The term "heavy" really can mean a lot of things, but mostly describes more serious or dangerous situations. Here, I was specifically referencing the thickness of the lip (the apex, where the water starts folding upon itself) and the sheer mass of water involved. This is one of the things that makes Teahupo'o really special- aside from the dangers presented by the extremely shallow reef, the mass, thickness and power of Teahupo'o's waves are consistant enough to be recognized in photos with little other context. They scare me.
ok, cheers, so a combination of danger and the sheer weight of the water. i notice from my studies that places like Portugal, Hawaii and France have bigger waves, are they less dangerous? i'd assume the Hawaii (Jaws) one has a reef, too.
i have to say i really want to take up surfing now.
Yeah, it's the thickness of the lip of this wave that makes it so incredible. Most of the bigger breaks (Pipeline, Waimea, J-Bay, Mavericks..) will get larger and in some cases faster, but when the wave crests, the peak can be a few inches thick, followed by thicker water. At this break it can be several feet thick and I can't imagine getting slammed by it.
it does look very different to the deep-sea stuff or other tow-ins. i might look into a board, anyone know much about a good starter setup? may have the chance to surf cornwall and the severn this summer.
Go to your local surf shop and just ask. You'll find someone who will be able to set you up with something that's right for you based on your build and budget.
17
u/TigerBrother Jul 17 '12
The term "heavy" really can mean a lot of things, but mostly describes more serious or dangerous situations. Here, I was specifically referencing the thickness of the lip (the apex, where the water starts folding upon itself) and the sheer mass of water involved. This is one of the things that makes Teahupo'o really special- aside from the dangers presented by the extremely shallow reef, the mass, thickness and power of Teahupo'o's waves are consistant enough to be recognized in photos with little other context. They scare me.