Greg Long, Twig, and Alex Grey do Cortes Bank
"In many ways it's the Mount Everest of surfing."
Greg Long returns to the place that nearly took his life four years ago. In 2013, Long had a three wave hold down and if not for quick acting support, would've paid the piper there and then. A year later he faced his demons when he ventured out to paddle surf the wave solo.
Cortes Bank is situated approximately 160 kms directly west of San Clemente, it's a seamount that rises from the ocean floor. No land is visible.
This time around Long had increased safety measures, a WSL-backed production team, and a few good friends to boot.
Comments
It's no exaggeration to say that there's more chance of me walking on the surface of the moon than ever surfing Cortez Bank. I couldn't respect these guys more for what they do.
The fact that Greg Long did it solo is truly astounding.
Looked like the perfect day for it.
Crazy stuff.
Thanks for taking us armchair kooks with you boys .
Fully recommend reading this book and the history of the Cortez bank......
http://www.ghostwavebook.com/
Second that Simba. Chris Dixon stumbled onto some freaky shit when he began researching that book, the backstories around the wave are amazing and I imagine he was giggling with delight that he was gonna be the first to tell those stories. Then of course are the contemporary trips out there, the one in particular with Gerr, Parsons, Long and Twig is just modern day adventuring in the mold of Shackleton or Heyerdahl.
Abalonia !
Stocked up on audacious dreams of liberty they forgot to pack a single serve of commonsense.
But fuck it makes for great reading.
Fantastic book. ....most sad to see the developer of Abolonia go on to create princeville Kauai.
I lived in princeville for a while and read the book after living there.
Reaffirmed just how crazy some people(especially) developers are.
That book was well researched, thoughtful and really interesting.
I've read surfer and surfing mag articles on Cortez over the years. To read all the trips and even the secrecy of the explorations was really interesting.
I am glad they didn't make that island ....w t f .......lol
Great book!
I have no idea how Greg Long is able to paddle back out there after that near death experience.
I don't mean to big note myself , but I've got a fair idea what he went through.
For twenty years following a big night in Surfer's I swore I'd never look at another shot of tequila.
But then just last weekend....
lol. back to more serious stuff - i wonder if any ships came a cropper there - with no land in sight, as a ships captain cruising through open ocean 160km from land, you would be excused for thinking you could sail right through it. then a set comes ...
Read the book and you’ll find out! It’s well worth the effort.
Hey guys - thanks heaps for the kudos on Ghost Wave. It was a f'ing trip to write. I couldn't believe some of the stories I found out and the people I met. If you watch this video and see the boils in the waves - some of those are caused by the shipwreck of the Abalonia/Jalisco right in the impact zone. Not sure if you guys got the more recent paperback, but I found out some more crazy shite. That ship was owned by the very last whaler in California. He had it outfitted so it could become an offshore whaling station, and had it docked for a long time in Richmond, CA at his whaling dock. But when the whaling market started to go south and the expenses mounted, he decided to sell it to the Abalonians. And he told Joe Kirkwood, "Don't cut off that anchor chain, you're gonna need it." The rest, as they say, is history.
Pure madness
Whole new definition of out the back
A big loud mouth seppo told me about cortes over 20 years ago. I wrote him off
(as you do) then when I got home from bali there were whispers coming thru.
Then my wife wrote me off for being a dick to him.
Off the charts wave location, is it just me or does it look mellowed for a big wave ?
Step into Liquid - 2003
Those beers would have tasted amazing
Great book. The level of paddle in surfing has come along leaps and bounds. Can’t believe they can get the paddle speed to match the wave speed. Real watermen.
So now the crew have the safety gear, the backing from the WSL and have nailed the formula for Cortez...is it really just a matter of a storm big enough for the unridden realm to be broken??
G Long has always brought a safety team or at least another ski....that's part of the reason he is still here.
When it comes to big waves prior preparation prevents poor performance.
You really should check out the book, super interesting !
But no head protection,not even a 5 mm hood,in clamping20 ft waves..? That's kinda weird
Oh my god thats epic , and ghost wave is my bible, Hetzl gave me that book, signed copy.
Hopefully more of that to come Chris Dixon . I just wish there was more of the tales about the fascinating parts like discovering todos , mavs , sean collins detecting big wave breaks , Jeff Clarks section and top it off a few better pictures of seans sketches with bathymetry charts .
Epic video there the crew scored it so amazing by the looks .
What is the name of the new edition paperback book ?
: : "Not sure if you guys got the more recent paperback, but I found out some more crazy shite. That ship was owned by the very last whaler in California. He had it outfitted so it could become an offshore whaling station, and had it docked for a long time in Richmond, CA at his whaling dock. But when the whaling market started to go south and the expenses mounted, he decided to sell it to the Abalonians. And he told Joe Kirkwood, "Don't cut off that anchor chain, you're gonna need it."