The "Perfect Wave" - if not the perfect weather!
There is a great article about Aill Na Searrach - or "Aileen's Wave" in the Independent
"That's our wave; the most perfect wave you will find in Europe," says McCarthy. Moving towards the cliff face, the lip of breaking water is suspended some 20-30 feet above the surface of the sea as it races forward. Aileen's, as the local surfers affectionately call this monster, is a new discovery and until last October had never been surfed.
Make no mistake - the wave might be big - but this is not Hawaii.
The weather is a bit different from Hawaii's; the wind-chill factor in winter makes the sea unbelievably cold. Big-wave surfers who head out in sub-zero conditions cover themselves up in 6mm wetsuits, hoods and gloves, and have to combine the endurance of a mountaineer and the athleticism of a ballet dancer to survive the conditions.
The article is qute long - and illuminating - I didn't realise how large the surf related market was - i.e. "baggy shorts, t-shirts and sandals" - rather than boards and wetsuits - but the true story is about the guys that surfed the wave first.
"You are not thinking about it at the time, but you realise that if this huge weight of water lands on your head, it can kill you," McCarthy remarks. "It's one of the biggest waves anywhere, but what makes it unique is its shape. It throws off this enormous oval-shaped tube and that is where the surfer needs to place himself."
Epic stuff - enjoy.
Tags: extreme sports extreme tales surfing