The biggest wave conquered by a surfer. The highest and most dangerous waves for surfing. The biggest tsunami in the world

In December 2004, a photo of the largest wave in the world spread across all publications around the world. On December 26, an earthquake occurred in Asia, which resulted in a tsunami wave that killed more than 235 thousand people.

The media published photos of the destruction, assuring readers and television viewers that there had never been a big wave in the world. But the journalists were lying... Indeed, in terms of its destructive power, the 2004 tsunami is one of the deadliest. But the magnitude (height) of this wave is quite modest: it did not much exceed 15 meters. History knows of higher waves, about which one can say: “Yes, this is the largest wave in the world!”

Record breaking waves

Where are the biggest waves?

Scientists are confident that the highest waves are not caused by earthquakes (they often cause tsunamis), but by ground collapses. This is why high waves are most common:

... And other rogue waves

It's not just giant waves that are dangerous. There is a scarier variety: single rogue waves. They come out of nowhere, their height rarely exceeds 15 meters. But the pressure they exert on all objects encountered exceeds 100 tons per centimeter (ordinary waves “press” with a force of only 12 tons). These waves are practically not studied. We only know that it crushes oil rigs and ships like a sheet of ordinary paper.

What causes the appearance of most waves in the oceans and seas, about the destructive energy of waves and about the most gigantic waves and the largest tsunamis that man has ever seen.

The highest wave

Most often, waves are generated by the wind: air moves the surface layers of the water column at a certain speed. Some waves can accelerate up to 95 km/h, and the wave can be up to 300 meters long; such waves travel enormous distances across the ocean, but most often their kinetic energy is extinguished and consumed before they reach land. If the wind subsides, then the waves become smaller and smoother.

The formation of waves in the ocean follows certain patterns.

The height and length of the wave depend on the wind speed, the duration of its influence, and the area covered by the wind. There is a correspondence: the greatest height of a wave is one-seventh of its length. For example, a strong breeze generates waves up to 3 meters high, an extensive hurricane - on average up to 20 meters. And these are truly monstrous waves, with roaring foam caps and other special effects.

The highest normal wave of 34 meters was recorded in the Agulhas Current ( South Africa) in 1933 by sailors on board the American ship Ramapo. Waves of this height are called “rogue waves”: even a large ship can easily get lost in the gaps between them and die.

In theory, the height of normal waves can reach 60 meters, but such waves have not yet been recorded in practice.

In addition to the usual wind origin, there are other mechanisms of wave formation. The cause and epicenter of the birth of a wave can be an earthquake, a volcanic eruption, a sharp change coastline(landslides), human activities (for example, nuclear weapons testing) and even the fall of large celestial bodies- meteorites.

The biggest wave

This is a tsunami - a serial wave that is caused by some powerful impulse. The peculiarity of tsunami waves is that they are quite long; the distance between the crests can reach tens of kilometers. Therefore, in the open ocean, a tsunami does not pose a particular danger, since the height of the waves is on average no more than a few centimeters, in record cases - a meter and a half, but the speed of their propagation is simply unimaginable, up to 800 km / hour. From a ship on the open sea they are not noticeable at all. A tsunami acquires destructive power as it approaches the coast: reflection from the coast leads to a compression of the wavelength, but the energy does not disappear anywhere. Accordingly, its (wave) amplitude, that is, height, increases. It is easy to conclude that such waves can reach much higher heights than wind waves.

The worst tsunamis occur due to significant disturbances in the topography of the seabed, for example, tectonic faults or shifts, due to which billions of tons of water begin to abruptly move tens of thousands of kilometers at a speed jet plane. Disasters occur when this entire mass slows down on the shore, and its colossal energy first goes to increase in height, and ultimately collapses onto the land with all its power, a wall of water.

