History Lesson: Tow In Surfing

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Tow-in Big Wave surfing was not born overnight. Peabi, known as Jaws, was there way before our time, creating huge waves for hundreds of years. It was us that didn't find out about it until very recently. Only a handful of people knew about the place, but no one dared to surf it until they came up with this new way of surfing that enabled man to ride bigger waves. Back in 87' or 88', I was staying at this house called Jungle House, where Bret, one of the strapped crew lived, and Kalama, Laird, Mark, Mike, Rush, and all the boys used to hang out, party and talk about waves and new maneuvers. I remember their stories fascinating me and wishing I could feel the same sensation.

I remember them talking about this place called Jaws, miles upwind from Hookipa, where the waves hold up till, who knows? Back then they weren't thinking of surfing there, they were trying to figure out how to sail there. One day, some guys made it through the big close out sets in Hookipa and started sailing upwind. It took them approximately an hour and a half to get there, but they made it to Jaws and rode a couple of waves. It wasn't that big, but large enough to scare' em and give' em the taste of how powerful and destructive the waves are. As far as I know, this was the first attempt of people trying to ride waves in Jaws.

A long time ago, surfers used to go down in the pineapple fields and sit on a cliff just to watch those waves, and even thought of surfing there. They called it Dome's because of the dome house at the corner of the road before the Atom blaster. Someone once said laughing, "there ain't many places named before anyone surfs the spot!"

Around the same time, some guys like Laird Hamilton tried to windsurf Jaws. Laird Hamilton moved to Maui, started all kinds of new things and blew people's minds. Suddenly, he was the world second speed windsurfer, strongest big-wave waterman, and paddled many international channels and canals. Laird was also trying his idea of having the foot stick to the surfboard when doing aerials. He made his dorky Velcro booties and put the other side on the deck. People were laughing at his ideas and dorky looks, but he was dead serious. He once said "You can never be afraid to be a kook. If you do you will never learn anything new, and that is a lot worse than being laughed at." After trying many schemes, the idea of soft footstraps on a surfboard struck, and many people started bust huge airs and spins. With these straps on big waves, you could suck up the bumps on the face and keep the surfboard more easily in control.

Meanwhile in Dabu, Laird, Darrick Doerner, and Buggy Kerbox started to surf outer reefs with the power of a Zodiak to avoid the scene in Wainea. Paddling out to outer reefs was dangerous and hard enough, and paddling into waves, almost impossible. Those waves were hard to get by paddling, with huge risks of getting hurt, breaking boards and even drowning at times.

They thought of using this method of wakeboarding and getting pulled by the zodiak to create enough speed even when the waves weren't peeling. They tried it and each rode 10 - 15 waves an hour and had the best time of their lives. All of these experiments came together for their attempt to try riding the waves at Jaws. It was definitely the opening of a new realm for them.

That was more than ten years ago. Since then, with the evolution of their sport, the equipment and designs of boards have changed so drastically. With this progression in surfing, they faced some close calls, which made them very aware of the huge risks they are taking and they started training for rescues.

No matter what it is, starting something new is always hard and takes a lot of time and effort. It may look easy to ride those massive waves using jet skis, but it took many years and much experimentation to get there, so other people can now follow their footsteps and enjoy the thrill of riding the monsters.

Riding big waves at Jaws is not just a winter thing. They live with the thought of riding it all year long. They train, in the winter doing many other activities, which keeps them in shape and stay aware of the water and the other elements.

After facing a very dangerous near-death incident, every one of the members took a Rescue and CPR course and constantly trained together with lifeguards. They simulated every situation imaginable and strengthened their teamwork to avoid risks. The fact that they all rely on each other in times of peril brought them closer than ever. To ride these dangerous waves, you need to be a good surfer, a damn good surfer, but that's not good enough. You have to be mentally ready. You have to want it very badly and be willing to wait for the day because you will be waiting, waiting a long time, and you have to be ready to deal with the monster at anytime.

In an article I just read, Gerry Lopez states, "I recently realized the importance of waiting time in surfing. In fact, I feel the real essence of surfing lies in waiting for the waves."

It is so true when you think of it. Waiting for the waves, which is never permanent or predictable makes you learn about life and how you should deal with it. You should never rush or panic. You have to be patient and now exactly what you want. Don't get in a wrong current and believe in your instinct. So many things go through your head, but you have to keep calm and go for the right one.

There is another famous quote of Gerry's that often stays in my mind "The hardest thing in surfing is being there". You have to be ready to ride the waves but you never know when they will come or when they will be good, but you want to be in the best shape to ride them the way you really want. It's a constant battle of mind and body and it can become your whole life's work. Tow-in surfers have dedicated their lives to surfing and the ocean. They have waited for a long time and have taken years to prepare for the waves. And it's never over. As the swells are created in the Aleutian seas every winter, these surfers keep surfing themselves and wait for THE ONE time and again.
- TOMO