Opportunity lost.
One of the great joys, of the past handful of years, is the rise of Garrett McNamara. The Massachusetts-born, Berkeley-raised stud made a name for himself, in our small surf world, wrangling Oahu beasts but launched into the general public eye by pioneering Nazare. That mutant, breaking off Portugal’s shore, is responsible for the most recent Guinness Book of World Records records, the latest measured at 86 feet, and also for making McNamara a bonafide television star.
But certainly you’ve watched HBO’s very fine 100 Foot Wave. The award-winning documentary series, which follows McNamara, is three seasons old, now, and while a fourth has yet to be confirmed, everyone agrees it would be a lot cooler if it could be 1578 Foot Wave instead of the now tired 100 Foot Wave.
The opportunity was missed, this past summer, when a wave exactly that size went unridden in Alaska.
The behemoth ripped through the Tracy Arm Fjord, some forty miles south of Juneau, on August, 10 after a landslide triggered a tsunami.
Researchers were able to measure it, precisely, thanks to a new NASA Surface Water Ocean Topography satellite.
Dr. Thomas Monahan, an engineer at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, declared, “Until now, we simply didn’t have a way to observe these waves directly, but our study has demonstrated that using data from the new Surface Water Ocean Topography satellite can reveal the full sea-surface structure of these events, even if no one witnesses them directly,
Dr. Dan Shugar, a geomorphologist at the University of Calgary in Canada, added, “Normally with these gigantic rock avalanches, they often give some sort of warning signs in the weeks, months, years prior, when the slope is slowly moving down the mountain. It’s sagging and then it catastrophically gives way in a rock avalanche. In this case that didn’t happen.”
If it did happen, though, the warning signs and all that, there can be no doubt that McNamara and team would have set up camp and waited for the big moment. 1578 Foot Wave has a real ring to it, but alas, apparently it was not meant to be.
Bummer.
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Good man!
Thoughts and prayers 🙏
Hey brother I’m at my daughter’s wedding and half a bottle of crown Royal down and think I might kick my ex wife right in her cunt. Cheers mate
Still only a 10 foot tiddler in the Hawaiian wave measurement scale.
Get back into the hospital as this isn’t time to play tough guy! They need to clean you up and that doesnt happen with you toggling in and out of the hospital
Bamboo is a shit thing. Two ways to eradicate it. 1 as you said the chainsaw then dab the existing with straight roundup or equivalent. 2 dig every speck out. Painstaking process. I’d go option 1 to begin with.
p.s. ya gotta dab that shit straight after cutting it. Ya got a 30 second window
yep, same with camphor and lantana and giant devils fig.
get that fukn roundup on quick.
Mate…Manu looks as gay as Crescent Head.
sheep paddock with a few burgery cold waves.
Honestly….it shows how cooked your stretch of coast is that you want the contest in the first place.
Stockholm Syndrome.
Not much else going on quite frankly. Except for the odd Fisher exhibition
Very interesting. Just checked YouTube and the Woz is running a LIVE GWM Aussie Treble final days recap. Finals highlights, from all 3 finals days.
honestly, it’s not a bad idea for people who don’t watch the event or the heat recaps. An entire 150 people are watching
I wonder how they decide what time to start the “live” feed.
hahahaha
I haven’t read down or across, but how is your foot, cunt?
In other news that no one cares about, my CC OP1 is the fastest shortboard I’ve ever set foot on. The sort of fast that feels fucking skits on one wave and then like a rollercoaster you’re about to get bucked off of the next. At first I thought it was because I was running it as a quad, but then I rode it as a thruster and I swear it was going even FASTER. Have ridden in chest to head high with some energy. Goes over flat sections and turns on a dime in the pocket, sort of a mind machine. Wheels came off once or twice, probably because it’s a bit shorter as a supposed groveler (5’8 vs the usual 6’0). Doesn’t like to scratch in late to any lurching or ledgey waves unless you’re in the perfect takeoff spot.
Just a couple more inches of length, less wide, but with the same engine… holy fucking shit boys I think there’s something here.
Looks amazing. I’ll start looking out for one second hand.
I missed one ages ago and paid full dollar… regrets!
Sorry–CC? Link to board?
Christenson
https://christensonsurfboar…
Not a lot of reviews online about it for some reason!
Black rail spray too? They look sick
All white!
Fucken sexy
Stop it.
Stop saying all the right things.
I’m too fragile.
