Surf’s up and up and up as man rides 80ft waves
AWELSHMAN has described riding the biggest wave he has surfed in 24 years in a European surfing destination that rivals California and Hawaii.
Glyn Ovens, 38, from Aberystwyth, is a frequent visitor to Nazare, Portugal, where the largest wave ever ridden was recorded in 2013.
Known for its massive waves due to an underwater canyon, Nazare has been a favourite for surfers from all over the world, rivalling California and Hawaii as top destinations to surf in.
The huge swells are created due to interference between the canyon and incoming waves, resulting in towering breakers.
On New Year’s Day Glyn and some of the best big-wave surfers in the world headed to Nazare at the last minute after learning of the giant Atlantic swell.
He said: “The weather charts showed there was going to be a couple of big swells over the next couple of days so we decided to head to Portugal. “We woke up really early, before it was light, and you could see that the waves were huge and they had started breaking in a place they don’t usually break.
“It was hard to gauge how big the waves were going to be, we thought they were going to be 50 to 60ft-plus.
“We went out there with six other teams and when we hit the waves they were reaching between 60 and 80ft-plus.
“We had never seen that before. To see waves that big was a phenomenal experience.”
Glyn, whose company, Water Safety UK, specialises in surf safety, said he wasn’t able to tell for sure how big the waves were as there was nothing against which to scale them.
He said: “It is definitely the biggest wave I have ever seen and it is the biggest wave I have ever surfed in my life, and I have been surfing for 24 years.
“I am always looking for bigger waves, so that’s why we come here. We try to slowly build it up in incremental stages as you get more experienced. “Waves that size were so fast. “We were travelling 35mph to catch the wave and you’re going so quickly and your body is getting punished all along the way like a bucking bronco.
“We use a heavy board full of lead, which keeps it from jumping too much and keeps it in the water.
“I have never been so fast on a wave and you’re praying you’re not going to get thrown off by the chop.
“When we were on the waves, we were eye level with people looking at us from the cliffs and that was a unique experience.”
The world record for the highestever surf is held by American Garrett McNamara in 2013, who broke his own record by surfing an estimated 100ft wave, also off the coast of Nazare.