The most tsunami-hazardous places are bays with high banks. These are real tsunami traps. And the worst thing is that a tsunami almost always comes suddenly: in appearance, the situation at sea can be indistinguishable from low tide or high tide, an ordinary storm, people do not have time or do not even think about evacuating, and suddenly they are overtaken by a giant wave. Not many places have developed a warning system.

Territories with increased seismic activity are areas of particular risk in our time. No wonder the name of this natural phenomenon is of Japanese origin.

The worst tsunami in Japan

The islands are regularly attacked by waves of different calibers, and among them there are truly gigantic ones that entail human casualties. Earthquake east coast Honshu Island in 2011 caused a tsunami with a wave height of up to 40 meters. The earthquake is estimated to be the strongest in the recorded history of Japan. The waves struck along the entire coast, together with the earthquake they claimed the lives of more than 15 thousand people, many thousands were missing.

Another of the highest waves in Japanese history hit the western island of Hokkaido in 1741 as a result of a volcanic eruption; its height is approximately 90 meters.

The biggest tsunami in the world

In 2004, on the islands of Sumatra and Java, a tsunami caused by a strong earthquake in Indian Ocean, turned into a major disaster. According to various sources, from 200 to 300 thousand people died - a third of a million victims! To date, this particular tsunami is considered the most destructive in history.

And the record holder for wave height is named “Lituya”. This tsunami, which swept through Lituya Bay in Alaska at a speed of 160 km/h in 1958, was triggered by a giant landslide. The wave height was estimated at 524 meters.

Meanwhile, the sea is not always dangerous. There are “friendly” seas. For example, not a single river flows into the Red Sea, but it is the cleanest in the world. .
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Waves most often calm and mesmerize the person watching them. Just imagine: the beach, the setting sun drowning in the ocean waves, one after another rolling in white foam onto the golden sand. “Idyll,” you say. Now imagine: strong gusts of wind, a cooling breeze and a huge 30-meter wave that grew right in front of you in a matter of seconds. “Idyll,” the big wave surfers will say.

Today we will talk about the most famous spots with big waves: how and where these ocean Hulks come from and who is hunting for them. Source: birdymag.ru

(Total 14 photos)

Mavericks, California

1. Perhaps, these giant waves have become the most popular and are familiar even to people far from surfing, and all thanks to the film “Wave Conquerors” (2012), which tells real story the young surfer Jay Moriarty, who conquered those same Mavericks. But that’s not about that now.

The spot got its name back in 1967, when three surfer friends came to surf the unnamed spot. There was a dog with them - a German shepherd named Maverick, who loved to swim next to the guys. Leaving the dog on the shore, they swam by boat to the line-up, but the dog still went after them. The boat had to be turned around in order to tie Maverick more tightly - the weather had deteriorated greatly and it was unsafe for the dog to be in the water. In terms of riding, that day was not successful: the guys were surfing close to the shore, and the giant waves rising far in the ocean seemed very dangerous to them. Returning to shore, they decided to name the place after the dog, who was much luckier that day.

2. Since then, the small town of Half Moon Bay in Southern California has become a Mecca for surfers who cannot live without deadly waves. But not for everyone. For many years, the spot was a great secret, jealously guarded only by a select few. And all the rumors about Mavericks looked more like crazy nonsense. Only in the 90s, thanks to Surfer Magazine, the spot received wide publicity and became a magnet for everyone who wanted to watch and ride the rogue waves.

3. These waves acquire such power due to the unique bottom topography: at a distance of about one and a half kilometers from the shore, the reef has depressions that, like a pump, pump up the wave with an additional volume of water coming from other deep-sea reefs. But this is only “meeting a good friend on the threshold”: the waves themselves are formed long before approaching the shores of California. Mavericks in their pristine state - echoes of storms in nearby areas of the northern part Pacific Ocean. Overcoming a distance of 320 km (ideal), the waves move south, driven by the westerly wind. Another important component for a large Maverick is the period with which swell waves arrive at the reefs, this period should exceed 16 seconds. When all the factors come together, a huge 25-meter wall rises in front of you.

