What are the dangers of Big Wave Surfing?
In addition to carrying all the risks of regular surfing, big wave surfing has inherently more danger than its less extreme forerunner. Because the waves are so much larger than normal surfing, the wipeouts a big wave surfer makes are exponentially more dangerous. In fact, the average big wave rider is pushed beneath the water some 20 to 50 feet. Getting caught under multiple big waves can be deadly. The advent of tow-in surfing, a form of big wave riding where a small boat tows a rider onto a wave, is partially connected with having a safety crew available onsite and immediately. After dropping the rider onto the wave, the tow-in boat becomes a safety vessel, working to get the rider back to the beach in one piece.
