Thread: What was the Cloudbreak swell like?

cannot believe the length of that ride.

Shit starts hitting the fan at about 30 seconds

I can't imaging how it gets much better than that.

thats cool as shit. two non surfer questions.
1. how "hard" is it to ride a wave like that? it kinda looks like straight lining a ski run, ie just pointing it. but im assuming there are lots of micro movements and balance and maintaini g the right position in/ on the wave involved.

2. whats the record for longest wave, time wise, ever caught, or at least ever recorded?

I'm sure there's longer and I know its just SUP but i grew up idolizing Robby Naish - 3:03 at Pavones

Chicama in peru has a reputation as the "longest" wave in the world.

Originally Posted by nateski

1. how "hard" is it to ride a wave like that? it kinda looks like straight lining a ski run, ie just pointing it. but im assuming there are lots of micro movements and balance and maintaini g the right position in/ on the wave involved.

Maybe more like straight lining a ski run being chased by a small avalanche and with an, I don't know, 8/10 chance that avalanche will overtake you, and also throw in the possibility of salt and pepper in the run out.

That video of cloudbreak is not easy, it could easily suck him up the face and pitch him 10'+ out into the flats, I'm guessing there's a few VW size coral heads waiting to give a nice south pacific tattoo. I think where he jumps off head first is probably shiskabobs, I'm sure he paid some dues for that wave

Originally Posted by nateski

thats cool as shit. two non surfer questions.
1. how "hard" is it to ride a wave like that? it kinda looks like straight lining a ski run, ie just pointing it. but im assuming there are lots of micro movements and balance and maintaini g the right position in/ on the wave involved.

More like straightlining a super steep line. Most serious straightlines consist of micro movements, dealing with weird chop in the runouts, etc. Straightlining mellow runs, or groomers is not hard, but a steep chute with a dicy runout is harder than it looks. Surfing a wave like that is the same. It looks easier than it is.

Think about pointing Squaw's Palisades. Not always so easy, although it looks easy. You have to hold on, and sometimes make little adjustments that are hard to see. I have never been barreled on that type of wave, just much smaller less hectic stuff, but riding the tube is not as easy as it looks. Just holding a line can be difficult. Tube riding is something that seems very easy to non-surfers, but is really quite hard. Keep in mind I am not a good surfer, mediocre at best, but good tuberiding is something that all surfers respect. Kelly Slater is, and always has been, one of the sports best tuberiders. The aerial guys don't get respect unless they can ride the tube.

I think riding a wave like that is a whole lot easier than catching a wave like that. Not that I've caught a wave like that...

I've been to Cloudbreak. It's gnarly, didn't surf it. Went to some nearby reef breaks and got schooled (I'm not a surfer). Got shredded on the reef and my foot got infected. That was fun shoving into a snowboard boot in NZ for a few weeks.

Originally Posted by BS720

I think riding a wave like that is a whole lot easier than catching a wave like that. Not that I've caught a wave like that...

This is probably true. Catching the freight train and handling the drop would be tough, and once you are moving down the line it would be a bit easier I imagine. Of course, I don't really have any idea what I am talking about, I have never caught a wave anything like that.

Riding those big tubes especially over coral is as much about the risk involved as it is about the skill. Any mistake could land you in the hospital. Not unlike skiing a really exposed line where you have to be fully committed with huge consequences if you fall. I doubt I will ever ride a big tube like that.

fuckup on any hollow coral reef break and you can get seriously heart if there's decent size. Kalani's a charger (and a funny guy), but wasn't the biggest in the crew at least several years ago. But he has skills

Better analogy than a straightline is maybe a fast turn on a DH course at speed. Scope the line, pick the initiation with care, do everything to keep the line when there, make sure you have a good makeable exit. Fuckup anypoint along the way and you get tossed somewhere unpleasant moving really fast.

Now that's what you call getting slotted, damn.

From surfline article...

Even Kelly Slater, who surfed briefly, walked away feeling reticent. "I went out there in the afternoon and paddled out right when two of the biggest sets of the day came in," says Slater, "and I went, 'Dude 'I'm not prepared to be caught by a wave like that.' You know, you have to go with your gut on things like that."

I know lot of people despise Slater but let's be honest, when an immortal surfer like him says this, then you can bet 99% of the surfers in the world would have been on the inside surfing 8' Resaraunts.

That POV does not do it justice, he makes it look easy. What you don't see is the wheel barrel, behind his Gopro, that's carrying his brass balls

As mentioned, the toughest part of big wave surfing is typically just being able to catch it, as the larger the wave, the faster it travels and then making the drop. Throw in a wave that is pitching out so you can get barreled and the toughness doesn't let up. It is easy to get sucked up the face and pitched into a shallow bottom (that is why the wave is barreling), get clipped by the lip, just have it close out on your head, etc. It is very difficult to do at size and I have nothing but respect for the guys and girls that do it.
Think standing up on a cornice with a 60+ degree entry that you need to drop and then it avies behind you and you need to out run it. Skilz are required.

With all the hype about the wave above, I still think the stuff that goes down in Hawaii is more impressive

Maybe I don't know HI as well as I should, but his first barrel section is roughly 25 seconds long. If there is a barrel in HI that long, I'm not aware of it. Average Pipe Master's barrel is, what, 7-14 seconds?

I'm talking heaviness and/or size, not length of ride. I haven't surfed any of those waves but the stuff that goes down at Peahi or 2nd /3rd reef pipe on the average day is mind blowing.

of course, there are barreling reef waves that, with the right celestial alignment, are pretty simple and easy to get pitted and gently spat out. drop in, bottom turn, trim, point, barrel, spit, exit, pull out, and repeat. there's a popular la jolla (shallow) reef break that is known for riding like this. it is nothing like cloudbreak - incredible video/day out there! - or many of the other heavy barreling reef waves. relative to those, this jewel wave is whimpy, even on heavy daze.

Originally Posted by bodywhomper

of course, there are barreling reef waves that, with the right celestial alignment, are pretty simple and easy to get pitted and gently spat out. drop in, bottom turn, trim, point, barrel, spit, exit, pull out, and repeat. there's a popular la jolla (shallow) reef break that is known for riding like this. it is nothing like cloudbreak - incredible video/day out there! - or many of the other heavy barreling reef waves. relative to those, this jewel wave is whimpy, even on heavy daze.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5ckC...e_gdata_player

sent from the future using my mind powers

Originally Posted by bodywhomper

of course, there are barreling reef waves that, with the right celestial alignment, are pretty simple and easy to get pitted and gently spat out. drop in, bottom turn, trim, point, barrel, spit, exit, pull out, and repeat. there's a popular la jolla (shallow) reef break that is known for riding like this. it is nothing like cloudbreak - incredible video/day out there! - or many of the other heavy barreling reef waves. relative to those, this jewel wave is whimpy, even on heavy daze.

I don't know, man. Didn't a very well known surfer/shaper die out there? I think that spot gets pretty heavy. Again, not that I've ridden it or seen it break like that. I have had amazing sesions at Hanny's and Windansea, but those were far from heavy. They both are a little gnar if you don't bail early enough.

there are barreling reef waves that, with the right celestial alignment, are pretty simple and easy to get pitted and gently spat out. drop in, bottom turn, trim, point, barrel, spit, exit, pull out, and repeat

Yes, there are. Until the tide changes and there's that 1 wave where the water sucks dry off the reef and forms a step mid face as your transitioning from your belly to your feet, then you have to ollie off the top, belly flop, to smashed face to broken board. If you stick it, it's the barrel of the year but most mortals don't stick it. I don't think that wave just south of wind n sea is LJ's heaviest, there are heavier but less popular.