Nazare, Portugal

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

As with the Mavericks, the deep Nazaré Canyon (Canhão da Nazaré) plays into the hands of surfers. This is the largest underwater gorge in Europe, stretching along the coast for 170 km. In some places, the width of the Nazaré Canyon reaches 5 km, and the depth is about 300 m.

5. Find a surfer

6. Nazaré waves are “fed” by strong Atlantic storms, the swells of which move towards Europe. The canyon, like an arrow pointing straight to the beach of Praia do Norte, enhances the power of the waves, and the sharp difference in depth between the gorge and the reef allows the waves to grow in height, reaching 30 m, and sometimes more. There are plenty of madmen who have conquered such giants.

7. Take, for example, the Guinness record holder, American Garrett McNamara, who rode a wave 23.7 meters high in 2011. And just two years later he increased his success by conquering a 30-meter giant in the same Nazaré. The deadly St. Jude storm helped Brazilian Carlos Burla beat McNamara by 1.5 meters. By the way, Burle’s girlfriend, big wave surfer Maya Gabeira, almost lost her life after falling from a giant wave in Nazaré.

Garrett McNamara catches Nazaré's monster

Jaws, Hawaii

8. The Hawaiian spot Jaws (“Jaws”) on the northern coast of the island of Maui is happy to open its mouth for everyone from November to March. This name was given to it by local surfers in 1975 in honor of Steven Spielberg’s just-released blockbuster of the same name. The waves that arise here are really similar to the unpredictable behavior of a shark: suddenly a quite friendly wave can turn into an 18-meter monster.

9. “Jaws” arrives thanks to the storms of the big-wave entertainment-rich Pacific Ocean. These high, fast and powerful waves attract town-in-surfers, i.e. those who get caught on a wave by being towed on a jet ski. By the way, this method was invented precisely at the Jaws spot in the 1980s.

10. “Jaws” appears due to an underwater ridge that appeared as a result of a volcanic eruption. The ridge sharply slows down the rapid movement of the swell, driven by sharp gusts of wind, and the reef, concentrating this entire mass, collapses it in a certain place. In the same place where the XXL Big Wave Awards will be held on May 1.

“Jaws”: a surfer for mom, a surfer for dad...

Teahupoo, Tahiti

11. The Teahupu spot (or rather, the name is pronounced “Chopu” in the local dialect) is located in the southwest of the main island French Polynesia- Tahiti in the Pacific Ocean. Translated, the name sounds like “tear off the head” and it fully justifies itself. Of course, it appeared as a result of the bloody inter-tribal wars that happened in these parts hundreds of years ago. But these days it does not lose its relevance. And all because gigantic heavy waves rise 500 meters from the shore and crash onto reefs slightly covered by shallows, sharp as a thousand knives. This is due to the strong southwestern swell carrying the left wave, and the unique semicircular “jagged” relief of the reef, sloping steeply down, allows it to show itself in all its treacherous, ponderous glory. It seems that giants simply grow out of nowhere.

Rhys Wartenberg, surfer, traveler: “When I climbed out of the water after my first brutal “kiss” with the reef in Chopu (on my thigh), one of the surfers warming up on the shore said that I was lucky not to grab this beauty with my face. And then I realized: yes, damn it, I really am the lucky one!”

Chopu is included in Transworld Surf magazine's "Top 10 Deadly Waves" list. The full power of the “daredevil” was experienced by surfer Bruce Taerea in 2000. An unsuccessful attempt to duck dive a 4-meter wave ended in death for a professional athlete: a powerful wave pushed the athlete, throwing him onto the reef. From a broken neck and spine, Bruce fell into a coma and then died in the hospital.

Gave chopu

Pipeline, Hawaii

12. What can we say, Hawaii is the historical birthplace of surfing, attracting riders of all levels and ages to its waves. But big wave hunters have a specific point here - the Pipeline spot on the shore of the island of Oahu, or rather, on Banzai Beach. In winter, huge (up to 10 meters) pipes stand here, which, when closed in shallow water, add another 10 points to the danger level.

