Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Mavericks (Half Moon Bay) Surf Guide

World-famous big-wave reef at Pillar Point for expert big-wave surfers only. Primarily a right, but the lefts have been ridden by a few brave men. An incredibly hollow, jacking take-off in front of a series of house-sized boulders known as ?The Boneyard? is followed by a long, huge wall ending in a deep channel. Starts to work at 12 feet (3.6m) and never closes out. One of the biggest, scariest waves in the world. There have been two reported shark attacks here, both non-fatal. Heavy currents and lethal rocks on the inside if you get sucked in. This wave has already claimed the lives of big-wave surfer Mark Foo and a kayaker.

Best access is via boat from Princeton Harbor. Otherwise, park south of Pillar Point and follow the footpath through the James Fitzgerald Marine Reserve past the harbor to a small beach protected by the north jetty. From here, paddle for 40mins around the boneyard to the line-up. Recently, with tow-ins becoming popular at Mavericks, there have been growing claims that jetskis are interfering with paddle surfers and are degrading the marine sanctuary environment.

No comments:

Post a Comment