I hope you two are happy together. Gives the rest of us hope.
Thoughts and prayers <3
I generally don’t like single concave bottoms- prefer a single to double.
they just feel more reliable and smoother rail to rail.
no weird moments.
Notice a lot of the Californian shortboards are single conc.
This thing is single double to big vee in the back.
I agree. I have tried to like singles on shortboards and there are too many weird, floaty, disconnected moments.
Watching the reality show / highlights show for Sail GP on ESPN, Racing on the Edge.
The Woz just needs to get tens of thousands of millionaires, and a few more billionaires, to start following surfing. Easy. Mucho dinero.
Also there’s a half Kiwi / half Japanese lad who sails with the Black Foils. We know which Gritters would be cross with him if he had chosen to sail for the Japanese.
sail GP….probably the most exciting sport on the planet …when there’s wind….especially strong, yeah rich mans sport like F1……but the tech level of F1/Sail GP…..nothing come close….but we are waiting for Manu to turn on…..so maybe??
The skipper and crew are almost as insane as the tech too.
Pushing everything and everyone to the edge
Earlier this year they took some risks and resulted in huge collisions. (no fatalities)
They don’t wanna tone it down like Formula 1, just manage the crews to not take such huge risks I think.
The boats are fuckn sick
the race in NZ was a cracker where the NZ boat hit the French at 90KPH……guy broke both legs and an arm…..crews are so dialed mostly Olympic medalists etc….and then what I love is the tech , sails/Hulls/Foils and the engineers who fine tune the rigs…..ah if only surfing…nah I’ll let go the vanilla world of surfing and why!
The tech in Sailing, Windsurfing, Kiting, and hydrofoils and Efoils has come SO FAR, SO FAST. So many $$$$$$$$$$
The reason why surfing will always be the BEST, is because
-Anyone can do it, on anything that floats, even body surfing….
-It all comes down to the conditions and the WAVES
-Sure surfboard tech helps, but you don’t need to be rich to get something that floats, even a Boogie Board…
-IT IS FREE ,and inspires adventures and travel to places you would never go to otherwise…
The “Call of the Ocean”
my comment was actually a snide crack at the current CT / surfers/shapers…..where there is very little going on with equipment and materials in surfing.
Currently the most used technology in CT surfers equipment is PU/Polyester……about 50 yrs old, and design wise, very little in the way of design breakthrus , if anything….so the allure of the WSL/Pro surfing…….is a bit like putting on a show/comp….with everybody following each other…but no quantum leaps in tech or design…so yeah F1/GP Sail……at least the tech lords are there and ripping!
I recently had an old schoolmate visit me (From overseas) and he was trying to tell me this is the future Hemp Boards (he worked for them)
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
I argued over and over with him and said fuck that, and fuck pop outs and PU….
I would rather have a handshaped, glassed piece of foam with a stringer anyday…..
Controversial, but art is art
Would love to try one out.
following these guys:
https://www.instagram.com/swellcycle.surfboards/
some cool tech.
Yeah, but fuckn hell. They look like Wavestorms at Walmart.
How long till you explode/implode it because it was in your car or the Sun for too long….
Light as fuck? Cool…. Maybe riding a heavier board is BETTER? (Caity Simmers)
And I bet they cost the same, of not more….
Just need something that floats…..
for sure it looks too light.
been watching this for a couple of years now…has potential to be a pop out stock board…..needs a lot more testing ….there was a mob out of SF , who are great engineers……made the 3 D boards …took them to Hawaii , water and sun was too warm and there was a component that melted /broke down…….also in France /Bayonne same results….
All thst doesn’t make it better than surfing. I know you know that. Crayfish p is right
I think my time in surfing from the 60’s till now….I have been spoilt rotten……in an era where we started riding long boards with no leashes and no wetsuits….think surfing Santa Cruz in winter with footy shorts and a woolen short sleeve pullover…….
So I lived the era from longboards to now….and watched the worlds wildest extremist surfers , challenging the worlds biggest rad waves and having to build/design and ride the equipment , in waves never surfed before…the sense of adventure , from being on the front line , pioneering design and surfing….so damn, maybe it’s old age and past glory story was maybe just a delusion…or was it real….so when I see todays surfing just seems so vanilla….but that’s relative to my life and participation in the Gloden era….now to be confused with a Golden Taco,LOL!
No, mate.
