Surfing

What kinds of experiences have you had with animals while you've been surrfing?

Thrilling encounters with sharks and marine life while surfing

I've had some incredible experiences with animals. The big questions, obviously, living in South Africa. Have I ever seen a great white? I've seen about five, Great Whites, while surfing when I was young my friend actually had breached out the Water by great whites and Jeffrey's Bay. He landed back in the water. His board was shattered into three pieces, his leash it snapped and he had to swim ashore. Luckily, the shark didn't come back for him and all he had was like a little scratch on his wet suit on his stomach, nothing else? Else I've had to like swim past me really close. I could almost touch them, but all the other times when I've seen them, I haven't felt threatened. It's been a very strange surreal experience. I've also seen whales really close and dolphins, turtles, sea otters. It's one of the beautiful things about surfing is all the marine life, you see.

I've seen five great whites while surfing, and have also seen whales, dolphins, turtles, and sea otters. It's been a surreal and beautiful experience.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/op3draxenq1fvambrqra.vtt

I've had some incredible experiences with animals while surfing, especially living in South Africa. One of the big questions people often ask is if I've ever seen a great white shark. I've actually encountered about five great whites while surfing. When I was younger, a friend of mine had a close encounter where a great white breached out of the water near him in Jeffrey's Bay. His board was shattered, his leash snapped, and he had to swim ashore. Thankfully, the shark didn't come back for him, and he only had a small scratch on his wetsuit.

I've also had great white sharks swim very close to me, almost within touching distance. However, in those instances, I didn't feel threatened. It was a surreal and unique experience. Apart from great whites, I've also seen whales, dolphins, turtles, sea otters, and other marine life while out surfing. It's one of the beautiful aspects of surfing, being able to witness and appreciate the diverse marine life in the ocean.

Surf gangs and aggression: The reality of protecting waves

Also, if gangs real 100%. So, surfing is such a selfish wart, like, people is all this vibe that it's everyone's chilled and happy and having a good time together and they are places like that. But in certain places where people want to protect the wave, like the, the worst place is Hawaii the way with pipeline. There's local gangs back in the day, used to be really bad people. Get beaten up all the time foreigners coming in because They the locals wanted to make phone is scared the so that they break wouldn't get. So crowded nowadays say in Hawaii, many people have pressed charges against low the locals, they can't be as violent and aggressive but it's still there's a lot of intimidation out there. I go to Hawaii every year and it's really, really tough. Being a foreigner. They trying to get waves, maybe get one one good wave in about three hours because the local guys are just taking all the waves I know. In Jeffrey's Bay in South Africa, there used to be a local kind of gang called the white shirts and they also used to regulate the lineup. And if people are out of line or God in the way or dropped in by mistake, they will get beaten up and then asked to leave the town. So there's certain places around the world especially when the waves are quite quite good in a place where there are guys regulating the life, all surf gangs real 100%. So surfing is such a selfish War. The the funny thing about it is that there's often a correlation often people who serve smaller, waves seem to have a big ego and there seems to be more aggression because I've certainly found as the waves get bigger, you got to the arteries which are further out. There's this common respect suddenly because people are out there. There's a Brotherhood everyone's looking out for each other to make sure you all surviving and often when the waves get bigger people have a lot more respect for each other.

Surf gangs are very real in certain places such as Hawaii, Jeffrey's Bay, and other areas where surfers are trying to protect their waves. In these areas, locals can be intimidating and aggressive towards foreigners, and even beat them up if they don't follow the rules. However, when the waves get bigger, there is often a common respect among surfers and a brotherhood of looking out for each other.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/a7jytkokgcglzm97zzpl.vtt

Yes, surf gangs are indeed real. While surfing is often associated with a laid-back and harmonious vibe, there are certain places where people form local gangs to protect the waves. One notorious example is in Hawaii, particularly at Pipeline, where in the past, locals would physically harm foreigners to deter them from crowding the waves. Though violence has decreased due to legal consequences, intimidation and aggression still exist. Foreigners may find it challenging to catch waves in such places.

Similar situations have been observed in Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa, where a local gang called the white shirts used to regulate the lineup. They would physically confront and expel individuals who disrupted the order or dropped in on others.

It's interesting to note that there seems to be a correlation between smaller wave surfers and larger egos, leading to more aggression. However, in bigger waves, there is often a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect among surfers, as they look out for each other's safety.