13. It is noteworthy that, depending on the size of the incoming swell, the wave on the Pipeline breaks into several peaks, the most traveled of which is First Reef. This is logical, because the reef, extending into the ocean, is divided into three parts by depressions, giving the incoming waves additional power. Encountering shallow water, this whole huge mass collapses, creating a perfect, but damn dangerous pipe.

By the way, about pipes. The Pipeline spot got its name, surprisingly, not because of the characteristics of the waves. It was 1961 when director Bruce Brown decided to film some guys on anonymous waves for his surfer film In Search of Summer. And very nearby there was work going on to lay underground communications in the ocean. So Brown christened the place - “The Pipeline” - very unromantically.

14. Since the 1970s, The Billabong Pipeline Masters competition has been held here annually, where the strongest athletes fight the elements for a prize of $425,000. But everything is not so rosy: since 2000, six deaths of professional surfers and photographers have been recorded here.

Of course it's not the only places on land where you can come face to face with huge waves. But to learn, and most importantly, to understand them all, you need to make a lot of effort. Not only physical, but also mental. After all, big wave surfing is a deadly dangerous enterprise. And for those who still dream of riding, for example, Mavericks, we have come up with the motto: “Explore. Go for a ride. Rule."

5 most famous surf spots where legendary huge waves come

The biggest
waves of the world

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

Mavericks, California

Perhaps, these giant waves have become the most popular and are familiar even to people far from surfing, and all thanks to the film “Wave Conquerors” (2012), which tells the real story of the young surfer Jay Moriarty, who conquered those same Mavericks. But that’s not about that now. The spot got its name back in 1967, when three surfer friends came to surf the unnamed spot. With them was a dog - a German shepherd named Maverick, who loved to swim next to the guys. Leaving the dog on the shore, they swam by boat to the line-up, but the dog still went after them. The boat had to be turned around in order to tie Maverick more tightly - the weather had become very bad, and it was unsafe for the dog to be in the water. In terms of riding, that day was not successful: the guys were surfing close to the shore, and the giant waves rising far in the ocean seemed very dangerous to them. Returning to shore, they decided to name the place after the dog, who was much luckier that day.

Since then, the small town of Half Moon Bay in southern California has become a mecca for surfers who cannot live without deadly waves. But not for everyone. For many years, the spot was a great secret, jealously guarded only by a select few. And all the rumors about Mavericks looked more like crazy nonsense. Only in the 90s, thanks to Surfer Magazine, the spot received wide publicity and became a magnet for everyone who wanted to watch and ride the rogue waves.

These waves acquire such power thanks to the unique bottom topography: at a distance of about one and a half kilometers from the shore, the reef has depressions that, like a pump, pump up the wave with an additional volume of water coming from other deep-sea reefs. But this is only “meeting a good friend on the threshold”: the waves themselves are formed long before approaching the shores of California. Mavericks in their pristine state are echoes of storms in nearby areas of the North Pacific Ocean. Overcoming a distance of 320 km (ideal), the waves move south, driven by the westerly wind. Another important component for a large Maverick is the period with which swell waves arrive at the reefs, this period should exceed 16 seconds. When all the factors come together, a huge 25-meter wall rises in front of you.

Nazare, Portugal

Nazaré waves are “fed” by strong Atlantic storms, reaching a height of more than 30 m.

