Insane surf pics from Tahiti

BillJ · Posted: May 05, 2003 7:28 pm Post subject: Insane surf pics from Tahiti

Check out these pics from Teahupoo in Tahiti - it was cranking last week just as the pros started arriving for the Billabong Pro event.

Full size images available at http://www.surfingaustralia.com.au/gallery.asp?eid=12136

criminally_minded · Posted: May 05, 2003 8:02 pm Post subject:

Nice pics. The top one is photoshopped though yes?

BillJ · Posted: May 05, 2003 8:15 pm Post subject:

Nope - that's how that wave really looks. Insane huh? For a long time it was considering to be unrideable because it's so steep and thick. If you check out the link above and http://www.billabongpro.com/ you'll be able to see even more pics since the contest is going on now - although the surf is quite a bit smaller than it was last week.

RUSSIAN · Posted: May 05, 2003 8:50 pm Post subject:

holy crap your pants batman Shocked

could you imagine paddling out to that

RUSSIAN · Posted: May 05, 2003 9:00 pm Post subject:

looking at the pictures on the top link makes feel so much awe and respect for mother nature Mr. Green

criminally_minded · Posted: May 05, 2003 9:38 pm Post subject:

Hey, I don't doubt the authenticity of the waves, and they are AMAZING photos, but that boat just looks.... weird.... don't you agree?

RUSSIAN · Posted: May 05, 2003 9:41 pm Post subject:

I am still in awe Shocked

criminally_minded · Posted: May 05, 2003 10:01 pm Post subject:

Hell yeah

BillJ · Posted: May 05, 2003 10:13 pm Post subject:

Yeah it does look a little weird. But if you check it out on the full size image then it doesn't look so bad. Since it's right off an Australian surf site I assume it's not been photoshopped.

http://www.surfingaustralia.com/photos/2607.jpg

There are a couple of other pics on the site that have boats in them so you can see that's just the way they look.

criminally_minded · Posted: May 05, 2003 10:20 pm Post subject:

You're right, the full sized photo looks better. Very cool.

Mullet Man · Outlaw Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 132 City: SoCal

You should check out the Laird video. He is noted to have ridden the biggest wave there. It was a day when none of the other big wave gurus would go out. It was like the pics above but a little thicker lip. These guy sare insane. Teahupoo breaks over a shallow reef. You crash you get banged up.

Mullet Man · Outlaw Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 132 City: SoCal

Here is a pic I found.

nick e[V]ans · Posted: May 06, 2003 12:37 am Post subject:

that is unbelievable, to think people ride them, thats just insane, wow

DaveBrowning · Posted: May 06, 2003 4:45 am Post subject:

Those are awesome!! I'd be too scared to get anywhere near it though. Rolling Eyes

jt09 · Ladies Man Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 22083 City: Austin

Incredible pics! It was pictures like that that made me fall in love with water/board sports in 8th grade...in a classroom in Wiesbaden, West Germany. Amazing how a magazine and an imagination can shape the rest of your life.

Josh R · Posted: May 06, 2003 4:51 am Post subject:

Those photos are gorgeous... Props out to the photographer(s), especially for the first pic

DaveBrowning · Posted: May 06, 2003 6:32 am Post subject:

I've been sitting here looking at 'em and wondering... how high are those waves?

Jester · Posted: May 06, 2003 7:14 am Post subject:

Wave height measurement can be tricky. In California & actually on the East Coast as well people typically measure the face of the wave. If we were to do that, I'd call those waves 15-18 feet, depending on which photo you're looking at.

Hawaiians & certain other tropical locals measure the back of the wave, who knows why. This cuts the wave size in half so they'd call those waves 7-9 feet. However, at a spot like Teahupoo the wave doesn't jack like normal waves, it sucks out at the bottom. What that means is that the face will be 12 feet but the back will only be 2.

The most universal method of measurement is to call the wave relative to height of an average person. So a head high wave would be roughly 6 feet. Double overhead would be 12, triple would be 18, etc. So these waves I'd call double to triple overhead.

That's your surf lesson for the day. Now go surf!

Jester · Posted: May 06, 2003 7:17 am Post subject:

Butta Seeka · Posted: May 06, 2003 9:51 am Post subject:

im just speechless

B-rad · Posted: May 06, 2003 10:08 am Post subject:

Amazing pics. I love the wonderful things that water does. It's so goregous, I would love to be the one to claim credit for taking those pics.

criminally_minded · Posted: May 06, 2003 3:42 pm Post subject:

I heard that Shipies right here in Tassie was the heaviest wave ever ridden.....

Jester · Posted: May 06, 2003 4:04 pm Post subject:

I saw that it was named one of the top 10 heaviest waves in the world, but I didn't see anything about it being heaviest ever ridden. Still WAY above my level though.

DaveBrowning · Posted: May 06, 2003 4:07 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the surf lesson Jester! I'll be sure and use it the next time I see some waves... Wink

Nor*Cal · Ladies Man Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9479 City: Sac

The Wedge... another one of the Worlds Heavist Waves

DaveBrowning · Posted: May 06, 2003 4:29 pm Post subject:

Dang!! Going by Jester's rules on how to judge wave height that would be approximately a 56' wave. Puppy Eyes

Heezey · Posted: May 06, 2003 7:29 pm Post subject:

That's f'n awesome. I'd never wanna be in it but it's cool to look at.

Jester · Posted: May 07, 2003 7:36 am Post subject:

56 feet?!?! I don't think it's that big. It's hard to tell 'cuz nobody's standing up, but based on the size of the guys in the picture I'll guess that at about 20.

Buergday · Guest

SWEET PHOTOS!!
I'm actually going to Tahiti in a few weeks for my honeymoon. The resort that we're staying at has a Natique with a tower!
I get to ride in that crystal-clear, 80 degree water next month!!!!!!!!!!! Very Happy

I'll be sure to take lots of pix and post them when I get back.
In the meantime, here's a few pictures off of the resorts webpage....

MadDog · Soul Rider Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 465 City: Upstate NY

Buergday, that looks like a sweet place to vacation, I am gonna have to look into that for next year. The mrs. has been wanted to get away (besides to the lake)

Buergday · Guest

I'll let you know how it was when I get back. I've never been anywhere tropical before, so I'm stoked!

impulse · Addict Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 807 City: Snyder,TX

it looks awesome. i love the tropics. definately tell us how that went when you get back. and last but not least congrats buergday on the marriage.

Buergday · Guest

Thanks Impulse!