What's the largest wave you've ridden?

[boardscape avalon]

i used to go to hawaii between 86 and 96 every year in about 1990 me and col bernasconi hooked up with rusty moran and ani devine, those guys were constantly dragging us out to surf the bay and other outer reefs like the ones way the f out behind velzy and off to the right it was like about a 30 min paddle on 8 foot plus boards...how do ya measure such waves.. horrifically big stuff..we didnt pull back either...as nick said before i would never do it now.

[collnarra]

RIP Ani

[boardscape avalon]

R.I.P. Ani Devine. It was at that time i was lucky enough to become good mates with Ani , he would come over to the place we were staying right across the road from sunset (the old pink house, the one they used in the "north shore movie") he stashed an 8"6 rawson board under the front stairs the first few times i would hide out in my room pretending not to be home even though our hire car and pushie gave us away he would pound on the front and back door until we opened it taunting us as av cat soft cocks! i owe that guy a lot . Between the born again lifestyle of Rusty Moran and the loosness of Ani, me and Col felt at ease somewhere in between, but jeez they talked us into some very heavy situations out in the water.The wipe outs, hold downs and pulling back on 3.5 m dakine legropes, i now scratch my 43 yr old head and wonder how i survived...I miss that guy as many do!

[marcus]

for those of us that didnt know ani divine, whats the story?

i think its really strange that the people that really push it in surf where it counts dont get a mention in surf media, for example rusty moran, darryl "boogs" van de polder, booma, ani divine... try googling them.. nothing

these surfers go, but do you see them with big sponsorship deals? nah.
its a f**ken joke the way some good looking shredder gets his face in the mags and the guys that really charges stays outa sight surfing waves that matter.

i would rather buy some equipment because its been tested by guys like this than some model / surfer, but it doesn't seem to work that way in advertising.

cmon, be honest, would you be more likely to buy a legrope because rusty has used it and survived or some other brand that sponsors a kid from avalon? (edit, no offence meant to model surfers from avalon)

[Butts]

Yep, pretty lame by me, joined late into the convo!!

Some great stories, and epic conditions in the preceding pages.

Me, well lets just say largest wave for me was actually without my board
Coops was there as well, I swam out with my camera in 4-5ft reasonably solid surf, the usual 40 of my closest mates out
Then within 30 minutes it had built to 6-8ft and getting out of control.

Second cleanup set came through and all of a sudden only about 10 of the crowd are left (including coops).
Funniest thing I remember about it, one of the locals paddles past me and says "what the f@%k are you still doing out here butts?"

For about the next 90 minutes, all I was doing was swimming for NZ.
No friggin idea on HOW I was going to get in, my pride stopping me from asking for a lift.

End up rag dolling myself in, great experience, you should do it sometime, just hold a "brick" in your hand and go for it.

[2nd Reef]

for those of us that didnt know ani divine, whats the story?

i think its really strange that the people that really push it in surf where it counts dont get a mention in surf media, for example rusty moran, darryl "boogs" van de polder, booma, ani divine... try googling them.. nothing

these surfers go, but do you see them with big sponsorship deals? nah.
its a f**ken joke the way some good looking shredder gets his face in the mags and the guys that really charges stays outa sight surfing waves that matter.

i would rather buy some equipment because its been tested by guys like this than some model / surfer, but it doesn't seem to work that way in advertising.

cmon, be honest, would you be more likely to buy a legrope because rusty has used it and survived or some other brand that sponsors a kid from avalon? (edit, no offence meant to model surfers from avalon)

I can see where you're going with this Marcus but it's not really correct.

Firstly, Rusty, Boogs, Ani and all that mob had a real push in the surf media back in the mid-90's, especially through Waves when Kidman was at the helm and Franky the staff photog. All those surfers were in their prime then and they became relatively well known. I remember Rusty even scoring a mention in a story written by Mark Foo in Tracks. The line went something like this: "...and then there's the up and coming animals like Todd Chesser and Rusty Moran." Big names, big kudos.

Secondly, big-wave surfers have never had as much money thrown at them as they do now. Look at Mark Matthews, Richie Vaculik, Hippo, Big Wave Surfer Mark Visser, the Brown Brothers, Koby, plus all the mainland America and Hawaiian surfers (Jamie O et al) who saturate the mags yet never surf comps. Now IS the time to be a big-wave charger.

