfer? And all thanks to recently open spot of the same name with a truly terrifying waves.

As is the case with Maverick, playing into the hands of surfers deep canyon Nazaré (Canhão da Nazaré). It is Europe's largest underwater canyon, stretching along the coast to 170 km. Partly width Nazaré canyon reaches 5 km and the depth - about 300 m.

Find surfer

The waves of Nazaré "feed" the strong storms of the Atlantic swell which move towards Europe. Canyon like an arrow pointing directly at the beach Praia do Norte, enhances wave power and the depth of the sharp drop between the gorge and reef allows the waves grow in height, reaching 30 meters, and sometimes even more. Madmen, conquered giants abound.

Take, Guinness record holder, American Garrett McNamara, in 2011 to ride the wave height of 23, 7 meters. But after two years he will increase the success, having won in the same Nazaré 30-meter giant. Deadly storm "St. Jude" helped the Brazilian Carlos Burle at 1, 5-meter jump on McNamara. By the way, the girl Burle - Big Wave surfer Maya-Gabeyra - almost said goodbye to life, falling from the giant wave in Nazaré.

Garrett McNamara caught the monster Nazaré

Jaws, Hawaii

Hawaiian spot Jaws ( "Jaws") on the northern coast of the island of Maui glad to open his mouth for all comers from November to March. So his name was christened local surfers in 1975 in honor of the newly released blockbuster of the same name by Steven Spielberg. Faced, then the waves really like the unpredictable behavior of the sharks: suddenly quite a friendly wave can result in an 18-meter monster.

have to "Jaws" because of storms rich in big-Wave-equipped with the Pacific Ocean. These tall, fast and powerful waves attract Town-in-surf, t. E. Those who fall on the wave by a towing jet skis. By the way, this method is invented on the spot, "Jaws" in 1980.

There are "Jaws" because of the underwater ridge, was the result of a volcanic eruption. Ridge dramatically slows down the rapid movement of the Maxwell, driven by sharp gusts of wind, and the reef, concentrating all this mass of caves in it to a certain place. In fact, where on May 1 will be held XXL Big Wave Awards.

"Jaws": Surfer for mom, dad ... for surfer

Teahupoo, Tahiti

Spot Teahupu (or rather, in the local dialect the name is pronounced "Chopu") located in the southwest of the main island of French Polynesia - Tahiti in the Pacific Ocean. In translation the name sounds like a "tear down" and is completely justified. Of course, it came as a result of bloody tribal wars, in the case of these lands for hundreds of years. But these days, it does not lose relevance. And all because of the giant heavy waves rise 500 meters from the shore and fall on the just covered the shallow reefs, sharp, like a thousand knives. In the merit of strong southwest Swell bearing left wave, and a unique semi-circular "scalloped" reef relief, steeply going down, allowing it to show itself in all its insidious heavyweight glory. It seems that the Giants simply grow out of nowhere. Figure Wartenberg, surfer, traveler: "When I got out of the water after its first cruel" kiss "with a reef in the Chopu (on the thigh), one of the surfers, knead on the shore, said I was lucky, not just seized the beauty of the face. And then I realized: yes, dammit, I'm really lucky! "

Chopu included in the list of "Top 10 deadly waves" magazine Transworld Surf. The power of "Swashbuckler" experienced the 2000 Surfer Bruce Taerea. Unsuccessful attempt to duck dive to dive 4-meter wave was over for the professional athlete's death: a powerful wave pushed athlete throwing it on the Reef. From the neck and spine fracture Bruce fell into a coma and later died in the hospital.

Chopu gave

Pipeline, Hawaii

What can we say, Hawaii - historical homeland of surfing, its alluring wave riders of all levels and ages. But hunters for big-Wave there is a certain point - Pipeline spot on the shore of the island of Oahu, or rather, on the beach Banzai. In winter, there arise huge (10 meters) of the pipe, which shut in the shallow water, add another 10 points to the level of danger.

It is noteworthy that, depending on the size of the incoming Swell wave at Pipeline breaks down into several peaks, most izezzhenny of which - First Reef. It is logical, because the reef, stretching into the ocean, is divided into three troughs, giving extra power of the incoming wave. Meeting with shallow waters, all this huge mass falls, creating an ideal, but a hell of a dangerous pipe.

Speaking of the pipes. The name of the spot Pipeline was, surprisingly, not for particular waves. It was in 1961, when director Bruce Brown decided to take pictures of some of the guys on the anonymous surfer waves for his film "In Search of the summer." And close by, work on laying underground utilities in the ocean. So Brown and christened the place - "Pipeline" - a very unromantic.

Since the 1970 competitions are held here every year The Billabong Pipeline Masters, where the strongest athletes struggle with the elements for a prize of 425,000 dollars. But not all rosy: in 2000 there recorded six deaths professional surfers and photographers.

Of course, this is not the only place on earth where you can meet face to face with the huge waves. But in order to learn, and most importantly, to understand them all, you need a lot of effort. Not only physical but also mental. After all, Big Wave Surfing - Enterprise deadly. And for those who still dreams to ride, for example, the Mavericks, we came up with the motto: "Learn. Ride. Rule. "