Surfing the Cape's colossal waves
29 March 2005
The seventh annual Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing event is set to take place at Dungeons off Cape Town from 22 May to 12 June. The 12-man field of big wave chargers will have a three-week waiting period for the Roaring Forties to produce the required five-metre (15 foot) waves needed to stage the contest.
Dungeons, the aptly named extreme surf spot situated under the towering cliffs of the Sentinel at the mouth of Hout Bay on the Cape Peninsula, produces the biggest rideable waves on the coast of the continent.
The shallow reef is the first landfall for the huge swells generated in the stormy 4 000 kilometre stretch across the South Atlantic Ocean, creating moving mountains of water that surge upwards and outwards before breaking with bone-crushing power.
Numerous challenges
The challenge faced by the invited big wave specialists is heightened by the frigid water temperatures, making thick wetsuits,
booties, hoods, and even gloves a necessity for most of the competitors.
The treacherous surf, dense kelp beds and abundant sea life which inhabit the marine reserve, including predators preying on the nearby seal colony, make water-safety a key feature of the event. A comprehensive water-safety team is in attendance even during practice sessions at the life-threatening break.
Red Bull Big Wave Africa has secured its position as the world's second longest running big wave surfing contest after the Eddie Aikau event at Waimea Bay in Hawaii.
Only two champions have been crowned in the previous six years - Sean Holmes from South Africa in 2000 and Californian Greg Long in 2003.
While Dungeons has been surfed during the waiting period every year, often in waves far bigger than those meeting the consistent five-metre criterion needed to run the contest, the conditions have often been too hazardous to deploy the extensive infrastructure required to stage the
event.
South African invitees
The line-up of international invitees is still being finalised, but the local contingent of Grant Baker and Jason Ribbink from Durban, Sean Holmes and Cape Town's Mickey Duffus have been confirmed, as are former Capetonian Chris Bertish, now in the UK, and John Whittle (Durban), who make a welcome return to the ranks after missing last year's event.
Gary Linden from California will fill the positions of project manager and contest director. Being an experienced big wave surfer himself, Linden has witnessed Dungeons in all its moods, and is confident that sooner or later the event will be contested in some of the biggest waves ever ridden by paddle-in surfers.
As usual, an expert team of local water safety and medical personnel has been assembled under the leadership of Californian rescue expert Shawn Alladio to reassure the surfers no matter what situation arises they have the best available assistance at
hand.
The whole event can be followed via Red Bull Big Wave Africa, where information on the location, profiles on the athletes and support staff, how to watch the event and daily images, video clips and reports are just a click away.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
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