Mavericks and the Singularity

[Beasho]

Given the advancements in technology, Google Earth, Drones and the proliferation of digital imagery we are fast approaching the

Singularity of Surfing

When all actions will be recorded from multiple perspectives for the benefit of the surfer and the interested populous.

Check this out.  Same photo different perspective.  Equally, horrifyingly awesome.

[Bean]

Must be easy for the likes of Kai (and you too Beasho) to take the drop on a wave like that with those massive steel balls pulling him along

[dns]

Must be easy for the likes of Kai (and you too Beasho) to take the drop on a wave like that with those massive steel balls pulling him along

Brass, they're brass. Heavier than steel and they don't rust in the salt water. 

[Beasho]

There is probably a business opportunity here, to merge demand with pixels hidden on random hard drives, but the short story was that the video taken at Mavericks on Nov 6th, 2016 posted on Surfline resulted in a World Surf League Wipeout of the year submission.  I did not know who the person was that fell in the video if WSL had not nominated Matt Rott.



A search for Matt Rott on Facebook uncovered the photo below submitted to Surfer magazine.  The credit was to Fred Pompermayer.  I contacted Fred to see if he might have captured any other pictures of that wave taken @ 11:24 am.

[Beasho]

He responded with “Unfortunately I only have this photo of you.” 

And like Hawking Radiation from heaven this picture emerged from the black hole yesterday . .  . 2 months . . . . . $100 later . . . .Holy Schnockers!

[PonoBill]

Nice.

I bet it didn't feel quite that big when you were dropping into it. I have a picture somewhere that a guy took with a big lens of me dropping into a mushy DOH wave. Every time I look at it my nuts retreat into my chest cavity.

That's a lot bigger than DOH. My only recommendation is, don't show that to your wife. At least not if she's anything like mine.

[mrbig]

Love the caption Big Drop Denton! No s**t Sherlock!

Massive!

[NateNate]

Wow that's a sick picture!

[Beasho]

I posted the first wave from this thread on FB and included the following commentary attached to the TRACE GPS readout
(Thread start here: http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,31021.msg339782.html#msg339782).

"This was the TRACE GPS record of the first wave at Mavericks. Sadly, according to first string rules (Haley Fiske), a wave only counts 'If it is ridden from the bowl passed mushroom rock.' My 174 yards fell well short of this metric but I am willing to play second fiddle if it means that I am among some of the best first stringers in the world. The 28.9 mph is about average at Mavericks but because I am the only one geeking out with the data I don't have anyone else to compare to. Hopefully this will change." - Beasho

Jeff Clark, the never ending big brother, responded with:
"Not sure your TRACE can quantify what is going on on the lefts. It's all a Stoke!"

And then he posted a most impressive shot.

[Beasho]

The singularity continues:  If you go to the Mavericks Camera (which is not working) and scroll down you will see the "Trace Scout" report from Hunter Sterling.

I am Hunter Sterling.  I caught 1 wave and wanted to see if I could find it on the surf cam, and there was the report from my TRACE.  I am not sure I like this.

http://www.surfline.com/surf-report/mavericks-northern-california_4152/

[Beasho]

Story Line: I had a brief window and paddled out for what would be << 1 hour session.  I will typically resign myself to getting skunked when at Mavericks so that I don't get too upset if I don't manage to catch any waves.  There is some young guy sitting wide and he says "Can you actually catch any waves out here?"  I say "Yes just be prepared because if they swing wide they are going to be big, and I mean really f'ing big.  So mentally prepare yourself and I'll tell you when to paddle."
Within ~ 10 minutes a wave comes and Booyahh I'm in.  There were ~ 12 guys out and no one else was on it so I had the wave all to myself.  It was probably the most elegant wave I have ever caught at Mavericks. Beautiful sunshine, nice drop hair blowing in the breeze 2/3's the way to Mushroom rock.  I kicked out with dry hair.

Jeff Clark paddles out and then Haley Fiske (3 of us on SUP's).  Jeff ends up taking off on another swing wave, only he launched from the bowl.  I almost caught the same wave but was 30 yards wide of him.  He makes an otherwise Un-makeable drop and then gets obliterated.  Spray, white water rolls forward, Jet Skis racing all over, they find Jeff and pull him out with 1/3 of his board attached to his leash.  Board broken, paddle gone.  Haley remarks to the lineup "And then there were 2!" (referring to the remaining SUP's).

I paddled in shortly thereafter, Jeff got escorted to the beach by Jamie Mitchell on a Jet Ski.  Jamie claimed to be sitting out because he "Has a bad leg."  Jeff later tells me he made it to the bottom before getting seriously blown up. I asked 'Was it bad?'  He paused and said "Yeah, really bad."  Coming from Jeff that is significant.

Meanwhile Haley catches a couple good ones and then gets the wave of the day.  He drops on a beautiful face makes his bottom turn and then proceeds down the line.  He looks up to see what he thought would be an open face turn into pure vertical wall.  OMG!  He runs for the flats and then Kabooom!  Haley goes down.  He said the beating was so bad he didn't even remember losing his paddle.  It just disappeared.  Greg Long then raced in on a Jet Ski, Haley grabbed the ski and said "Go, go get me out of here."

Haley paddled on his belly back to the beach.  When he got to shore someone quipped "And then there were no SUP's left in the lineup." 

One board broken, two paddles lost and Hunter Sterling retreated unscathed back to his desk for a conference call.

If the singularity delivers pictures will emerge.  Jeff's wave would be impressive to see.

[SUPcheat]

Wow, what a great report from the deep end, Beasho.

I am still out being flu-ish, but saw some big waves tonight 4:30PM at low tide from 41st.  38th Street looked really nice with DOH, but at low tide, I think they would have to sort out the reef and the deep parts because a closeout on that shallow stuff could be fatal.

[Beasho]

Here was the report from the Mercury news.  And directly from Jeff himself @ 0:40 into the video.  Funny he never mentioned he was on a S.U.P.

The do show him paddling at the end though:

http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/01/26/mavericks-surfers-enjoy-big-wave-contest-preview-rides/

[TallDude]

That's some BIG BIG stoke, Hunter S. Beasho. I'm surprised there are a swarm of drones out there. Keep charging.

[Area 10]

Fascinating reading. 30 mph on a wave - wow.