Mavericks: Beat Downs and (empty) Barrels - video

Ben Matson picture
Ben Matson (thermalben)
Swellnet Dispatch

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blindboy's picture
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blindboy Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 10:38am

Looked like Shane Dorian managed a bottom turn before we lost sight of him. Was there another one?

Rabbits68's picture
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Rabbits68 Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 11:13am

A much better perspective from the water I reckon. Can really see how solid & big those waves really are. Power plus......

zenagain's picture
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zenagain Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 12:18pm

Those crowds are insane though. Must be a healthy mix of genuine big wave chargers, glory seekers, egos and people of questionable ability. Dangerous combination.

I don't think it will be too long (but I sincerely hope it doesn't happen) before Mavericks takes her next victim.

Still, some crazy water angles there and a beautiful wave to watch.

udo's picture
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udo Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 12:19pm

The SUPS at 3 mins......do they attach there legropes around there waists ?

fraser-gordon's picture
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fraser-gordon Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 12:29pm

Whats with the crowd?What a nightmare.

udo's picture
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udo Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 1:04pm

Would Yanerbie crowds have turned out like this if smux had his BWWT comp ?

caml's picture
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caml Saturday, 27 Dec 2014 at 4:52pm

yes so ( shut up ) dont open can of worms

blindboy's picture
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blindboy Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 1:11pm

Mavericks is only about 35 km from San Francisco so that presumably accounts for a large part of the crowd.

kerry1's picture
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kerry1 Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 2:44pm

I reckon Mavericks one Hell of an over rated wave. Every time I watch it each year the BIG wave riders all they do is take off and try to force their boards in a turn to beat the white water. HOW MANY Barrels went by without one surfer back dooring it. I know it is a dangerous place if you do not know where to sit or line yourself up, but Hell look at all those dim wits in the line up. There are plenty of other waves that are on my bucket list and that Great left in Tahiti is one of them along with JBay. NOT MAVERICKS. YOUR KIDDING. I would rather ride JAWS.

waterhen's picture
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waterhen Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 3:42pm

I have seen many Mavs sessions (from the comfort of my computer) so I must disagree with you kerrry1. Shining example would be Shane Dorians first go at well lined up Mavs; huge take-offs, massive bottom turns up into the barrel and also taking off under the lip straight into the barrel. What do you think is possible in 20 ft plus surf Kezz? Put Mavs back on your places to surf list, go & sit inside with Shane & Skindog etc, show us that you are not also one of those dimwits on the shoulder.

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mick-free Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 5:02pm

I don't know Waterhen. Shane was quoted by Surfline saying "The bowl is flexing pretty hard. It's really intimidating; lots of evil ones I don't want anything to do with."

I sat on the inside of Shane at Cloudbreak last year and got promptly ran over by a bomb and then watched him paddled into the wave of the day. I wouldn't recommend sitting on his inside or surfing Jaws Kerry - you can have that.

I think my problem is that these sessions go down and in reality there are only a couple of good ones amongst the carnage. If the video above represent the best waves ridden then that's a tough day at the office. These swells get blown to all proportion by the media in their epicness but the reality is sometimes different.

Now when Mavs breaks its live on surfline and there's videos guys and photogs. Not a single angle is missed, so we should be seeing it all.

caml's picture
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caml Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 3:20pm

sometimes i wonder about my mates here on swellnet . theres been some dumb comments lately whats going on something in the water ?

Rabbits68's picture
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Rabbits68 Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 3:46pm

Think it's called "The armchair expert" disease Caml.....

Always looks a lot easier from the laptop in the lounge room........

blindboy's picture
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blindboy Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 3:59pm

caml we have seen some great big wave surfing in recent years, towed and paddle in, and I suppose the general opinion on the Mavericks material is that it was not up to that standard. It looked like a dangerous day with an incredibly difficult take off that was leaving just about all the surfers stranded behind the whitewater.......or in many cases even worse off. I don't think it is disrespectful to comment on that or to suggest that things would have been better with fewer surfers in the water. On a technical point was it design or inexperience that left so many of them unable to get around that section? To my eyes it looked like some of the boards were tracking and would have been impossible to turn.

