Glacier surfing. One of the most extreme ways to ride waves. Photo: CNN/Garrett McNamara
Let’s be clear, there are many ways to surf. From handplanes to stand up paddleboards, we may, at times, shun some of surfing’s brethren. The fact is, you do what you can to stay in the water. To this extent, there are some very creative folks out there taking surfing to the next level. Whether they search new horizons (and sources) for waves or take an entirely new approach to riding the waves we know and love, it is certainly entertaining to watch the sport expand.
Some of these are experiences you can go out and have on your own while others we can’t safely recommend you try. Regardless, watching others push their limits is always a nice way to pump yourself up before your next session. Take a look at what these guys are doing because, I’m guessing, you hadn’t thought some of these were possible until right now.
1. Garrett McNamara surfs glacier waves:
Garrett McNamara is a genre of surfing all to himself. He’s way more of a daredevil than most. Riding ridiculous waves in Nazaré, Portugal, and controversially dropping in on Greg Long on his WaveJet at Cortes may be enough to put him on the front pages, but six years ago, McNamara searched out a different kind of rush. Along with his tow partner, Kealii Mamala, he headed to Alaska to surf the waves caused by huge pieces of glaciers falling into the ocean, waiting up to 20 hours a day in the cold water. Yeah, technically they are surfing tidal waves. Badass, right?
Read about it here.
2. Brad Domke rips on a skimboard:
When I saw this clip for the first time, my mind was blown. I have been skimboarding since I was a kid and I didn’t even have the most remote clue that this was possible. Brad Domke has been touted as the most progressive skimboarder ever. His airs are insane, he rides switch like it’s noones business, pulls into tubes where he doesn’t belong and makes it out, and that is just when he is skimming from land. Take a look at what this Floridian can do paddling into waves on his skimboard and you’ll think to yourself, “there’s gotta be something in the water over there.”
3. Kai Lenny rides a Jet Surf motorized surfboard:
We’ve all heard of the WaveJet, (cue visions of GMac on massive waves) but come on, you were hoping for a little more wind in your hair than a slight push into a wave. You think to yourself, “I want to go as fast as a jet ski. Everyone smiles on jet skis.” Well, guess what, it’s happening. Like being towed into a wave with the jet ski under your feet, Jet Surf boards offer four hours of up to 100cc’s of power at your fingertips. Just imagine what you can do with four hours of that! In this clip of extreme surfing, Kai Lenny bring your imagination to life.
4. Chuck Patterson water skis Jaws:
Chuck Patterson, former pro skier, is a pro SUP rider for Naish who charges big waves and paddles even greater distances when it’s flat. He is known for his athletic prowess across a spectrum of sports. This guy must always have fun. So leave it to him to make one of the most challenging waves in the world, Jaws, all that much more interesting, and potentially punishing. Although he’s not the first guy to try it, he is the first at Jaws. Patterson took to water skis to tow in to a massive swell at Jaws in January of 2011. It makes you wonder: what can’t be ridden these days?
5. Tow-in Wakeboarding:
Shane Bonifay, younger brother to Parks Bonifay of wakeboarding fame, and a crew of three other wakeboard heavyweights pulled a stunt for Network A that sure as hell is extreme. Danny Harf, Shane Bonifay, Daniel Watkins and Shawn Watson all head to Australia to show us where tow-in surfing and wakeboarding crossover. See the end of the clip for a little bit of horse surfing influence thrown in. Their aerial prowess is beyond any in our sport at this time and the way they adapt to the waves is inspiring. They may not be pro surfers, but it just goes to show you that anyone can have fun surfing.