[Nick Carroll]

^^ I don't think much is to be gained by trying to compare guys you know with guys you don't, marcus

plus, not every big wave charger is someone whose word I'd take on board, if you get my drift.

anyway....

Anthony Devine, good solid surfer from Northy, kind of semi following in the path of Kirsop as a blinkers-off charger in Hawaii from the late 80s on, super fun guy to surf with, got a lot of stripes among the crew at big Sunset and Waimea, Phantoms and so forth before the tow-in thing wiped paddle-in temporarily from surfing's consciousness. Disciple of Owl whose boards he rode a lot. Tangled with the bad shit and it got him eventually. one of the brethren, RIP indeed.

[marcus]

i guess your right Stu and NC.
maybe its also different for the standup crew.
i would shake my head sometimes seeing matt percy (a once pro booger from shark island, now standup for last decade in WA) pulling into massive voodoo all to himself .
yet he'd go work at manta as a labourer and make signature boards for the stars that were no where near his level.
we joked about it a few times while working there, he even said, hey marcus, even your better than this guy, pointing to the name on the board (not sure if that was a payout or compliment). we just laughed. i would say to the owners of manta, you should be sponsoring this guy, and pointing to matt working over there with a broom.
But on the other hand Matt is a pretty cool fonzy kinda guy so it may have been no big deal to him.
Maybe some of the "underground" big wave riders dont mind not getting much attention.
Just seemed they did theyre thing and no one noticed.

I guess NC has a point about "not every big wave charger is someone whose word I'd take on board, if you get my drift."
if anyones ever stood around a bbq talking big wave talk, they know how much waves grow every time the ride is retold. and some of the big wave guys have very big personalities.

(edit, my flatmate said to me refering to my post above "marcus, aren't the moderators supposed to be moderate in their opinion? are you alowed to speak your mind like that?" I aplologise if my post was too over enthusiastic and compared two groups of surfers, alienating good small wave model surfers (that i dont know), i explained that realsurf is kinda different that all healthy opinions are welcome, though maybe i should pull my head in at times)

[BOOMA]

i used to go to hawaii between 86 and 96 every year in about 1990 me and col bernasconi hooked up with rusty moran and ani devine, those guys were constantly dragging us out to surf the bay and other outer reefs like the ones way the f out behind velzy and off to the right it was like about a 30 min paddle on 8 foot plus boards...how do ya measure such waves.. horrifically big stuff..we didnt pull back either...as nick said before i would never do it now.

Thats hell crazy!!!
I've always wondered if its possible to get swept off the North Shore, past Kaena Point into the wide blue Pacific yonder???

[collnarra]

Anthony Devine, good solid surfer from Northy, kind of semi following in the path of Kirsop as a blinkers-off charger in Hawaii from the late 80s on, super fun guy to surf with, got a lot of stripes among the crew at big Sunset and Waimea, Phantoms and so forth before the tow-in thing wiped paddle-in temporarily from surfing's consciousness. Disciple of Owl whose boards he rode a lot. Tangled with the bad shit and it got him eventually. one of the brethren, RIP indeed.[/quote]


thanks Nick. that about nails it. FWIW, Ani always had time for the groms, always had time for a g'day and a chat. That means a lot.

josh

[alakaboo]

biggest on a surfboard was about 2 1/2 times overhead, but that was on a reef in south california (about 9th st del mar for those who know the area) that was pretty mellow for the size. more of an open face, but the speed was astounding, especially on a 9'1" high-per longboard! Had only been standing up for about 5 months, so it was a fair step up from the summer waves I learnt on.
It was the wave that convinced me to stick with surfing

[alakaboo]

biggest on a bodyboard was a lot bigger. don't ask me to measure it, I'll just annoy Iggy.
It was at Nungas in Sumbawa, around the corner from Lakey Peak. We arrived at night and the swell was apparently 10-12 foot that day. The noise of the swell kept us awake a fair bit (thinking WTF are we doing here?!)
Next day the swell had dropped a bit, was probably about 8 foot. the peak was packed and perfect. Nungas was sectioning a bit but seemed much more user friendly. Was paddling back wide in the channel after taking one when a set that was at least twice the size of the other sets rolled through.