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davetherave Saturday, 27 Dec 2014 at 9:09am
caml wrote:

sometimes i wonder about my mates here on swellnet . theres been some dumb comments lately whats going on something in the water ?

its my medication caml, cant help myself, ever since they placed me on this big hairy mans lap with a weird hat a re suit screaming out yo ho ho, i have never been the same! sorry mate. still wake up with night sweats.

thermalben's picture
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thermalben Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 3:14pm

It ain't called the 'silly season' for nothing, Camel!

caml's picture
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caml Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 4:39pm

ben ok thats right it is and i can remember posting some dumb comments last year around this time . blindy all good cheers mate

caml's picture
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caml Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 5:19pm

everywhere famous gets crowded on the best / biggest day in 4 yrs . ie pipeline , waimea , jaws , teahupoo , even australias superbank . anywhere else ? please name if ive forgotten somewhere crowded ...

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Rabbits68 Friday, 26 Dec 2014 at 6:03pm

North Point.......

ol55's picture
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ol55 Saturday, 27 Dec 2014 at 7:12am

Dont know you Caml but after last couple days of comments you must be as frustrated as hell..... After reading them I am......
regulated surf breaks for the faint hearted......what a load of old shit...
soft surfers at Mavericks.... OMG.......
Obviously never been in any surf bigger than their ankles with anyone other than their official surf break qualified self.

blindboy's picture
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blindboy Saturday, 27 Dec 2014 at 11:22am

I made that suggestion 55 and I stand by it. The regulation I suggested would be voluntary and act through peer pressure. I am constantly surprised even on Australia's east coast at the complete lack of self-awareness in many surfers who put themselves into situations that, even if it is not dangerous, they do not have the skills to handle. I did not question anyone's bravery, just pointed out that it rarely compensates for foolishness, and I would still maintain on the video evidence that there was some pretty foolish behaviour at Mavericks. As for my own experience, I gave it a pretty good go size wise back in the day including two full seasons on the North Shore, these days I still surf whatever I am confident in.

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Saturday, 27 Dec 2014 at 8:07am

Kerry1, some of the best big wave boys in world were out Mavs that day...if it was able to be backdoored...it would have been........chopes or jaws - good for you go hard ol boy you are the man ....in your eyes you are a more than capable big wave charger.....so why not do it?
That epic session of you and big simon at 8-10ft dead mans ...only one dimwit in that lineup.
A serious Non predujice question for you Kerry 1-- are you homosexual ?

Coops70's picture
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Coops70 Saturday, 27 Dec 2014 at 8:16am

I'm here in Safransisco visiting my wife's family and soon going for a surf with my mate in Santa cruz. I can tell you Kerry 1 that mavs is not under rated! The water is cold there fore harder when you hit the water and hard on the old bones! It looks so powerful from the cliff as I am not stupid enough to surf it and it's quite the spectacle. Full cred to anyone who feels they want to surf it because of how full on it is. I can't believe people doubt the seriousness of that wave

caml's picture
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caml Saturday, 27 Dec 2014 at 9:55am

without being negative , we can see it was probably the most crowded ever . so why ? four years ago when the contest was held and it hasnt been that big since . maybe some frothers & locals overly keen . bwwt wildcard hopefuls ? why else ? mikehunt are you there to explain?

coopersshoot's picture
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coopersshoot Saturday, 27 Dec 2014 at 10:53am

Lets get a bit real here ,that is a serious wave and theres obviously a lot of floaters out there having a look , but those guys having a dig deserve plenty of credit in my eyes.With all the rubber etc . they wear ,there doing well just getting to their feet !Good to see the whole wave also ,not some edited footage of guys getting towed into a barrel and always coming out clean,love a bit of carnage,just glad its them and not me.

mikehunt207's picture
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mikehunt207 Saturday, 27 Dec 2014 at 3:37pm

Record crowds at big wave locations worldwide every session these days seems to be the norm, from The ramp to Mavericks. The media push,XXL $, new avenues to start, extend or resurrect a surfing career?Wildcard bunfight. Big incentives to push boundaries there. Classic how it seems the earlier surfers who made a name for themselves and or or the spot are the ones now complaining about the crowds they drew, from Jaws to The Right. Safety for better and for worse has probably been the biggest factor in the growth of the crowd in bigsurf though, the days of leaving the beach with nothing to back a surfer up except the ability to swim back in are mostly over, from what has been learnt tow surfing both in riding big waves and the jet ski assist, this and buoyancy/inflation suits multiple waves on the head,long hold downs and a long swim back to the beach are much less common. This is allowing these guys to take on the biggest waves ever but the flip side is this opens the door for the multitudes to a degree? Lot wiping out going on in above clip , the best guys even having a tough day at mavericks and for others riding a 10,6 for the first time can result in disaster, whatever a crazy crowd for any conditions much less surf like that. I saw a stand up paddler but no lids with big wave drop knee evolution this time but will keep watching. Cool to see Jaimi Mitchel taking beating like that and come up smiling,maniac, flying the flag for aus for sure ,he just needs someone to put some glass on his boards.

caml's picture
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caml Saturday, 27 Dec 2014 at 4:59pm

thanks mr mykhunt , & blindboy 'backfired' was a valid point .& mitcho yeah get some stronger boards , its pollution !