Who would have thought that an ordinary fishing village would instantly become a surfing center of attraction? And all thanks to the recently opened spot of the same name with truly terrifying waves. As in the case of Mavericks, the deep Nazaré Canyon (“Canhão da Nazaré”) plays into the hands of surfers. This is the largest underwater gorge in Europe, stretching along the coast for 170 km. In some places, the width of the Nazaré canyon reaches 5 km, and the depth is about 300 m. The waves of Nazaré are “fed” by strong Atlantic storms, the swells of which move towards Europe. The canyon, like an arrow pointing straight to the beach of Praia do Norte, enhances the power of the waves, and the sharp difference in depth between the gorge and the reef allows the waves to grow in height, reaching 30 m, and sometimes more. There are plenty of madmen who have conquered such giants. Take, for example, the Guinness record holder, American Garrett McNamara, who rode a wave 23.7 meters high in 2011. And after 2 years he increased his success by conquering, all in the same Nazar, a 30-meter giant. The deadly St. Jude storm helped Brazilian Carlos Burla beat McNamara by 1.5 meters. By the way, Burle’s girlfriend, big wave surfer Maya Gabeira, almost lost her life after falling from a giant wave in Nazaré.

Jaws, Hawaii

The Hawaiian spot Jaws (Jaws) on the north coast of the island of Maui is happy to open its “mouth” to everyone from November to March. This name was given to it by local surfers in 1975 in honor of Steven Spielberg’s just-released blockbuster of the same name. The waves that arise here are really similar to the unpredictable behavior of a shark: suddenly a quite friendly wave can turn into an 18-meter monster. Jaws arrives thanks to the storms of the big wave-rich entertainment of the Pacific Ocean. These high, fast and powerful waves attract town-in-surfers, i.e. those who get caught on a wave by being towed on a jet ski. By the way, this method was invented precisely at the Jaws spot in the 1980s. Jaws appears thanks to an underwater ridge that appeared as a result of a volcanic eruption. The ridge sharply slows down the rapid movement of the swell, driven by sharp gusts of wind, and the reef, concentrating this entire mass, collapses it in a certain place. In the same place where the XXL Big Wave Awards will be held on May 1.

Teahupoo, Tahiti

The Teahupu spot (or rather, the name is pronounced “Chopu” in the local dialect) is located in the southwest of the main island of French Polynesia - Tahiti in the Pacific Ocean. Translated, the name sounds like “tear off the head” and it fully justifies itself. Of course, it appeared as a result of the bloody inter-tribal wars that happened in these parts hundreds of years ago. But these days it does not lose its relevance. And all because gigantic heavy waves rise 500 meters from the shore and crash onto reefs slightly covered by shallows, sharp as a thousand knives. This is due to the strong southwestern swell carrying the left wave, and the unique semicircular “jagged” relief of the reef, sloping steeply down, allows it to show itself in all its treacherous, ponderous glory. It seems that giants simply grow out of nowhere.

Rhys Wartenberg

Surfer, traveler

“When I climbed out of the water after my first brutal “kiss” with the reef in Chopu (on my thigh), one of the surfers warming up on the shore said that I was lucky not to grab this beauty with my face. And then I realized: yes, damn it, I really am the lucky one!”

Chopu is included in Transworld Surf magazine's "Top 10 Deadly Waves" list. In 2000, surfer Bruce Taerea experienced the full power of the “head-off”. An unsuccessful attempt to duck dive a 4-meter wave ended in death for a professional athlete: a powerful wave pushed the athlete, throwing him onto the reef. From a broken neck and spine, Bruce fell into a coma and then died in the hospital.

Pipeline, Hawaii

What can we say, Hawaii is the historical birthplace of surfing, attracting riders of all levels and ages to its waves. But big wave hunters have a specific point here - the Pipeline spot on the shore of the island of Oahu, or rather, on Banzai Beach. In winter, huge (up to 10 meters) pipes stand here, which, when closed in shallow water, add another 10 points to the danger level. It is noteworthy that, depending on the size of the incoming swell, the wave on the Pipeline breaks into several peaks, the most traveled of which is First Reef. This is logical, because the reef, extending into the ocean, is divided into three parts by depressions, giving the incoming waves additional power. Encountering shallow water, this whole huge mass collapses, creating a perfect, but damn dangerous pipe. By the way, about pipes. The Pipeline spot got its name, surprisingly, not because of the characteristics of the waves. It was 1961 when director Bruce Brown decided to film some guys on anonymous waves for his surfer film In Search of Summer. And very nearby there was work going on to lay underground communications in the ocean. So Brown christened the place - the Pipeline - very unromantically. Since the 1970s, The Billabong Pipeline Masters competition has been held here annually, where the strongest athletes compete against the elements for a prize of $425,000. But everything is not so rosy: since 2000, 6 deaths of professional surfers and photographers have been recorded here.