Just made it over/through the first 4 (and saw nearly everyone else washed over the reef). 3 were taken by crazy brazzos who faded deep and got obliterated. Not at all sure what they were thinking, both the stupidest and bravest thing I have seen.
one of them (15yrs old!) sat on the beach crying with his head in his hands for about an hour afterwards, not sure what he went through underwater but he didn't have a board anymore, or any skin on his back.
One was taken a bit wider by a guy who was apparently a european pro. he toyed with it, got spat out twice, was floating 50m sections over bone dry reef and kicked off hundreds of metres down the line with dry hair. the best surfing i have ever seen.
I was about to go over the 5th one, and thought "if you don't take it, you'll be haunted by it for the rest of your life". So I went. Only just had enough speed to get into it, could feel my legs getting sucked up the face and was terrified that i was going over the falls. hate to think what would have happened if i did...

dropped in and got covered up. wasn't very deep, and to be honest i was so scared that the foamball would catch me i was only thinking of getting out of there. remember looking back and thinking that you could easily drive a landcruiser through without touching the sides.
the noise was phenomenal, some sort of primeval roar. if you've ever accidently put a tractor from 12th to 4th instead of 8th, you may know the noise!

didn't try anything tricky, just straigtlined for the shoulder and launched off the back. sat in the channel shaking and tearing up from the adrenalin for 20 minutes, then went and slept for 2 hours.

I'm glad I went, but I'd never go waves that big again. Saw waves that were consistently that size in Hawaii last year (the day Pancho didn't want to surf), and I was firmly planted on the sand!

[Buff_Brad]

biggest on a bodyboard was a lot bigger. don't ask me to measure it, I'll just annoy Iggy.
It was at Nungas in Sumbawa, around the corner from Lakey Peak. We arrived at night and the swell was apparently 10-12 foot that day. The noise of the swell kept us awake a fair bit (thinking WTF are we doing here?!)
Next day the swell had dropped a bit, was probably about 8 foot. the peak was packed and perfect. Nungas was sectioning a bit but seemed much more user friendly. Was paddling back wide in the channel after taking one when a set that was at least twice the size of the other sets rolled through.

Just made it over/through the first 4 (and saw nearly everyone else washed over the reef). 3 were taken by crazy brazzos who faded deep and got obliterated. Not at all sure what they were thinking, both the stupidest and bravest thing I have seen.
one of them (15yrs old!) sat on the beach crying with his head in his hands for about an hour afterwards, not sure what he went through underwater but he didn't have a board anymore, or any skin on his back.
One was taken a bit wider by a guy who was apparently a european pro. he toyed with it, got spat out twice, was floating 50m sections over bone dry reef and kicked off hundreds of metres down the line with dry hair. the best surfing i have ever seen.
I was about to go over the 5th one, and thought "if you don't take it, you'll be haunted by it for the rest of your life". So I went. Only just had enough speed to get into it, could feel my legs getting sucked up the face and was terrified that i was going over the falls. hate to think what would have happened if i did...

dropped in and got covered up. wasn't very deep, and to be honest i was so scared that the foamball would catch me i was only thinking of getting out of there. remember looking back and thinking that you could easily drive a landcruiser through without touching the sides.
the noise was phenomenal, some sort of primeval roar. if you've ever accidently put a tractor from 12th to 4th instead of 8th, you may know the noise!

didn't try anything tricky, just straigtlined for the shoulder and launched off the back. sat in the channel shaking and tearing up from the adrenalin for 20 minutes, then went and slept for 2 hours.

I'm glad I went, but I'd never go waves that big again. Saw waves that were consistently that size in Hawaii last year (the day Pancho didn't want to surf), and I was firmly planted on the sand!

Good story.....well written. Amazing how one wave can provide such a rush.

[diggerdickson]

I judge waves similar to iggs, but once it gets to 6 foot, its just BIG, then FUCKN BIGGGER, and then OH MOTHER.........DO I REALLY WANT TO GO OUT IN THIS.......... Ive had a few memorial sessions in solid surf, but for power its gotta be down in victoria where Ive had my best big wave surf, from the stretch of castles to elevators Ive had some great sessions that have made overhead and a bit surf in sydney feel tiny, insignificant and weak. Cant recall the size cause I was just shit scared, caught 2 or 3 waves then called it a day before my luck run out...... All time memories, made my 7 foot board feel tiny, and will never forget the feeling of looking up to the lip after the bottom turn and thinking oh crap what now.