Zoooming's picture
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Zoooming Sunday, 28 Dec 2014 at 10:15am

A sometimes hairy takeoff and a fade to a fat shoulder - if you make the drop and avoid the white water and/or drop ins - all in pretty cold water. The point being??

Warren Michael's picture
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Warren Michael Tuesday, 30 Dec 2014 at 3:08pm

It looks like Mavericks is not a good place to actually "RIDE" a wave...Who wants to drop in, do one turn and get walloped by 2 tons of water on your back? TheMainSurfDawgs need Stabillity when they surf...U do 2.

udo's picture
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udo Tuesday, 30 Dec 2014 at 3:43pm

2 tons of water......................200 plus tons I think.....Christ possibly much much more
1 cube mtr of water [fresh] = 1ton , how many cubes of water in one of those 30 ft ers ?

caml's picture
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caml Tuesday, 30 Dec 2014 at 3:43pm

only a surfer knows the feeling

mick-free's picture
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mick-free Tuesday, 30 Dec 2014 at 4:53pm

Maybe Jug will come on and explain. It looks like a technically tough wave to surf, and the consequences are as we have seen deadly. I remember Skinny saying he will never take off behind the bowl again.

The share fact that it can throw bigger than the wave is (key in Shaun Dollar's wipeout in this years mav's contest), makes for me the heaviest Big Wave spot in the world for paddling at the present moment. It hasn't seen a proper 50 foot face / 25 foot swell for a long time and then we will see some more action. This place will hold the holy grail too....100 foot if conditions ever materialise with the perfect storm.

BTW - Have they allowed skis now in Monterey Bay / Half Moon Bay area??? I thought they were banned

And Merry Christmas, Happy New Year Swellnet community its been pumping over here in NZ!!!! Hope everyone gets a few slides over the holidays

goofyfoot's picture
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goofyfoot Tuesday, 30 Dec 2014 at 8:47pm

Dark water, big sharks, cold, massive hold downs, drownings... Shit it goes on and on.
But I think camel summed it up perfectly a couple of posts up.
Only a surfer knows the feeling..
It would have to be one of the biggest mental challenges in surfing, sacking up and pushing over the ledge of a big one at mavs. It's not on my list of waves to surf but the guys (and gals) that charge out the get full respect, fucken scary lookin joint!

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goofyfoot Tuesday, 30 Dec 2014 at 8:49pm

Mick free I think I surfed a bombie at home with you on the m.p in vic month or so ago. The photog was freezing his ass off!?

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mick-free Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 7:15am

Classic was that you Goofyfoot? If it was the same session there was Josh and his mate on the red ski. Another ski for a while and then Alex on the boogie, me and I think one other guy. How was the Holiday swell a mate was down Western Vicco looked like pumping and big!

goofyfoot's picture
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goofyfoot Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 7:50am

Yeah josh towed Ya into one. He's a classic guy hey. Yeah I was the other guy, had only had two hours sleep after a party so I wasn't really feeling it that day haha. Josh and I had fun waves there xmas morning and had a sick paddle in session on Sunday morning just gone. Some pretty sick ones and a few good floggings.
Yeah down at the place you can't mention would have been pumping sunday

southey's picture
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southey Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 11:12am

Wind wasn't as light as MP .
But at least there was a few options , as it wasn't proper big .
This cold weather has atleast seen consistent land breezes . Sometimes till 10 am .
MP doesn't see them as often due to the bay , and the land mass to the west putting more W in to them .
I was gonna give you call caml , but waiting for the right swell .
As for Mavs . Jamie's wave looked insane , like full bowling like vids of BIG stuff around 10 years ago ??!?!?
Looks like there were a few people just trying to ride that inside bowl from takeoff . Amasing how nature has " turned the tap off " when it comes to good big conditions there in the last decade . Seems they should get another big clean swell with the Nth Pac SST's , as atleast they are getting proper El Niño patterns . It seems like Sth Hem is getting a Clayton's version . Next weeks blocking high may put an end to that though , but atleast we get some solid beachies out of it ....

mick-free's picture
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mick-free Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 11:23am

Haha small world. Great crew down there. You guys are lucky to have it as fickle as it is, its kind of good in a way keeps the crowd down. Looking forward to next mission down there.

caml's picture
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caml Tuesday, 30 Dec 2014 at 11:10pm

its a famous quote from billabongs ad campaigns so i cant be credited . mick that was 25ft easily i think bigger . nazare is causing everthing else to look small .