You were lucky enough to live through the most golden days of global history …..an Aussie surfer born between 1945 and 1985.
Bonus points for not being in the unlucky few who had to go shoot villagers in IndoChina.
I was to be in the next lotto for conscription…..watched Wayne hide….
Thank fuck for that. Horrible, horrible outcome for everyone.
Man, there’s a wave very near my house that has become infested with foil fuvkwits. These crew are a different breed. More like cycling MAMILs than surfers. So much gear, all have massive Sprinter vans.
Yuck
I wrote a long comment to you about the conventionality of surfing the other day and deleted it. A thousand words and changed my mind cause I thought it would upset you too much. Was I wrong?
LOL..seriously blowin…there’s nothing you can say that would upset me…….conventionality of surfing , bring it on…..you constantly make comments on my posts , but when I answer them you don’t/won’t answer….there’s no subject I won’t respond to, especially coming from you as your factual base of information is pretty shaky…discuss?
Raglan Waves got some footy of Gabby out today:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2386367765165012
junky today, but monday looking good.
I fuckn love Sail GP, and that shit is epic. Was here in WA not long ago. (I love windsurfing, hate Kite)
Been some nasty collisions already earlier on, and they had to reduce the field before someone go killed.
They are fuckn flying and fuckn maniacs
now that is interesting, surfing and more investment to buy the WSL……will be hand in hand with those other great success stories ,like Quik/Bong/RC…..who are owned by public Company’s……increase or decrease in sales?
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
Any thoughts on who may throw some coin at the wozzl
read the sports industry article that Stab linked and it was totally ambiguous – open to anyone with cash was the basic profile.
Also, this is how it described the acquisition by DZ (lol):
”Billionaire Dirk Ziff backed the 2012 acquisition of what was previously the Association of Surf Professionals, which had been controlled by athletes and endemic brands. The rebranded WSL embraced drones and streaming as it courted young, affluent fans around the world—and also sought to further draw in dedicated surfers, including some who were wary of the sport’s commercialization. In 2021, the WSL negotiated a potential sale to Netflix before talks broke down.”
and now Netflix under offer?
There’s a lot of cash out there right now , looking to buy assets at bargain basement prices…was watching Berskshire Hathaways new CEO…they are holding $380 B USD….in cash……It’s interesting also that the Ziff family have significantly increased their personal wealth …so no financial pressure ….just the ongoing pressure from the BGritters..LOL
and yet , world hunger persists
ha, hunger and people are more interested Gaza’s problems meanwhile ……7-8000 children die everyday from malnutrition……and here we are…a $1 a day could solve all of this…….but here we are……hypocrites one and all……
$1 can save 8000 children from starvation?
I just paid $AUD34 for a D grade pizza at a pub. Only 8 ( shitty) slices. That won’t go far.
$1 a day………as I said we are living hypocrits….hows ya climate denial/anti-Australianism going….and will you ever surf again,LOL?
Anti Australianism?
What are you an Australian nationalist Nazi?
haha…..as we have discussed , you are what we call a New Australian….one still coming to grips with the History of Australia , and trying to evolve/integrate with us….so carry on….
Integrate with us? Who’s us? I’m as Australian as you are. No integrating for me , mate. I was born Australian. Always was, always will be.
yeah you are a New Australian still learning and evolving from history….all the history the 50K + years and the last couple of hundred….embrace it…..just because you were born here means shit…….you could be a neo -nazi , or an antisemitic , or pro colonialism……or reject the foundation of Australia’s culture.
Then again if ya have a blue singlet and a pair of stubbies to wear with your thongs …..well Australia does have it’s Bogan culture….
21 at the local bowlo with a members card- not bad.
Man….my pizza was fucked. Meat lovers absolutely drowned in HP sauce. It was like a dessert it was that sweet.
Think I’m done with going out at all. Spent $250 for a dry, very average lunch and a few drinks at a backwater pub for lunch. I’m eating at home when I’m in Australia. Top tier pricing with dogshit service.
absolutely mental how much a feed and a couple of beers is now.
Manu looks like a left hand Crescent Head…best of luck watching every heat of that shit.
I’m lucky that I grew up loving rice and beans. I don’t have it tough but I still get a twinge in my pocket when I go out to eat.
Giving Ziff a ‘waterman of the year’ award is looking rather familiar with the current US regime’s behaviour.
ah the FIFA award,LOL…….Board of Peace / etc…..yeah everybody wants a trophy!