For me now my limit would be 5 to 6 foot, ive slowed down but my enthusiam for the early will never die. People my age and older that still charge the big stuff amaze me.

[steve shearer]

R.I.P. Ani Devine.

I knew Ani from the winters of 94/95, 95/96.

I wuz sleeping under the she-oaks just up from three tables next to Waimea, my mate Jack was in the back of a rusted out Ford with the backseat ripped out.

I fell in with W.., a stripper from Femmes Nous and her friend L..; they were running a typical North Shore program : staying with the highest bidder with maybe a hint of sexual favours if the bloke played his cards right. In this case a cowboy from Montana who had a place at Pupukea with a big backyard that backed onto the Pupukea ridge.

We camped in the backyard under a breadfruit tree with a couple of pitbulls.

The girls ran a pretty loose program. They had money, status and the pick of any bloke. Every day there'd be stray dogs sniffing around and thats how we met Ani. He showed up one day after jogging up from V-land. He had white tennis shoes on and a clean white shirt.
I was pretty tight with W but L was prick teasing every second bloke on the NS. She must've had a dozen blokes on the string.
They'd show up for a day or two: A Brazilian big wave rider, a member of the top 44, a Hawaiian gangster , then they'd get possessive or wierd and L would tell them to go sling their hook. She had some fcuking moxy I reckon.

Ani hung around for longer. It sounds strange but we had a real family vibe. We'd collect food : avos , bananas and whatever else we could scrounge up and the girls would buy the beer and bake bread. Amongst all the intense things we were all experiencing we felt this simple display of making food and caring for each other was deeply nourishing. Owl'd come by and break bread with us.

Owl was deeply in love with W. It was pathetic and touching to see his clumsy efforts at winning her over. He's a deeply lonely man: out on a limb very few humans can relate to.
I couldn't find one possessive or jealous bone in my body. It wasn't as if I'd slayed any dragon or won her over in any way......we'd simply gravitated towards one another like two charged particles. I don't think she ever gave it up for Owl but I know she did for other blokes.
She disappeared for a few days and I saw her hanging out with Edis, the Sunset lifeguard.
After a few days I saw her at the monkeypod tree near the Backyards park where the windsurfers stash their gear and we had a fcuk on the picnic tables. She came back after that.

The girls were part of the San Fransiscan freak/arts scene and played John Coltrane religiously. The prevailing intellectual movement amongst the Femme Nous scene was literary. The strippers would spend large amounts of time lying around like indolent lionesses reading Stendahl or Dostoevsky. On nights off we'd get Owl to drive us to Pearl City library and froth each other into a frenzy over Henry Miller or DH Lawrence. That was something the suitors didn't understand. The girls didn't give a fcuk about the barrel you got at Pipeline: they'd get moist over the prologue to William S Burroughs.

We had some great surfs with Ani. Sunset, Backyards, Phantoms. There was never any feeling of competition. Just a warm feeling of camaraderie. Ani seemed to have Owl's slipperiness about him. But we all had an angle : that was just part of surviving on the NS.

Edis died. They found him dead in a bathtub, up to his eyeballs on smack.
Owl's still alive , though fcuk knows how. The night we left I went round to his small flat behind Sunset Beach to say goodbye.
He'd fallen asleep in an old rocking chair in front of the TV. He had an old tattered blanket wrapped around his shoulders and he looked really old and frail. I touched him on the shoulder and said "Goodbye Owl".

Ani's gone to.
W sent me a an Email with a photo of her and Ani and asked me if I knew what he was up to.
I haven't had the heart to write back and tell her what happened.

[Kunji]

Have any of your conceded to the idea that you have ridden your largest wave? Or are you still seeking out larger ones?

[diggerdickson]

Ive conceded, I admit

[Trev]

Have any of your conceded to the idea that you have ridden your largest wave? Or are you still seeking out larger ones?

I reckon I've pretty well ridden as big as I ever will and won't ride the like of them again.
But I haven't given up on the idea of riding bigger than I have for the last few years.
I'll probably shit myself but I guess when the conditions are right I'll have a go.