On October 18, Maverick’s lit up. It’s California’s most famous big wave spot, and it lived up to that reputation. The Mav’s crew is a tight one, so you can bet when the swell popped up in the forecasts, phones were ringing off the hook.
The swell in question was generated by Super Typhoon Bolaven. It formed a week prior in the western Pacific, gradually gaining strength as it moved northeast. When it cruised between Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands in mid-October, it wasn’t much to sniff at, but soon after it went through a process known as rapid intensification. Wind speeds jumped from around 90 mph to 160 in 12 or so hours, turning it from a category one to a category five hurricane. When it peaked, winds were hitting the 180 mph range.
When the waves whipped up by Bolaven began to make their way towards California, it was clear that Maverick’s was going to go off. The guns came out and they were put to some serious use.
