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Magicseaweed's Big Waves » Teahupoo

By Ed Magicseaweed - Published on 2nd March 2009 | Viewed 643610 times.

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[PT-Teahupoo]





I flew halfway round the world last minute for this view. I'd been to Chopes four years in a row before this trip and not seen it bigger than 10ft. So when this swell lit up the charts, myself and Danny Wall sacked everything off and got out the credit cards. Like a rabbit in the headlights, three days later, I was swimming along like a muppet staring straight at Manoa Drollet through my 70mm lens while this thing thundered down the reef. I'd never been that close to a 20ft plus barrel before. I thought it was going to flatten me but then that's what I'd gone there to experience so I hung about and it was sweet - the spit was so violent it blew me into the channel, unbelievable but true. The next day I watched in horror as Danny Wall came up from a beating to take a wave almost as big as this straight on the head, he came up laughing. Also unbelievable, but true! Easily the most incredible waves I've ever experienced.
Mickey Smith, Teahupoo, Tahiti
www.mickeysmith.co.uk

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This article has been given an average rating of 3.98 from 1200 votes.
Comments
 
Archived Comments
James C926 days ago +2 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
I just want to say how much im offended by the photoshop comment below. Its clearly legit, just like all of Mikeys excellent work. You could easily have just checked his website, whose link is right there, to see that this is just one in a long line of awesome shots he's produced from right around the world. There may have been some post on this wave, but forget it if you think that theres anything sinister in what will merely have been levels and contrast tweaks. I wish people on this site would avoid being totally retarded in their comments, it gets right on my tits.
Rich Walsh884 days ago Unrated Rate Positive Rate Negative
Right on , well said. Ignorance is no excuse for stupidity.
KIMBALINOS941 days ago Unrated Rate Positive Rate Negative
awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lowtyd947 days ago -2 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
What the f@#k? A death wave? Where-- Let Me At It!!
silversurfer80959 days ago +2 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
damn thats awesome man.i heard they have massive waves in fiji .not tavarua but on a fijian island to the north west of fiji. tahiti must be great though......
matt101968 days ago -1 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
Teahupoo is the heavyest wave on the planet so get over it. And yourself
mike blackshaw998 days ago Unrated Rate Positive Rate Negative
Nice photoshop job i think......
Julian Parsons991 days ago +2 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
Photoshop??? You kidding china, if you have never been to dungeons you have no room to speak.
jackdee16983 days ago Unrated Rate Positive Rate Negative
type shipsterns in google and come to australia and try surf it u wont live to tell ur story
mike blackshaw977 days ago -2 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
I know about the wave but unfortunately have never been to see it up close and personnal... I mentioned the photoshop because of the weird stripe thats going through the face, looks a bit like there has been some cloning!! I wouldn't go near the beast to be honest, if i ever wanted to surf another wave again!!!
jordiboi111011 days ago -2 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
nice wave. i would have loved to be there
ScottyHottie1031 days ago +1 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
Way Hey...go on ya good thing!!!! Brilliant
nessx1043 days ago -12 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
beautiful simply beautiful xx
max1043 days ago +21 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
#2!!!!!!!
TiTiRM1046 days ago +13 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
mandawevos!!
rick_james221047 days ago +9 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
have ya'll heard about tres palmas? in rincon, puerto rico. ? i saw it mackin' 20-25 footers friday and the locals say this swell was nothing compared to last year. it should get props
jeffcop1051 days ago +27 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
hardcore mickey
tom@undertheradareast.com1054 days ago +14 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
dude what kind of training do you do to swim at chopes id be shitting myself on a boat in the channel
Rob. L.1058 days ago +22 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
looper!
justafloatin1061 days ago +21 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
blacks' goes off
booyah1061 days ago +14 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
I totally agree with mavericks being the scariest looking spot in the states.Not only because the wave itself,but because all the other caractheristics as well;the water is black,cold and foamy all the time,and the lack of sunshine(not to mention the sharks)just adds to the puck-o-meter factor.You need to have big cojones to get out there.
dunfeeboi1064 days ago -5 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
wups rong pic lol
dunfeeboi1064 days ago +10 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
i saw the vid from this session and he actually landed off tha lip was pritty sick!
Alemão De Maresias1064 days ago +16 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
This is a real teahupoo,big barrel.
santacruz5051066 days ago +27 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
wow #6
Sonovabich1070 days ago +11 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
Wylie Coyote in #8 should have brought an unmbrella!
fence fowl1072 days ago +9 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
The bowl on #13 is incredible, he must've got shacked outta his brain. If he really did paddle that, its gotta be the most perfect take off on MSW
Easily:HyPn0tiZ3d1072 days ago +91 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
# 3 the story behind the dude who found mavericks is incredible, respect to all ya'll fellas
kendaddy1072 days ago +6 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
this wave has crazy symmetry .. can you go left too ?
Dicer1072 days ago +20 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
yet another magnificent account of two hardcore watermen dedicated to what they do. and don't they do it so well! this is the proof. This particular swell was also filmed and Manoa's wave actually appears to go below see level (its just sucking the water over the ridiculously shallow reef section) before it unfolds and ends up like it is here. Truly magical to see.
Glo.Ball.Beats1073 days ago +97 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
I was there on the cliffs that day too and have an almost identical shot! (But a much lower res) I can vouch for his paddle in too. Charger!
jrat1074 days ago +20 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
just looking at that scares the absolute shit out of me!
the vanity project1074 days ago +3 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
Things sure have changed here on Walton's Mountain
NicaSurfing1074 days ago +4 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
wow incredible shot the view from the cliff there makes it look like riding any other big wave. at least the mind surfing part.
Pluto1074 days ago +27 Rating Rate Positive Rate Negative
Excellent shot, and the narrative is spot on. Even the paddle out at Mav's is enough to scare the daylight out of a many seasoned and experienced surfers. Makes you realise how many different disciplines are ther are within surfing, this is a league of its own.
 
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