Pete Mel had a hell of a season at Maverick’s. And on March 11th, a day that was very likely to be the last real swell of the winter, he closed things off with a bang. A ride at Maverick’s that lasted a full minute.
Now, Mav’s isn’t generally known for the length of its rides. It’s known for its heaviness and its power. Hellishly difficult drops and some of the worst beat downs imaginable. It’s one of the most famous big waves on Earth for a reason, but super long rides isn’t usually one. Leave it to Mel, a man who has a LOT of experience out there, to find a wave that lasted far longer than usual.
After letting go of the rope on a wave that, in relative terms, didn’t look all that spectacular, Mel set his line, navigated through the regular zone, then watched as the wave lined up. He banged off a few turns, and the wave just kept on going far past where surfers normally kick out.
The team at Mavericks Surf Awards were there as usual, their cameras trained the surfers, and you can be sure that when Mel’s wave finally ended, they were just as stunned as he was.
