Massive wave

Dungeons... only heard stories about the place...
I wanna go see the waves but I am not keen one xperiencing them. The sandy shore will be just fine for me
 
The big waves are always there. They never reach the shore though if that is what you mean. I also don't think you can see dungeons easily from the shore. There is a lookout spot but it a bit of a mission to get there as far as I know.

Dungeons: Made famous by Red Bull Big Wave Africa, this big right-hander is seldom ridden by paddle surfers outside the event, but tow surfers ride it frequently. Just off the Sentinel off Hout Bay, Dungeons starts breaking from eight to ten foot. Best in light winds and a thumping 20-foot west swell. Best on the low tide, otherwise it gets too thick (too much water). Beyond 20 foot, the tide is less significant. One session on 30 July 2006 saw tow surfers tackle monstrous 60-foot faces – the biggest waves ridden in Africa at the time.

Have a look here: http://www.wavescape.co.za/culture/dungeons-start-for-saturday.html

and here: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&resnum=0&q=dungeons surf&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi
 
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Simple response to some of those pics: I would ****ing *** myself out there!
 
For some reason, these remind me of the fake pictures of tsunamis that circulated a while ago.

Some of them obviously photoshopped, but you get scared to death just looking!
 
Just_Ice said:
Dungeons... only heard stories about the place...
I wanna go see the waves but I am not keen one xperiencing them. The sandy shore will be just fine for me
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The guy's at wavescape.co.za would be able to tell you where to go view Dungeons, or when in CPT just ask at any surf shop or backpackers.

Just_Ice said:
Simple response to some of those pics: I would ****ing *** myself out there!
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The waves are huge and only for serious surfers but as far as I know Dungeons is less dangerous because at other big wave sites (Hawaii etc) the water is only 1 meter deep below the waves. At Dungeons it's deep enough for you to be ok if you wipe out.
 
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I sincerely doubt the water is 1m deep where there are big waves as this would be shorebreak territory. There might however be unexpected shelves (hence the wave forming and breaking) but 1m is highly unlikely I reckon. I have ridden 8ft shorebreak before and it breaks boards because the wave lip is huge and sucks so much water from underneath you that you literally eat sand as you drop in.
 
But ...... Hawaii has the reefs and I reckon thats what Waaib was talking about. There usually isn't more than a meter or so of water on them.
 
do not kid yourself - that it one frightening wall of water...last red bull BWA there was a burst ear drum, broken collar bone and some other injuries....training involves learning to hold your breath for 90 seconds and being able to find up

60 ft wave involves a 2- 3 story drop-in, essentially a nice free-fall down the face of the wave. you do not want to get this wrong
 
I might be wrong about the 1 meter thing. I saw a show about and this guy Mark Foo who surfed big waves and was killed in '94. I'm sure they talked about the reef being 1 meter below the surface and the reef being the cause of huge up-swell and hence the big waves.
 
The trick is not to find up, the trick is to find the sand and go in the opposite direction - you're usually closer to sand than air. I have no idea the methods with 50ft+ swells but in 10ft+ that's what we used to do - hold onto the sand for as long as possible, or until your board drags you away (but just keep holding the sand)

We had no plan B if we couldnt find the sand, just stay calm and wait for the washing machine to stop spin cycle...
 
I've been lost when scuba diving once. Zero viz and washing machine swell. We blew bubbles and watched which way they went to find up. ... of course we had bubbles to spare and masks to be able to see ... different level on the panic scale I reckon.

Wetsuits are buoyant though .. maybe if you just relax you get pulled up to the top. In dungeons for sure they are wearing thickish wetsuits. The water is freezing anywhere in CPT.
 
Waaib said:
I've been lost when scuba diving once. Zero viz and washing machine swell. We blew bubbles and watched which way they went to find up. ... of course we had bubbles to spare and masks to be able to see ... different level on the panic scale I reckon.

Wetsuits are buoyant though .. maybe if you just relax you get pulled up to the top. In dungeons for sure they are wearing thickish wetsuits. The water is freezing anywhere in CPT.
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Not possible in a washing machine and with no masks. The wetsuit thing doesnt really help either because the little force you might feel or notice based on the wetsuit alone is countered by general forces of water on your body so you wouldnt feel or notice it.
 
Waaib said:
The waves are huge and only for serious surfers but as far as I know Dungeons is less dangerous because at other big wave sites (Hawaii etc) the water is only 1 meter deep below the waves. At Dungeons it's deep enough for you to be ok if you wipe out.
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The point is, I dont want to wipe out!
 
As much as I loved surfing .... you wouldn't catch me dead on a wave like that :o
 
Mephisto_Helix said:
As much as I loved surfing .... you wouldn't catch me dead on a wave like that :o
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+1 but as a bodyboarder we tended to have more balls than you "kiff okes" anyways. 6ft+ and you surfers are already having second thoughts :rolleyes::p
 
DJK said:
Then stay in Bloem you landlocked wussie...:p
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A true conversation I had with a Joburger (is that a word?) about a year ago,

Her: So <Insert my name here> are you also from JHB?
Me: Nope, I'm from Bloem
Her: O thats so awesome! Do you go to the beach often?
Me: :confused: Uh..... bloem is landlocked..... very far from any ocean...
Her: Oh........
Me: Got to go, see you soon
Me: **Walks away before bursting out in a rage of laughter**

Ignorant JHB's :D
 
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Just_Ice said:
A true conversation I had with a Joburger (is that a word?) about a tear ago,
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Tears of laughter?:p

Just_Ice said:
A true conversation I had with a Joburger (is that a word?) about a tear ago,

Her: So <Insert my name here> are you also from JHB?
Me: Nope, I'm from Bloem
Her: O thats so awesome! Do you go to the beach often?
Me: :confused: Uh..... bloem is lanlocked..... very far from any ocean...
Her: Oh........
Me: Got to go, see you soon
Me: **Walks away before bursting out in a rage of laughter**

Ignorant JHB's :D
Click to expand...

Words fail me...
 
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