So, while surf gangs may not be prevalent everywhere, there are certain locations where they exist, and they can impact the dynamics and experiences of surfers in those areas.

How do you handle the pros and cons of adrenaline?

Mastering Adrenaline: Preparation and Mental Game Are Key

Adrenaline, adrenaline, Tiffany has pros and cons. I think it goes a long way before I got into the big waves because obviously in the window as a huge adrenaline is going through the reef, but I like to prepare long in advance. I like to have a lot of discipline in my training and I try to mimic the big wave, environments in the swimming pool in my training. I try to visualize as the big waves, the big wipeouts, I put myself in the situation long before it actually happens and there's I like to call this like building a foundation of being prepared and when I have the strong Foundation of Readiness, when the adrenaline hits, I feel like this at lessens the impact and it helps me to still remain calm to think clearly when the pressure is on and make good decisions. So I think Like being prepared and it's a huge part. And then I think also the mental game, when I'm able to, I talk to myself all the time. So I try control the thoughts that are coming into my mind. I try for my mind with statements that are only empowering and encouraging and that also helps a lot with adrenaline.

Tiffany uses a combination of preparation, mental game and visualization to help manage the adrenaline she feels before big waves. She focuses on building a strong foundation of readiness and positive self-talk to stay calm and make good decisions in high pressure situations.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/w5fridd4kitncgkuefgw.vtt

Handling the pros and cons of adrenaline requires preparation and a strong mental game. Before facing intense situations, such as big waves, I like to prepare in advance and maintain discipline in my training. I simulate the conditions of big waves in the swimming pool and visualize scenarios, including wipeouts, well before they happen. This builds a foundation of readiness, which helps lessen the impact of adrenaline and allows me to remain calm and think clearly under pressure.

Additionally, the mental aspect plays a crucial role. I constantly talk to myself, consciously controlling the thoughts that enter my mind. I focus on empowering and encouraging statements, which helps me manage the effects of adrenaline.

By combining preparation, mental focus, and positive self-talk, I am able to handle the pros and cons of adrenaline effectively.

What’s been your biggest wipeout and hold down?

Surviving a Giant Mavericks Hold Down

My biggest, why pod and hold down was at Mavericks, San Francisco basically took off on this wave and I was a little bit late on it and a wind past vertical, there's probably like a 35-foot wave, the nose of my board dug into the water and I fell forward and I body surfed on my back down this huge wave. And I remember looking up in the and the lip coming over me and I was inside this mess. Of barrel at broke over me and then what happens is, as the wave sucks is like a Vortex and it sucks, suck me up. And it was this long moment of Stillness sucking up and up and up. And then I went over with the lip and then it did. I hit the impact and was so violent in the wave. Pushed me really deep under the water and it Mavericks, the waters cold and dark. It's more dense. So, it pushes you deeper. I just pulled me down Into the Depths and called me under for about 25. S, i was pressed on the floor on the ground just with what felt like the weight of the entire ocean pushing me down and I pulled my vest. So my inflation based. So it filled me up with air eventually. Let me go came up and luckily there wasn't another big one after that.

I was surfing at Mavericks and a big wave broke over me and i got held down for 25 seconds. I eventually made it back up to the surface by pulling my vest which inflated with air and allowed me to float back up.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/ut6fa359wm4yc0v3imv0.vtt

My biggest wipeout and hold down occurred at Mavericks in San Francisco. I took off on a wave, but I was a bit late and ended up going past vertical. The nose of my board dug into the water, causing me to fall forward and body surf on my back down a massive 35-foot wave.

As I looked up, the lip of the wave broke over me, and I found myself inside a barrel. The wave created a vortex that sucked me up, and there was a brief moment of stillness as I was lifted higher and higher. Then, I went over with the lip, experiencing a violent impact. The wave pushed me deep underwater, and at Mavericks, the water is cold, dark, and more dense, which made it even more challenging.

I felt the weight of the entire ocean pressing me down, and I was submerged for about 25 seconds. It felt like an eternity as I was pressed against the ocean floor. Thankfully, I had a vest with an inflation device, so it eventually filled me up with air, allowing me to resurface. Luckily, there wasn't another big wave following that intense experience.

What type of ocean floor creates the best type of wave?