Of course, these are not the only places on Earth where you can come face to face with huge waves. But to learn, and most importantly, to understand them all, you need to make a lot of effort. Not only physical, but also mental. After all, big wave surfing is a deadly undertaking. And for those who still dream of riding, for example, Mavericks, we have come up with the motto: “Explore. Go for a ride. Rule."

Surfing was once the privilege of royalty on the island of Tahiti. And it was not just entertainment, but a ritual that confirmed and strengthened the authority and status of the ruler. Or depriving him. And although surfing has now become popular look sports, it is still not accessible to everyone. And it seems that modern surfers have inherited the ideology of the Polynesians: the real “kings” strive to conquer the highest, most powerful and most dangerous waves.

Every surfer dreams of one day conquering the terrible and ruthless water element. We will tell you about the ten most dangerous and highest waves for surfing.

Pipeline. Oahu Island, Hawaii, USA

This wave has already accounted for seven lives. Its height on average ranges from one to five meters. It is far from the title of “highest”; in fact, the danger lies at the bottom of the ocean. The wave crashes onto a mercilessly barbed reef that maims and kills surfers. However, Pipeline is not becoming less popular. There are still many athletes at the site where the wave forms, hungry for danger and adventure. Apparently the game is worth the candle.

The main problem of surfing in these places is the lack of safe swimming areas, which creates difficulties for the rescue service. Reaching an injured or unconscious surfer on a jet ski is very difficult. Therefore, athletes rely on their own preparation and the ability to hold their breath for a long time.

How to get there

The beach where the Pipeline is formed is located near small town Pupakea is called Pipeline Beach. The distance from Honolulu Airport to the beach is 50 km, travel time is about an hour.

From Honolulu Airport, take I-H-1 W (JBPHH), then take I-H-1 W and continue towards Wilikina Dr, and then take HI-803 towards HI-83 E, then continue towards HI-83 W (Pupukea). The beach is located on Kamehameha Highway.

Waimea. Oahu Island, Hawaii, USA

In winter, the peaceful and calm Pacific Ocean is inhabited by giant twenty-meter monsters - children of the storms of the North Pacific Ocean. The Waimea wave is formed next door to the Banzai Pipeline and is considered one of the first “monsters” conquered by the pioneers in the history of surfing.

Large waves have claimed the lives of more than one athlete, but it seems that this only enhances the feeling of excitement. When the waves reach their peak, the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational holds a big wave surfing competition.

How to get there

To try your luck and take risks, you don’t need to rent a scooter and a helicopter. You just need to get to Waimea Beach, which is located on Kamehameha Highway, and take your board with you or rent one there on the beach. The landmark is Waimea Park Bay Beach Park.

Jaw. Hawaii, USA

The name of the wave Jaw (translated into Russian as “jaws”) speaks for itself. Local surfers nicknamed her this way in 1975 in honor of the film of the same name released that same year.

The wave “slams” with the speed of the jaws of a predatory animal and is just as merciless to any delay. To be fair, it is worth noting that the analogy with the film was not drawn by chance: there are really many types of sharks in these places - from the usual gray ones to leopard and Brazilian luminous ones.

The wave reaches a height of 18 meters. This extreme size is formed by an underwater reef. The only way to try to conquer the wave is to use a jet ski, which will take you to the place where the wave forms. You can’t handle this on your own, otherwise you might fall down from a 15-meter “wall.” By the way, in addition to a jet ski, it would be nice to have a helicopter that will monitor your safety from above.

