December 23 was a day that will go down in history at Maverick’s. Photo: YouTube//Screenshot
December 23 was a day for books at Maverick’s. Strangely, it kind of slid under the radar of many who watch the big wave scene from afar, but now, nearly two weeks after the fact, it’s becoming clear just how big it was. Alessandro “Alo” Slebir towed into a wave that could very well be 100-feet, but that wasn’t the only memorable thing to happen.
Tucker Wooding, who can be counted on to be in the water for the biggest of the big days, watched as the swell report grew and grew for Mav’s. After chasing a few swells hitting Jaws and filming at The Eddie, he knew he had to get there.
“I found myself on a redeye to San Fransisco to chase the same swell that just hit Hawaii,” he wrote. “Seeing this storm develop was unreal. Satellite showed giant seas in the middle of the Pacific. This was a day I could not miss.”
When he arrived at the San Francisco airport, he was already excited. He’s well-versed in the size, period, and direction for Maverick’s swells, and he knew this was going to be a day to remember.
“The anticipation built the closer I got to arrival,” he remembered. “I got there and took a few hour nap as I was up for around 30 hours, then headed to Maverick’s. I knew it was going to start pumping around noon. The buoy readings were off the charts.”
The fog that is so common at Half Moon Bay cleared for Wooding as he pulled up, and he immediately began filming from the cliff. As the day wore on, he knew he was capturing something amazing.
“It was one of the more special days I’ve been a part of,” he finished. “Talking with the guys after it was pretty clear that we had been apart of Maverick’s history. With the consensus claiming ‘biggest ever.’ Now, that claim can get thrown around often while chasing swells, but this was legit.”
