Watch: Waimea Bay last Sunday

Stu Nettle picture
Stu Nettle (stunet)
Swellnet Dispatch

It can be seen as a throwback when compared against waves such as Jaws, Mavs, and even Nazare, but the Bay still retains enough grandeur to keep us clicking. This was filmed last Sunday when the biggest swell of the year hit the North Shore. Yeah, 2018 was only two weeks old but we're still keeping records.

Comments

Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41 Saturday, 20 Jan 2018 at 1:26pm

You know what.. I think I would be willing to give it a crack on a day like that..
Not sure what was going on in between those wave.
But if it was just like that no 50 ft closeouts I think I would.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Saturday, 20 Jan 2018 at 2:29pm

What about this WW?

https://youtu.be/mNehrcS_JZE?t=3m35s

The first guys are on the bowl, the fella sitting by himself 100 metres or so further out is Peter Mel, and that set feathering another 100 metres outside him is the reason there's only about five guys in the water on a glassy day at Mavs.

Biggest waves in many years apparently, and only a handful of waves ridden - one boat lost too.

Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean's picture
Lanky Dean Sunday, 21 Jan 2018 at 4:21am

Drone footage = very unflattering to big wave surfing......
I wonder how big the potato patch was ?

ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko's picture
ojackojacko Monday, 22 Jan 2018 at 12:37pm

Watch from 04:16 on the youtube clip stunet linked - I reckon Pete Mel sits up and seriously considers swinging for that bomb, but he's just a bit too deep. Big kahunas ...

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Saturday, 20 Jan 2018 at 2:37pm

Another angle of the second wave with Pete Mel escaping over the shoulder. The same wave clipped the three surfers sitting inside, snapping the leggy of one, though it looked like they mostly got away unharmed save for a thumping heart rate.

Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41 Saturday, 20 Jan 2018 at 3:03pm

OMG.. Nope no chance no way!
That's crazy that wave capped and broke so far out.
You could feel the reaction in them it startled them like birds in a tree when fire works go off.
How's the gap between each wave the period must of been mid twentys...
Also just how heavy not in the way they broke as you couldn't see from the air but how heavy each wave was in volume the way it was moving..
It was like they where separate gigantic volumes moving across the ocean.
Biggest Mav's every? Can't wait to see some more footage.
Imagine being caught inside by that second one it lookes like it went top to bottom from the air..
Nope I would have watched them for a hour gone and surfed the best point that was working and come back and watched more..

Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41 Saturday, 20 Jan 2018 at 8:06pm

Actually its not that far apart! I haven't been able to find bouy data for half moon bay on the 18th.
And I have been looking at it for a while.
It looks about 13-15 seconds.
Which is nuts for that size.
Also making it so dangerous you could get a 5 wave hold down with it that big and so close together maybe that's why no one is out.

Jamyardy's picture
Jamyardy's picture
Jamyardy Saturday, 20 Jan 2018 at 11:39pm

Half moon bay buoy had 20ft significant wave height at 18 seconds on the morning of the 18th.

Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41 Sunday, 21 Jan 2018 at 12:50am

Thanks I thought so.. I was trying to count the gaps on the clip using a surfers position and the time the wave got to him .
Its hard with the drone moving currents and surfers moving. Lol

goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot's picture
goofyfoot Sunday, 21 Jan 2018 at 10:41am

Jesus

udo's picture
udo's picture
udo Sunday, 21 Jan 2018 at 10:54am

Frank Q has footage of a boat getting rolled on his insta.

crg's picture
crg's picture
crg Sunday, 21 Jan 2018 at 1:08pm

Check out Powerlines Productions Insta for some great footage of the day. An epic photo of local Ion Banner towing into a monster wave. I spoke to Curt from PP last night and he said he hasn't seen it break out there since the swell where they shot their video "100ft Wednesday" when it was still the towing era with the Santa Cruz boys all geared up on meth.

Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41 Sunday, 21 Jan 2018 at 6:14pm

Haha maybe their was a drought in town and nobody could get any meth so only five guys went out.. No kidding...
Seen some other footage doesn't look like normal mavericks.
There is massive long southern ocean style lines coming in where MAVs normally looks like a big peak! is replaced by a giant "North point" style set up...
A couple of waves if you had of towed them looked as if you could have got a 10 sec 80ft kirra like barrel..
Really really interesting day made even more cool with the grainy home made style filming.
Really enjoyed it all dark steel coloured and raw.

Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41's picture
Woof woof 41 Monday, 22 Jan 2018 at 1:06am

I hope you don't mind me putting this link on your site Ben this one time..
But it is incredible! imagine getting run over by the last wave in this set..
Would you surf this stu? Lol

http://www.surfline.com/video/featured-clips/cam-rewind-mavericks-bigges...

frog's picture
frog's picture
frog Saturday, 20 Jan 2018 at 6:04pm

What an annoying edit. Some interesting perspectives by so many shots cut short.

Faunt Leroy's picture
Faunt Leroy's picture
Faunt Leroy Tuesday, 23 Jan 2018 at 11:36am

Bloke on the big red board is Rod Kirsop, would have to be 60 odd and still charging in Hawaii. Absolute legend and good bloke. You guys should do a story on him, very interesting bloke.

stunet's picture
stunet's picture
stunet Tuesday, 23 Jan 2018 at 11:49am

Thanks for the heads up Leroy. Did a story on Tom many years ago.

Faunt Leroy's picture
Faunt Leroy's picture
Faunt Leroy Tuesday, 23 Jan 2018 at 11:53am

Yes I remember that, amazing person. Shit I'd love to still be surfing at his age.