An Australian surfer once surfed this wave at night. It seems that this athlete has not only a body of steel, but also nerves.

How to get there

Jaws Beach, where the namesake wave is formed, is located five kilometers west of Paia, an area on the north coast of the island of Maui.

The Hana Highway stretches along the entire coast. The driver's task is to access it from any adjacent street and then drive north until turning right between road signs 13 and 14. The dirt road leads directly to the beach and one of the most dangerous waves on the planet.

Mavericks. San Francisco, California, USA

The Mavericks wave reaches a height of 24 meters. For a second, this is almost a nine-story building. In addition, among the dangers are sharks. Although the opportunity to get to know these inhabitants closely underwater world extremely small, the chances are one in a million. But the very awareness of the possibility of such a meeting forces one to periodically glance around the ocean in the hope not to miss the approaching “guests”.

In 1994, a wave claimed the life of surfer Mark Fu. Rescuers were unable to find the athlete’s body for several hours. Many people assume that the leash (the rope, thanks to which the board will not be lost after the first fall), caught on the reef and did not allow it to float to the surface. In 2011, two more athletes failed to compete with the Mavericks.

How to get there

By car

To access Mavericks Beach from Highway 1, drive through the Half Moon Bay Community, then turn north onto West Point Avenue and drive to the Pillar Point Marsh parking lot at the end of the road. From the parking area you need to go down to the harbor and turn right. Follow the path to the pier.

By bus:

Travel time from the city to the beach is 50 minutes, the fare is $2.25.

At the intersection of Kelly Ave and Church Street there is a stop from which SamTrans bus No. 17 departs. You need to travel 18 stops to Pillar Point Harbor. From the stop, Mavericks Beach is a 1.7 km walk. Turn left onto Harvard Ave and walk to the end of the road. Then turn right onto West Point Ave and continue to the Pillar Point Marsh parking lot. Go down to the harbor and turn right. Follow the path to the pier.

Teahupoo. Tahiti, French Polynesia

Teaupoo is called the queen of waves. She is admired and feared at the same time by the most experienced surfers. It was conquered relatively recently: less than twenty years ago. The first was the fearless guru of big waves - Laird Hamilton, who, before taking a risk, thoroughly studied all the possible pitfalls. Since then, Teaupoo Beach has attracted surfers from all over the world.

Translated from the local language, “Teayupoo” means “place of skulls or headless.” Five people lay their heads at the Queen's feet, including a surfer who stood on his board before he could walk with confidence.

The beach where you can catch Teaupoo is where Billabong hosts the world surfing championships every year. Riding such a wave and becoming the first means becoming the owner of a check for five hundred thousand dollars and joining the world elite of this sport.

How to get there

By bus:

Every day except Sunday, a bus with orange stripes and the word "Teahupoo" leaves in front of the Papeete airport entrance. The place where surfers ride is located 800 meters from the shore. To get there, you need to rent a boat. There are many different companies on the shore that provide this service. One of them is Taxi Boat&Surf Tahiti.

By car:

The distance from Papeete to Teaupoo is 76.7 km, travel time is 1 hour 37 minutes.

From the capital of French Polynesia, Papeete (Tahiti Island), you can easily get from the airport to the beach by rented car. Move along main road along the coast. After about 1.5 hours you will reach the fishing village of Teahupoo. Upon entering the village, after 100 meters turn right into Marina de Teahupoo. At the end of the street is Taxi Boat&Surf Tahiti, where you can rent a boat and other surfing equipment.

Nazare. Lisbon, Portugal

This wave is a real water monster on the Praia de Nazare beach - its height reaches 30 meters. This giant owes its record size to its rare underwater geography, or more precisely, to the canyon - a large gorge whose depth reaches 5 kilometers.