Elon Musk wants to be cool
Need Kelly Slater to get into his ear
I fear AI chatbots are already here below the line too
AI?? Andy didn’t have chatbots. Or did he?
Elon is a drugged out nut. Fuck him
We need to get the robot lizard to buy it instead and give it to Kai Lenny to manage.
Brutus might want Larry Ellison / Paramount/ Warner Brothers to buy it, as they’re genuinely huge on ocean tech
And totally not Zionist scum!
I am Zionist scum , as you so nicely put it………do you negotiate with scum or just ….????
I don’t think you’re a bad person. You’re just not very thoughtful.
haha…….love your antisemitism……..ah I have had a couple of original thoughts , called surfboard design, one even changed the world of surfing…but carry on……
Wasn’t that a blank shaped in reverse by mistake? From your own account it doesn’t sound like you put much thought into it.
All I see is your covid hysterics carrying on into the climate faux hysteria.
Heads up: It’s a scam for dumb cunts.
there you go again..blowin you are soo shallow……..anther 1/2 baked post abusing my work and as usual based on not much….except some random thought……..covid hysteric’s , climate faux hysteria….
Hysteria is your way of trying dismiss fact as an emotional reaction and not……well you don’t believe in science or history….so who’s the dumb cunt?
A lot of what you post ….photo’s of yourself (Are they?) and stories which sound like regurgitated story’s from others , meanwhile I can see why you hate me as I threaten your existence of being a New Jew hating Australian…….each to their own!
Whoa there! Surfing’s too good for drugged out nuts? There’s a lot of us need to get our coats, I guess…
now now mate, if you dont have anything nice to say etc. you know how sensitive you are about your beloved shnapper
raglan forecast looking more promising..
what do you see?
It will be mandatory for all competitors to ride efoils during the contest
Surfline over here had it at 2′ on opening day. Now it’s at 4-5′
Surfline.
I cannot believe people pay for that shit.
Hey in other news here’s some stills of the contest from my people on the ground. Seems like it’s been a hectic couple days for Negs:
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Thanks! Skinny with hair!!
Xoxo
hahahaha.
ah….better to have some friends, than none at all,lol?
Between the sheep and his underlings here on BG, Negs is the belle of the ball.
need a board next time I’m down in Torquay!
haaaaaaaaa
Brutus’ favourite formerly-chubby, Malibu surfer who moved to San Diego is red hot right now. Everywhere.
Did BG call a truce, or something? I seem to remember reading here that a phone call was made. Is that what happened ?
remind me?
Jonah. He’s out promoting his lastest film (he’s the director) on all of the Hollywood-centric podcasts.
No hate, it’s just funny seeing the VAL journey of a public person who has, in the past, had major issues with his ego (as many Hollywood people and pro surfers do).
“Married With Children”…love&marriage…kabang!
yeah Jonah is a gem in the rough!
His passion for surfing , and his committment to surfing….not sure I have ever come across anyone so passionate!
All people have problems with their ego…..when you talk to him , he’s so down to earth, and genuine……..and of course he’s out there promoting….when I caught up with him in October….he was shooting every nite for mths….great luck to him..
“….not sure I have ever come across anyone so passionate”
Lolol
A late bloomer dilettante. Good luck to him and well done for going full retard, but “most passionate surfer” you’ve ever met….fuck, pump the brakes there, Champ.
Ok , he was 260Lbs when I first met him…..I watched him try and surf everyday…..and after about 18mths he lost he lost 125lbs…went from a 38 + waist to 31″…..moved out of Malibu, to be closer to surf now whare he lives…..so yeah from Val…to surfer….
Meh….you reckon he’s more passionate than you, me , Ross Clarke Jones or Tommy Carroll because he stopped killing himself with food ?
oh FFS it’s just my opinion seeing some one super talented /actor/producer /father……famous/rich….and surfing changed his life….I am currently doing a T-Shirt ….” SURFING RUINED MY LIFE!”
Fuvk off…you’d be no one without surfing. Nor would I.
We’d probably be pot bellied fisherman. You’d be releasing a line of graphite rods and I’d be bent over a burley bucket for the love of snapper.
that made me chortle.
who wants to be anyone……surfing is a bit of a joke especially when you read the spectrum of comments here…..in 50 years it’s all over……..but I know you don’t believe in climate change…so there’s no sea level rise or any consequences to be had from our changing climate,LOL!