Friday, December 18, 1998
Men Who
Ride Mountains
Tall and dark but certainly
no strangersTwenty brave surfers will compete
By Greg Ambrose
in the Men Who Ride Mountains contest
at Mavericks. All have been good enough
to master one of the world's epic spots.
Special to the Star-BulletinA hardy band of men who have stalked the world's most brutal wave along a cold, lonely, fog-shrouded stretch of Northern California coast will finally be rewarded for their devotion.
Big-wave surfer Jeff Clark and surf industry giant Quiksilver have teamed up to create Men Who Ride Mountains, a one-day contest that will honor 20 surfers who have come closest to mastering the treacherous surf spot called Mavericks.
"Out of this event you may find some unknown big wave heroes," said Clark.
And Hawaii's top ocean safety experts will be there to make sure Mavericks doesn't claim any more lives.
Although the contest has focused the spotlight of media attention on this remote surf spot in Half Moon Bay, 30 miles south of San Francisco, spectators are being discouraged from attending the event. Parking is limited, the best viewing area is atop treacherous 300-foot-high cliffs, and the area is a sensitive wetlands preservation zone.
There will be no announcement to alert the public when the event is held to keep Pillar Point from being swarmed, but people can follow the contest on the Internet.
Additionally, a videotape will quickly be released to let people experience the thrill of riding such a devastating wave.
The jaunty name Mavericks, after the dog of one of the spot's discoverers in the late '50s, does not do justice to the dreadful nature of the wave.
The swells come booming out of the deep ocean and double in size when they hit the jutting reef. The lineup is reached by a long paddle around a foreboding group of jagged rocks. Surfers who are caught inside, wipeout or who straighten out are swept straight toward the rocks, which have nearly been the death of several top big-wave riders.
The water is ominously dark, and the currents are inexorable. Even the thickest, most restricting wet suits provide no protection from the ocean, which often drops below 55 degrees and rapidly drains every hint of warmth and energy from surfers.
Clark, a Half Moon Bay local, rode Mavericks in solitude for 15 years before he could persuade other surfers to join him. The surfing world was amazed to learn of this addition to the world's pantheon of big wave spots, most of which are in Hawaii.
When Hawaii surfer Mark Foo died while surfing Mavericks during a sunny, friendly 18-foot session on Christmas Eve, 1994, the mainstream media alerted the rest of the world to this California hot spot.
Today, tourists wander the narrow, rocky beach hoping for a glimpse of the waves that killed "that surfer from Hawaii."
Sunset Beach surfer Ken Bradshaw has been invited to the Men Who Ride Mountains contest, and he is determined to keep Mavericks as safe as humanly possible before, during and after the contest.
Bradshaw flew to Half Moon Bay before Thanksgiving with Water Patrol Inc. rescue specialists Brian Keaulana and Terry Ahue and surfing legend George Downing to discuss the contest with Clark.
The others returned to Hawaii, and Bradshaw lingered to renew his relationship with Mavericks, and instruct some of the other contest invitees in the finer points of rescue by jet skis.
The waves were huge, and mainland rescue specialists were reluctant to take their machines into the boiling cauldron of the surf impact zone.
"I stopped the machine in the pit, acted like I was rescuing someone, then dug out of there," said Bradshaw.
"I proved they can be used in extreme situations."
Bradshaw then pulled the Mavericks regulars out of the lineup between waves and practiced rescue pickups to get them used to the whole procedure so they will know what to expect if they need to be rescued.
"I put the machine in places where people have never seen it before, checking out the rocks, how to get around them, seeing how fast we can get someone injured in and out of the break to shore.
"I was extremely pleased with the outcome. The rocks are almost inconsequential now."
The contest is to be held on the day when Clark decides the elements are to his satisfaction.
"My dream outcome is to have a solid 20 foot northwest swell with good conditions and clear skies," Clark said. "Everyone has a blast, with smiles all around. The surf is challenging enough to keep everyone on edge and still have some high-performance big wave surf."
The odds are excellent that Clark will get his wish, as Mavericks was ridden 55 times last season between September and April. It already has been surfed nearly a dozen times this season, although the conditions have not met Clark's standards.
The overwhelming majority of invitees are Northern California surfers who have made the pursuit of waves at Mavericks their life's passion.
Bradshaw and Hawaii big-wave addict Brock Little are two notable exceptions.
"I'm honored that they would invite me," said Bradshaw. "The format of the contest, with five men in the water at a time, is much more desirable for a surfing contest. I think Brock and I lend a great deal of credibility to what they are doing."
According to Clark, "We picked Ken and Brock to give the contest an island tie, an international flavor. Guys who have surfed Mavericks is the main criteria for this contests."
Whatever the reason, Little is stoked to participate, even though it could be a financial hardship. The prize money is modest, $10,000 for the winner and down to $1,000 for everyone who participates.
"Whenever you surf big waves it's an adventure, and a good time," said Little. "And that is what Mavericks is, it's adventure, it's a good time, and it's good to leave and come back home to warm water.
"It will be neat to be in the first event and ride big waves and, who knows, maybe even make some money.
"Going to Mavericks you're on a mission to surf some serious surf, and that is worth doing."
More information on the Men Who Ride Mountains event can be found at these Web sites: www.stormsurf.com; mavsurfer.com; sfgate.com/thesurfcolumn.
