02.13.10 MAVERICKS (Surf Report)

Got to Princeton Harbor at 7:45AM and there was no parking at all. Got lucky as Dave from HMB Kayak Co. waved me into their "employee" parking lot   Chris (HMB co-owner) advised me not to head out. In fact, they did not allow any of their rental kayaks to venture outside of the Harbor - good call. But I did see 3 sit-inside kayaker head out anyway, it looked like they were old salts as they were wearing their helmets and had their tow ropes,spare paddles and bildge pumps on hand. I took Chris's advise and paddled towards the Naval Radar Tower and saw this......

Met this gentleman on a blue OK malibu who was getting some film footage (you can actually see the waves breaking over the wall on the first pic) He decided to beach his kayak right behind the sea wall to get some footage of the surf (on the ocean side)....within 5 minutes, a rouge wave breached over the sea wall and swept everything and everyone in it's path! The film guy got rocked as he got slammed against the newly erected podium (made out of steel and 2X4's). His hand was punctured and had a gash on his right shin. I managed to pick up his kayak as it was pushed about 50 feet from where it was beached. Apparently, a few other folks standing on the ocean side of the sea wall were knocked out of their feet and ended up on the rocks. The first response folks were on the scene right away and took care of the victims ....

This guy and his kid were lucky and barely got out of the wash....

Spent the rest of the time hanging out with other kayakers and small boaters enjoying the big screen TV...

Here's one of the Pro's just chillin after he was done with his heat.....

This yak surfer was hamming it up and got an exclusive interview.... (Tim, do you know this guy?)

Anyway, I would have loved to stay till the very end of the competition but I was hungry and I wanted to beat the traffic out. I was out of the water by noon and headed North on Hwy 1 and was surprised to see both sides of the road filled with parked vehicles (bumper to bumper) all the way to the HMB Distillery turn off.....and to top it off, people were still coming and looking for places to park. CRAZY!

I was bummed that I didn't get the chance to get outside of the Harbor but later realized it was good move in the end - Heard the news on the way home and they were saying that there were 40 and occasionally 50 foot swells out there. 



random pics.....

Nice report Mooch. Especially love the carnage shot of the breakwater and the kayak getting slammed. BTW that pro looks like local Santa Cruz hellman Ken "Skindog" Collins. He won the Billabong XXL in '06 with this bomb in Mex.

Thanks for the report Mooch.

Found this online. They have a link to the 2010 pics too.

Huge waves at Mavericks injure spectators

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/13/MNTA1C1AAA.DTL

Cool report Mooch!
I had work appointments this afternoon, and everyone at the gallery was talking "mavericks". It was pumping down here at Davenport today.

Back in the day when I did classes at CCK I used to stop for lunch right where the tower is set up. It was always deserted back then!

Thanks for the link Al!  I'm on page 69 - with my paddle resting on my lap 

It was pumping down here at Davenport today.

Yup, on my drive back from HMB, I stopped by Montara State Beach, Gray Whale Cove and Linda Mar and it was ALL HE-UGE!!! Wanted to take some pics but my battery was done 

Thanks for the cool picture report Mooch!

Thanks for the link Al!  I'm on page 69 - with my paddle resting on my lap 

I almost posted that pic thinking you were on one of those kayaks.
What an amazing day and event.

Al

Boy Joel, you didn't disappoint with the pictures and report.  Great stuff!

Thanks for the link Al!  I'm on page 69 - with my paddle resting on my lap  

Pretty cool.  I think they've added a few more pictures because you're now on pg. 71.