Mavericks: South African victorious, 45-50 foot surf

[mix]

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14398302

When they made the difficult call to hold the contest on what would be a treacherous swell because of its straight westerly direction and the short distance it traveled, the surfers knew they were getting big waves.

Instead they got gargantuan waves.

Mavericks, south of San Francisco

[hobbit709]

1. 62.8 lbs per cubic foot

[mix]

2. .

http://maverickssurf.com/

[hobbit709]

3. When you're on the receiving end of this

It's gonna hurt.

[mix]

5. descriptions of injuries and wipeouts

Shattered boards, bleeding lungs and heads scuffed over the jagged sea shelf below were all part of a tough day's work for the 24 invited guests...Half Moon Bay's Ion Banner set the tone with a dramatic air drop in heat one. He dropped down into the wave's trough while his board flew backwards in the air. As 25 feet of whitewater barreled down on top of him, Banner's trusty big-wave gun snapped in half and he surfaced coughing up blood.

Tim West of Half Moon Bay did his best skipping rock impression in heat two. The wave's energy sucked him to the bottom where his head met the rock reef...One of the most surprising developments of the day came in heat three when reigning champion Greg Long, among the most devoted full-time big-wave surfers in the world, failed to advance. Beyond that, he took one of the day's most violent wipeouts, one that drove him all the to the bottom upon impact.

"These were definitely the biggest waves I have ever paddled into," said second-place winner, Shane Desmond.

[kedrys]

4. That's WAY the heck too much water

I'll watch from a safe distance. :scared:

[mix]

7. Even spectators got pounded.

At least 15 spectators at a California surfing competition were injured Saturday when big waves hit the beach, authorities said...one person had a broken bone and one or two others were hurt badly enough to be taken to a hospital.

Waves took apart a temporary podium constructed for the awards ceremony.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/02/13/Surfing-spectators-pounded-by-waves/UPI-21561266113852/

[Kajsa]

6. Two rogue waves hit spectators on the beach.

They caused serious injuries,destroyed cameras and cell phones.
One lady broke her leg.
I saw the video on the news last night, but this
was all I could find for now.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-big-wave-contest,0,6493183.story


Mavericks is known for its monster waves.
These were major rippers!

[mix]

8. insane

I stood on the cliffs once, on a flat day...that's closest I ever got to Mavericks.

[Kajsa]

9. The cliffs are the safest viewing spots

at Mavericks.

[mix]

10. i love the seagull in the first photo of Mavs

checking out the insanity

[Kajsa]

15. He's no doubt wondering

" what in the HELL are those crazy humans doing?"

:)

[applegrove]

11. When birds are flying lower than the wave itself it is officially a big wave.

[taterguy]

13. Bullshit, gulls do that with normal waves

Gets them closer to the fishes

[applegrove]

14. I was making a comment about the bird in the picture more than making

a statement of fact.

[Shine]

12. Rogue wave yesterday injured a bunch o people

broken legs, bloodied kids...it was gnarly.