South Bay big wave hunters [PHOTOS]
The Big Wave Challenge hopes to resurrect the South Bay’s reputation as a breeding ground for big wave riders. Dawn this morning took on an added urgency for surfers hunting for waves. The South Bay Big Wave Challenge began today. At stake is $7,000 in prize money, plus bragging rights for catching the biggest wave of the 2011-12 winter. Though today’s forecast calls for small surf, the low morning tide should at least allow the opportunity to test out new gear at the El Segundo jetty, the Redondo Breakwater and Indicator in Palos Verdes, the South Bay’s best big wave breaks, and all low tide lefts. [scrollGallery id=264] The South Bay is known for small, fast beach breaks, not big waves. But every winter half a dozen strong north swells sweep down from Alaska and light up local breaks with 10- to 20-foot waves. The waves don’t approach the size of Mavericks and Ghost Pines in northern California, or Todos Santos and Cortes Bank offshore of San Diego. But big South Bay surf poses its own challenge – wave selection. Most big wave spots have the benefit of predictability because of their stable rock or coral reef bottoms. South Bay waves break over constantly shifting sand bars. A…
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