“I always thought that the day would come where we would see a huge huge swell with clean offshore winds.
Since I remember looking at weather and storm maps Ive never ever seen a forecast of conditions like this and Mother Nature delivered some of the craziest cleanest waves ever seen at Nazaré.
A day for the history books, swells like this happen very few times in a lifetime. So happy to witness this day and see everyone back to shore safe.” – Nic Von Rupp
They are not the average family, and it is a not an average family trip. The Klein’s saw a massive swell heading to Morocco, ordered tickets, packed their two kids and just flew! Click in with Yoni Klein and family, and prepare to get hosed…
Let’s be honest, it’s been a helluva year so far, we all need a heavy dosage of ‘Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeew’ to get through the rest of 2020. Let us introduce the very amped Luke Embleton, is fair to say he’s stoked with this keg at Thurso.
Definition of stoked slang : being in an enthusiastic or exhilarated state, I think Luke meets the criteria!
David and Goliath, pah, I think Conor Maguire and Mullaghmore just knocked that one straight out of the park in Ireland. Almost breaking the interent in doing so, helluvah big. We salute you Conor and your support team and crew, well done all, and we’ve not even started on Cottys epic feat at Nazaré.
In his own words Conor said.
“Yesterday morning was wild. I saw our little magic bay do some mesmerising shit that I never thought imaginable. Chaos met beauty in an unimaginable way.
I can’t begin to describe how grateful I am to all of you guys for the positive response and support, including the hundreds of lovely messages. It’s been overwhelming.
Saying thank you to everyone involved in yesterday’s antics seems like an underrated response to their efforts. The organisation and safety put in place for the biggest swell to hit Ireland (reading 29 meters on the m6 buoy off Ireland) was impeccable.
@finn_mullen, you’re my guardian angle. He was the safety coordinator for the swell and I couldn’t have asked for a more appropriate guy for the job. With some crazy experience behind him, including a few ground-breaking windsurfing waves at Mullaghmore, it seemed appropriate.
From informing the coastguard of our plans, organising a paramedic and ambulance to 4 four rescue skis driven by my closest friends to spotters on the cliff who were lifelong friends to thorough safety briefings the night before and the day of (including adherence to Covid-19 regs), it couldn’t have been a safer and better reason to push myself at a wave I’ve grown obsessed with over the years. I honestly can’t put into words how thankful I am. I owe everyone a few stout when the pubs reopen.
Photos: Conor Flanagan / Red Bull Content Pool
Since it was unveiled in 2008, the wave at Skelton Bay has become part of every surfer’s lexicon, a synonym for never-ending sand bottomed tubes. But unlike Pipeline, G-Land, or [insert your preferred iconic world class wave here], the two-kilometre-long left on the edge of the Namib Desert is in a constant state of flux. If satellite imagery is anything to go by, the wave we know today didn’t even exist 30 years ago.
Mirage is a 15-minute documentary that traces the genesis of the Namibian sandspit and how it became one of the most sought after waves on the planet, as told by pioneering locals and some of the best tube riders in the world.
But before you put it on the top of your post-pandemic bucket list, perhaps take heed of Koa Smith’s veiled advice from the film: “People think oh, easy, Skeleton Bay. I’m going to go get the barrel of my life. But then they show up here and realise it’s more like Teahupoo on sand.”