In 2013, daredevil Garrett McNamara rode down this 30-meter “wall” and broke the world record listed in the Guinness Book of Records. At the lighthouse in Nazaré there is a small museum in honor of the record holder.

Athlete Maya Gabeira also risked riding the powerful elements. The attempt was unsuccessful. Big waver Brazilian Carlos Burle got even for this lady and beat McNamara by 1.5 meters.

How to get there

By car:

From Lisbon Airport, take the 2ᵅ circular road north. Then take the CRIL exit and head towards Cascais until the junction with the A8. Take the "Leiria" sign and continue until you reach Nazare.

By bus:

There is no direct route to Nazaré. You need to get from the airport to the Sete Rios bus terminal. This can be done either by taxi or by Aerobus 3, which runs every half hour from the airport building (fare €3.50). Then you need to change to the Rede-Expressos bus. Travel time is approximately two hours. Follow this website for schedules and exact rates.

Shipstern Bluff. Tasmania, Australia

The Shipstern Bluff wave was discovered by a local surfer back in 1986, but kept everything a secret for a long time. However, you can’t hide an awl in a bag. In 2000, the location was filled with surfers from all over the world, despite the fact that getting to the place is extremely difficult and the riding conditions are not the most favorable. If you do dare, take a thick wetsuit, neoprene slippers and a balaclava with you, because the water temperature is very low - you won't be able to splash around.

The only way to get to the wave is to rent a boat from the pier. But they say all the obstacles are worth it.

How to get there

Take the Port Arthur road from Nubeena, continue through Highcroft Road to Stromlea Rd. You need to go to the end of Stromlea Road, which will take you to Cape Raoul Nat.Park. In the parking lot you will see a sign that says "Shipstern Bluff". Follow the signs and after a couple of hours of walking along national park you will go out to observation deck Shipstern Bluff Beach.

Cyclopos. Australia

The name “Cyclops” speaks for itself - an impregnable monster that is difficult to defeat even with the help of a jet ski. According to the ten-point school, the difficulty level is rated at eleven - the wave rises almost vertically. Legendary big waver Ken Bradshaw, seeing Cyclops, turned around and left without making a single attempt.

Among the obvious disadvantages: the distance of the nearest medical station from the place where the wave is formed (about two hours’ drive).

How to get there

By plane:

Cyclopos wave forms off the coast Western Australia, near the town of Esperance. From Perth to Esperance you can travel by plane using local airlines. Travel time is 1 hour 35 minutes.

By bus:

The bus departs from East Perth Railway station. Check the website for the schedule.

Ghost Trees. California, USA

The wave at Pebble Beach got its name in honor of the white cypress trees growing along the shore. From English “ghost trees” is translated as “ghost trees”.

This wave reaches 25 meters in height and 6 in width. Perhaps the coldest and most “shark-populated” place in our top ten. It is advisable to have a thick wetsuit with a special coloring for protection against sharks, which was developed in Australia specifically for surfers, taking into account the physical characteristics of sharks’ vision.

How to get there

Pebble Beach is located in the city of Monterey, which was proclaimed the first capital of California. You can get to the beach where you can catch this wave by car from the city of San Jose along Highway 101. The distance from San Jose to Monterey is 116 km, travel time is 1 hour 11 minutes.

Dungeons. Cape Town, South Africa

Dungeons translates to "prison". The wave was awarded this name by a local athlete who was covered by two eight-meter waves in a row.

The wave crashes on the rocks in a place called Shark Alley, and this nickname is no coincidence. The fact is that Dungeons is located near the habitat of fur seals, which are the main food in the diet of sharks.

Since 2000, Red Bull has held the Big Wave competition for surfers here.

How to get there

The site of the Prison can only be reached by boat, which can be rented from Bay Harbor. The harbor is located in the town of Hout Bay near Cape Town. It can be reached from the city center by bus number 108 from Helgarda station on Victoria Ave. Get off at the seventh stop - Atlantic Skipper. Then walk a couple of minutes down the avenue to the pier.