Finding the Perfect Wave: Unveiling the Secrets of Ocean Floors

It's the best type of ocean floor for waves. It depends. What kind of way is you looking for, if you want intense barreling waves, you're looking for an ocean for, that's from very deep to shallow, very quickly. So the Steep, gradient creates a wave that rears are very fast and barrels and is very intense. A lot of people don't like these valves though, because the wave rears up so fast, on the other hand, if a lot of people's favorite waves are Long Point Break. So like in Jeffrey's Bay Inn in South Africa, We have the base right hand Point Break in the world. So the, the head land is at the perfect angle, as the waves wrap around the Headland. They sweep into the point and these long lines come in, and it's a fairly even gradient going from shallow to deep the waves break and peel along the rock. That's why it's called the point break. So peels along the Rocks, so it really depends. What kind of way is you looking for, obviously the longer the reef. The the bit, the the better it is. Ideally in any situation. The best is to have a reef or point where the where the energy is converges on and then a deep spot next to it. So deep spark has the channel where the waves don't break so you can ride the waves on the reef and then pull out in the channel, paddle back out of your hair dry and go get another way. So it's always great when there is a safe sewing or Channel.

It depends on the type of wave you are looking for. If you want intense barreling waves, look for an ocean floor with a steep gradient from deep to shallow. If you are looking for long point breaks, look for a headland at an angle where the waves wrap around it and create an even gradient from shallow to deep. The best is to have a reef or point where the energy converges and then a deep spot next to it.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/eegkjhrralfngwhrjexq.vtt

The type of ocean floor that creates the best waves depends on the specific wave you're looking for. If you want intense barreling waves, an ocean floor that transitions quickly from deep to shallow is ideal. This steep gradient creates fast-rearing waves that barrel and provide an intense surfing experience. However, not everyone enjoys these types of waves.

On the other hand, many people prefer long point breaks. These waves occur when the coastline or headland is at the perfect angle, causing waves to wrap around and sweep into a point. The gradient from shallow to deep is more even, allowing the waves to break and peel along the rocks, creating long lines for surfing. This is why it's called a point break.

Ultimately, the type of wave you prefer will determine the ideal ocean floor. Longer reefs are generally desirable. Ideally, a reef or point where the energy of the waves converges, along with a nearby deep spot or channel where waves don't break, creates an optimal surfing setup. This allows surfers to ride the waves on the reef and then safely paddle back out through the channel to catch another wave.

Have you ever taken a risk where it really paid off?

Chasing Storms: Big Wave Surfer Takes Risk, Finds Career Turning Point

I think one of the biggest risks I took that paid off the most was chasing a storm from Cape Town, South Africa, all the way to Hawaii to where I pulled jaws. This was in 2020 in the middle of the second wave of COVID and I literally didn't even know if I was going to make it. The regulations were changing while I was in the air. Every day there were new regulations, new things that we needed with the testing and all that. In 2020 I took the risk to fly to Hawaii. I made it there, firstly. I arrived the night before the storm. I didn't get any sleep that night. I was so jet lagged. The next morning I woke up and I had one of the best sessions of my life. I had jaws and 50 foot waves with only a handful of surfers who were also willing to take the risk and travel to go surf the big waves. That was a turning point in my career of big wave surfing, being a part of that.

Taking a risk to fly to Hawaii from Cape Town, South Africa paid off when I had one of the best surf sessions of my life at Jaws with only a handful of other surfers willing to take the risk.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/oomxec2deglfuzgs2jbx.vtt

One of the biggest risks I took that paid off was chasing a storm from Cape Town, South Africa, all the way to Hawaii to surf at Jaws. This happened in 2020 during the second wave of COVID, and I wasn't even sure if I would be able to make it due to changing regulations and testing requirements. Despite the uncertainties, I took the risk and managed to fly to Hawaii.

I arrived the night before the storm and didn't get any sleep due to jet lag. However, the next morning, I had one of the most incredible surf sessions of my life. I had the opportunity to ride 50-foot waves at Jaws, with only a few other surfers who were also willing to take the risk and travel for the big waves. This experience became a turning point in my career as a big wave surfer.

Matt Bromley answers your Surfing questions. See all the advice Matt Bromley has and get answers to your own Surfing questions.

Follow me on AnyQuestion

Matt started surfing when he was 6 years old, in Cape Town, South Africa. He grew to become one of the best big-wave surfers in the world. He watches the globe for large storms, and when all the elements come together, books a ticket and chases the energy across the world. He documents the big waves these storms create and produces high-quality content that is distributed through various global media platforms. Matt's other passion is sharing his experiences to inspire and empower people to ride their "big waves".