Raves & Rants . . from Penzance

Garret Mcnamara   Photo by Wilson Ribeiro, courtesy of North Canyon Project This giant beast was ridden a few days ago by Garret Mcnamara and is being called the biggest wave ever ridden at 90 feet (30metres).  An 8m swell had been creating 60ft waves all day, the size boosted by an unusually deep undersea trench running in close to shore on the west coast of Portugal, according to big wave rider and Irish giant Al Mennie , who was out on the safety ski on this day.  But this one swung through out of nowhere, and Garret was towed into history by Andrew Cotton . The trio were in Nazaré as part of the North Canyon Project , perhaps this will now be the spot where the landmark 100 foot wave will be ridden, the Holy Grail of big wave surfing. For the moment. To read Al Mennie's first hand account, Click Here    Surflne article with a bit more video: click here Below, a some great footage, and a few words from Garrett about the ride..... ...

The surf mags have followed the big wave events at Waimea Bay, Hawaii and Teahupoo, Tahiti for many years, but now with Aileens becoming a renowned big wave spot, and with these behemoths being ridden at Mullaghmore Head today, surely Ireland can lay claim to being one of the best legitimate Big Wave destinations on the planet ?  Mullaghmore Head today  Pic courtesy of the Billabong site  , taken during Ireland’s first Big Wave Invitational surf contest demonstrating tow-in surfing and organised by The Irish Surf Rescue Club.  Hats off to anyone who ventured into the water under these conditions, as cold and heavy as any I've ever seen. Return to Ocean-Image.com

Hot on the heels of the 2011 Waves calendar comes my first book, unsurprisingly entitled 'Ocean-Image', and published via the Blurb phenomenon. With 120 pages of, as the title suggests, seascapes, surfing and wave pictures, the book also includes three surf travel stories from previous Irish, Scottish and Sri Lankan adventures. You can buy one or just have a look at the first 15 pages here :   Ocean-Image Book   New Book - Cover A calendar, a book, whatever next ? Well, hopefully some time for a surf before the X-word arrives. Return to Ocean-Image.com

So the new Waves Calendar has arrived, just in time for the X-word, with 12 great surfing and wave photos plus a whole year's worth of days and dates inside, it would make a marvellous present for the Ocean Lover in your life.  The 2011 Calendar cover  Back cover  Displayed inside it's own clear fold-out case, it'll sit happily on a shelf, mantlepiece or desk, plus it is sold in aid of Surfers Against Sewage , who aim to keep our oceans clean, among many other worthy causes. Grab one via the website by clicking here  .  Return to Ocean-Image.com