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mick-free Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 7:33am

yes camel the constant big wave footage is distorting our senses. I think Jamie's was 25 foot he seemed to be way out behind the peak. But I'm not sure about the rest was watching on phone..will take another look.

wally's picture
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wally Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 7:41am

mick-free,
Jet skis are allowed at Mavericks for recreational users from December to February if High Surf Warnings are in effect for San Mateo County.

Motorised water craft are allowed at any time at Mavericks for government agencies performing public safety functions and patrols. But, government agencies do not currently provide a lifeguard service at Mavericks.

mick-free's picture
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mick-free Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 11:02am

Here's the official report from the 20th from Kevin Wallis..

"This XXL swell was produced by a large, intense storm that plowed across the NPAC over the past several days, producing a good-size fetch of satellite-confirmed winds of 45-55kts and seas of 40-45ft. The resulting long-period NW swell slammed Northern California on Saturday with offshore buoy readings topping out in the morning around 15-18ft at 18sec. Maverick's was able to focus and amplify this into face heights of 30-40ft -- the largest waves of the day up to 45ft on the face. Conditions were buttery with light and variable wind through much of the morning and light S-SW for the late morning and afternoon

caml's picture
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caml Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 12:35pm

biggest in 4 yrs 25ft at least the set waves

mick-free's picture
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mick-free Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 5:06pm

Camel seen some more and you are right. Here's Derek Dunfee and thats a 50 foot face.

http://instagram.com/p/xQHkiEB-wJ/?modal=true

But the wave you caught at Cow Bombie in Sept is the same size and you called it 18 foot haha, you're too funny!!!

simba's picture
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simba Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 5:20pm

Good photo but hows the guy on the inside......lobsters anyone!

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mick-free Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 6:21pm

looks like a knee boarder haha!!!!

udo's picture
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udo Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 5:25pm

Derek Dunfees is a 50 ft face for sure, what does that make that thing Sancho rode at Nazare 150 ?

mick-free's picture
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mick-free Thursday, 1 Jan 2015 at 8:37pm

I have only seen a blurry image of Sancho's Udo - Do you hve a copy. How about this one of Shane Dorian trying to get into this one

Blowin's picture
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Blowin Thursday, 1 Jan 2015 at 8:52pm

I'm struggling to come to terms with the idea that someone, anyone, would actually want to catch that wave. Or even be out in oceanic conditions such as this.
I'd imagine that money , prestige and ego have a bit to do with it but.... this ?

goofyfoot's picture
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goofyfoot Thursday, 1 Jan 2015 at 9:12pm
Blowin wrote:

I'm struggling to come to terms with the idea that someone, anyone, would actually want to catch that wave. Or even be out in oceanic conditions such as this.
I'd imagine that money , prestige and ego have a bit to do with it but.... this ?

What the fuck! Is that nazare? He's trying to paddle in? Oh my god that's unbelievable

wally's picture
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wally Friday, 2 Jan 2015 at 9:01am

...

caml's picture
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caml Wednesday, 31 Dec 2014 at 7:04pm

wow best pic so far & mitchos drilling

udo's picture
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udo Thursday, 1 Jan 2015 at 8:58pm

Mick free, saw the still pic on Dorians instagram [bit blurry]
and a 10 min vid : billabong adventure bad Nazare -on you tube

caml's picture
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caml Thursday, 1 Jan 2015 at 11:53pm

when was that ? & southey do u mean the swell was up & good down there just a few days ago ? that 16 sec swell . & where are the reports from belharra from that bwwt / nazare swell ?

mick-free's picture
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mick-free Friday, 2 Jan 2015 at 8:34am

That photo is Shane paddling Belharra. Not 100% sure maybe Camel can ask Jamie but I think it was same set as Jamie's wipeout, Twigg was out further and Dorian out further again. Don't really know exactly though, except was same day.

BTW I think he does it for fun Blowin, these guys are underpaid if they doing it for the money

wally's picture
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wally Friday, 2 Jan 2015 at 9:02am
mick-free wrote:

How about this one of Shane Dorian trying to get into this one

I am trying to imagine the view from Shane's perspective but my brain seizes up.

udo's picture
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udo Wednesday, 9 Sep 2015 at 8:13pm

Shaun Dollar has had a major wipeout ,broken neck in 4 places....got any info Stu ?
Mavs accident ?