10 amazing things you didn't know about surfing
Nature and adventure lovers see the sea and the waves in a different and unique way. It's not just salt water to us… It's not just wind power or “mechanical waves” as it's scientifically known, nor a simple change in density and pressure. There are a lot of things about surfing that you don't know yet, keep reading and find out!
Although the science behind this natural phenomenon explains how waves are generated, it is the more than 35 million surfers around the world who give them their true meaning.
Modern surfing though has become a global industry generating about 7.Approximately 3 billion euros a year, it has been proposed over time to tame nature, put the human condition to the test, and feel the freedom that all this entails.
And this is something true surfers know by heart. Do you know? If you are not a professional surfer or you are just starting the sport, we have compiled the best curious facts about surfing, so that you can find out more about this incredible extreme sport. You can't miss them!
DISCOVER 10 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SURFING AND THE WAVES!
- Surfing wasn't invented in Hawaii but in Peru!
If you thought surfing originated in Hawaii, think twice. Although we think that the Hawaiians are the creators of this sport, its origins really come from surfing in America before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492.
In northern Peru, pieces of ceramics sculpted by ancient civilizations have been found, detailing human figures on boards among the waves.
Certainly, by the year 1778 when the Europeans arrived in Hawaii, surfing was already part of their culture, but only because they had previously traveled to Peru on one of their voyages, like the brave navigators they have always been, and would have then adopted this discipline among their culture, which was incredibly adapted to their coasts and ocean currents.
But the story doesn't end there! As settlers approached the Hawaiian Islands, they began to ban all traditional Aboriginal activities as part of their indoctrination - including surfing - between the 18th and 19th centuries. Subsequently, surfing reappears in the 20th century.
And we owe this resurgence to Olympic swimming champion Duke Kahanamoku, also known as the “Great Kahuna” or “Big Kahuna”, born in Honolulu in 1890. Today Duke is considered the inventor of modern surfing, since he was able to promote and spread that ancient Hawaiian discipline. Sometimes he would build his own board out of the box to surf!
- The first surfing championship in history was held in 1928.
The Pacific Coast Surfriding Championship was organized by the 12 members of the local surf club in California (USA).USA), who managed to celebrate the first surfing tournament in history in Corona Mar. Europe did not hold surfing championships until 1979, when they held the Lacanau Pro, in France.
- The largest recorded wave in history measured 530 meters!
In 1958 the largest wave to date was recorded, about 530m, in Alaska, as a consequence of a magnitude 7 earthquake.8 occurred in Lituya Bay.
- Gary Saavedra holds the world record for longest time surfing on a board.
The Panamanian surfer managed to achieve his feat in Gatun Lake, located in the Lada Pacífico of the Panama Canal. In 2011, Gary rode 66.46 kilometers in total, while wake surfing on a non-static wave created by a boat on location. Three hours and 55 minutes was the time Gary Saavedra spent on his surfboard.
- Donald Detlof has been the greatest collector of surfboards in the world.
The collection was kept for many years in his own home in Hawaii and features over 800 different board styles, sizes, and constructions. It started as a small hobby to prevent unused boards from being destroyed, and pretty soon all the locals were dropping off unused boards at his door. Detlof eventually used the surfboards to build a fence around his house. Interesting, isn't it?
- Henry P. Douglas was the creator of the sea classification scale, according to the size of the waves.
In 1917, Henry P. Douglas created a scale to classify the different states of the sea based on the size of the waves. Douglas was then director of the British Army Weather Service, serving as Vice Admiral. Hence, the "Douglas" scale is currently used for maritime indications, waves and tides. Currently, in the practice of surfing, two scales are taken into consideration to measure the intensity of the waves: In addition to The Douglas Scale, which classifies the different states of the sea in 10 degrees in relation to the size of the waves, it is also taken into account the Beaufort Scale, whose empirical measurement focuses on the intensity of the wind, based on the state of the sea, the force of the wind and its waves.
- Is it possible to surf on a river? The answer is yes!
Certainly not as well known and esteemed as ocean surfing, but the truth is that river surfing has become more and more popular. Freshwater surfing is possible at certain times of the year, when some rivers create reverse flows that allow the generation of waves, commonly known as tidal holes. Some places where you can do river surfing is France, which is laden with waves from the water that melts from the Alps; also the Ottawa River in Canada; in Missoula, Montana (USA).USA); and in Munich, Germany; among others. Do you dare to try?
- Dogs are not far behind in the world of surfing!
And, in fact, the dogs have their own international surfing competition in Huntington Beach, California, where they are rated for their confidence in the waves, and their permanence on the boards. The annual Surf City Surf Dog contest has been organized for years to raise money for animal welfare organizations. Who knew!
- The biggest wave ever surfed in history measured 24.38 meters.
Rodrigo Koxa was the brave surfer who tamed it at Praia do Noreste, in Nazaré (Portugal), a place where the biggest waves in the world are surfed. The event took place on November 8, 2017. In this way, Koxa beats the past Guinness Record set in this same location by surfer Garret McNamara, 23.7 meters. However, it is currently still debated whether McNamara himself has broken the record after surfing a large 30 meter wave there, although this has not been officially confirmed by the Guinness World Records committee.
- Can you ski on waves?
You read that right: skiing on waves! The Wave Skiing is a reality that very few know about, and that is… Who thought of combining skiing with surfing in such an amazing way? Waveskiing is a sport that has existed since the 1970s and was previously known as "Paddle skiing", but later received its official name to avoid confusion with other similar water sports. Since then, waveskiing has grown to become a dynamic sport to be practiced between big waves in the sea. This sport has its own equipment and board model (depending on the case) and also comes with a kayak paddle with which the surfer/skier uses to do their maneuvers! Surely not many have heard of skiing on the waves! ! However, skier and surfer Chuck Patterson has become increasingly popular skiing waves with real skis in Pe'ahí (Hawaii), the famous spot that surfers call simply "JAWS". Incredible isn't it?
A little information about surfing never goes amiss, but the real experience is in the action. If you are a lover of extreme sports and want to venture into the world of surfing, remember to practice a lot, understand the risks, and become one with the sea. Go ahead, crack!
