Victorian Big Wave Surfer, Jeff Rowley made history riding a record 15 metre (50 foot) wave at Albatross in Victoria on 15 September 2011.
Australian Big Wave Surfer, Jeff Rowley is the only Victorian to be announced as a finalist in the Australian Oakley Big Wave Awards 2011/12 in the Biggest Wave category.
Rowley made history in September 2011 riding a record 15 metre (50 foot) wave at Albatross in Victoria and was the only surfer in the water at Albatross to conquer the massive waves on a day considered unsurfable.
“This is the biggest swell I’ve ever seen hit the Australian coastline,” Rowley said.
“Its just crazy out there. We were miles out to sea. There was this giant Albatross swooping at my head."
Rowley described surfing the monster wave as an “unbelievable feeling.”
“The wave was so angry, it was like riding a five storey building at 80 k’s an hour.”
When Rowley first sighted the wave, he knew he was riding one of the biggest waves ever caught in Australia.
“I could see the wave coming a mile off, just this black line swallowing the horizon. When I felt the wave pick me up underneath my feet, I let go of the rope and was 100% committed from that point on. I was on autopilot, flying down this wave and totally focused on making the drop."
“Taking the drop took forever. As the wave was jacking up I could feel it’s crazy power through my whole body, it gave me the biggest adrenalin rush.”
“It’s definitely one of the biggest waves I’ve ever seen, but I want to ride a wave twice as big and I’m on the hunt.”
Rowley is a big wave specialist and travels around the world to find massive waves at new locations with his quest to paddle in to and catch a 50 foot wave for his ‘Charge for Charity’ fundraiser for Breast Cancer Australia.
“I am grateful to everyone who has supported my Charge For Charity, I'm overcoming my fears which are nothing compared to fighting a life threatening disease or illness”.
Rowley has based himself in Hawaii for three months over winter to catch and document the monster North Pacific winter storm surf.
On 4 January 2012, Rowley achieved his 2011/12 ‘Charge for Charity’ by paddling into a 50 foot wave at break "Jaws Peahi" in Maui whilst at the same time became the first Australian to paddle in to Jaws.
Rowley remains in Maui with more giant surf forecast in the coming weeks.
The Winner of the Australian Oakley Big Wave Awards 2011/12 will be announced on 8 February 2012 during an awards night in Sydney.
Links
- To donate to Rowley's 'Charge for Charity', visit www.jeffrowley.com
- or www.everydayhero.com.au/charge_for_charity
- News story Albatross in Victoria: www.surfcoastnews.com.au/2011/09/29/rowley-rides-record-50-foot-wave-at-albatross/
