Before I ask my question let me preface this by saying I have no aspirations to surf these waves any time soon, say in the coming decade or so ;-)
I was watching the contest a week or so ago at Teahuopo'o and was awe struck, as I always am seeing those waves.
Then just now I was perusing the internet and watching surf movies and found this one:
Both these waves are monsterously huge and to me seem in the same category. But for some reason, Mavericks seems to be a 'big wave' spot where you ride a big, long gun. And Fiji seems to be more of a 'regular' (haha, gotta laugh just writing it) shortboard spot. Am I totally under-estimating Mavericks? Is the wave different? Or is the attitude somehow different?
Just wondering.
09-02-2014, 02:32 PM
jtran10
I think the biggest difference is face size. Teachupoo last week was 10-15' faces I think, whereas the big wave guys at Maverick's are there at 30'+ faces. My numbers might be off but I think that's basically it in regards to equipment.
09-02-2014, 03:00 PM
Tectonically_Neglected
Huh? Wow, never realized that!
09-02-2014, 03:02 PM
jtran10
from wiki
Mavericks - "After a strong winter storm in the northern Pacific Ocean, waves can routinely crest at over 25 feet (7.6 m) and top out at over 80 feet (24 m). "
Chopes - "It is known for the surf break and heavy, glassy waves offshore, often reaching 2 to 3 m (7 to 10 ft), and sometimes up to 7 meters (21 feet)."
09-02-2014, 03:36 PM
TahoeJ
While I've never seen Teahupo'o going off in person, Maverick's is just plain scary. As is Waimea. The latter two are definitely much bigger (usually).
09-02-2014, 03:39 PM
nickwm21
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtran10
from wiki
Mavericks - "After a strong winter storm in the northern Pacific Ocean, waves can routinely crest at over 25 feet (7.6 m) and top out at over 80 feet (24 m). "
Chopes - "It is known for the surf break and heavy, glassy waves offshore, often reaching 2 to 3 m (7 to 10 ft), and sometimes up to 7 meters (21 feet)."
At Mavericks there is 25 feet of water chasing you.
At Chopu there is 10 feet of water above your head.
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09-03-2014, 03:27 AM
Tectonically_Neglected
OK, I see the difference!
And there I was thinking 'Chopes' was MASSIVE. Holy heck, I cannot imagine a 24m wave...
Well, I guess that explains the necessity for a big wave gun.
Cheers all!
09-03-2014, 07:41 AM
Ottime
At 24m they typically are back on the small boards and being towed in.
Another very big difference between the two are te reef.
Mavs is an offshore deep reef and Chopes is a shallow reef pass. This alone make a big difference on how they break. Mavs slowly grabs on the reef and builds, hence the need for long fast paddling boards to get into position, catch the beast and get down its face. Chopes quickly spills from deep water onto a very shallow shelf, making a tighter take off zone and a very quickly caught wave.
Yes, ultimately the size matters, but how the waves break, and what is going on under water, make a much bigger difference in the equipment one rides.
09-04-2014, 04:08 AM
Tectonically_Neglected
Ottime: thanks for the addition.
This just goes to show how little experience I have with different breaks. Over here in the N-sea, it's all a beach break, with the odd point break thrown in caused by a jetty or pier.
I haven't experienced reef breaks, let alone shallow- vs deep reef break.
In my limited experience I've found out that a Brittany (Atlantic) beach break is much different from a N-sea break (period makes one hell of a difference for one)*. And that's about all the difference I've ever seen! FUnny though because now you mention it, there are (slight) differences even between beach breaks in the Netherlands. Hmmm, food for thought. And maybe even more: food for (road) trips!!!
* a 6ft Brittany wave is much easier to catch than a 6ft N-sea wave. When stuff gets big over here, I crap my pants. The same size ocean wave is lots of fun!
09-12-2014, 07:28 AM
subtle plague
dependes what you want, but i would say at size teahopoo is gnarlier while mavs is "just another" big wave.
i would not want to surf chops at size. (not at any size for that matter ;) )
Chopes is a slab style reef pass meaning superhort window of getting into the wave via a near vertical death drop.
Mavericks is a deep water reef which also has some slab characteristics, but i more a classical big wave spot. Hence the big wave approach of big boards and paddling. You just can't paddle teaupoo at size. I think technically mav gets bigger, but the days it gets above 40 feet are rare probably as rare as chopes at 25+.
Well, technically you could paddle Chopes at size. You would need a rhino chaser and would likely never be able to maneuver the drop and get obliterated. But you could catch them.
I agree with all of your other points
Chopes looks pretty fun when small. As in up to slightly overhead. From a friend who spent about a half year there and never bothered to surf it: when ever Chopes got to a manageable size it was crowded and pros were ripping it. Plenty of other sick waves around the island with way fewer surfers.
09-12-2014, 12:30 PM
LightRanger
How many guys have been seriously injured or died at each of them?
09-12-2014, 02:02 PM
babybear
There are some cool sites that show the underground topography of various famous waves if you search around.
here's a good one too http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/te...chanics_58392/
I have only surfed once and I live in Wyoming but I am somewhat obsessed with it. There was a great short documentary we watched a couple wks ago about Teahupoo and it had the best graphics I've seen explaining the unique-ness of that wave. I can't remember the name of it though and google is failing me right now searching for it so if I can remember to chk our que when I get home I'll post the name of it.
We just hung out on the mavericks beach one day when the waves were big and I was scared shitless so I can't imagine how intimidating it is way out there where the waves get really big
09-12-2014, 02:17 PM
Ottime
I imagine it is quite scary until you get used to it. Been years since I seriously chased any big stuff, but eventually I'd get used to 20' surf at Scotts and PT Arena, both of which are way simpler, mellowed waves.
LR, Mark Foo died at Mavs a while ago. He was pretty much an expert big wave surfer and Wbay regular. A SC local died a few years ago. Neither really pushing their limits.
I think of the people who may venture into both waves, Mavs might e more dangerous. The lack of a shallow ledge might allow you to push things deeper, because a wipeout is not as big of a deal. Unless you get pushed deep and don't come up.
There are three waves up here that are chope-like in the sense of being very shallow water. One is just a ledge (and maybe more Mavs like in some ways) and the other two submerged reef/points that almost break a pass. So much fun until 2' OH. At DOH they are kind of scary. One of them holds well at that size and actually starts to become easier as it gets bigger as the peak begins to set up on an outside reef. Just better be ready when it folds over across the reef. It breaks like that once a decade.
And to be clear, none of them are anything like Chopes except in the manner the engage the sea bottom. The cool thing about waves like that is positioning in the bowl is everything. If you are in the right spot, the drop and wave almost feel easy.
