Tidal Bore Surfing: New Extreme Sport Offers the Longest Waves in the World

[Zach]

Tidal Bore Surfing: New Extreme Sport Offers the Longest Waves in the World
Surfing the Amazon? These tidal river waves can offer surfers a 10-40 minute ride through the jungle. This unique phenomenon only occurs in a small number of rivers of the world. The waves start where the mouth of the river meets the ocean, usually when tidal ranges are greater then 20 feet (6+ meters). The mouth of the river creates a funnel affect and the waves grow more intense as the river narrows and shallows. One of the more popular tidal bores for surfing is located in Brazil at the mouth of the Amazon. These tidal bores are called pororoca by the locals and have spawned an annual Pororoca Surfing Championship on the Mearim river in Sao Domingos do Capim, Brazil. Surfers have ridden waves for as long as 10 kilometers!

Other Tidal Bore Surfing Links and Resources

• Tsunami-Like River Tides Are Surfing's New Frontier
• The Pororoca
• The Amazon: Face to face with a monster from the deep | Travel | The Observer
• Longwave. Tidal Bore Surfing Film documenting World's longest rideable waves from Severn Bore to Pororoca

More Information on the Tidal Bore Phenomenon

• Tidal bore - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Pororoca - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Insight into marine science | Questions answered | Tides questions and answers
• Tidal Bore Research Society Home Page.

[Kuzaki]

That looks like a laugh (although surfing isn't really my sort of thing). Some of the videos linked on the Wikipedia page look truly amazing.
Although surely there's a lot of risk involved with tidal bore surfing, particularly in South America, what with the marine wildlife (eg. piranhas and so on)?

[Zach]

This is the part that would scare me!

Add to those risks the candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa), a small parasitic fish that can swim up a person's urethra, dig in its spines, and feast on its host's blood. The invader can only be removed by surgery. - National Geographic

Ouch!!

[Kuzaki]

Originally Posted by Zach

This is the part that would scare me!

Add to those risks the candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa), a small parasitic fish that can swim up a person's urethra, dig in its spines, and feast on its host's blood. The invader can only be removed by surgery. - National Geographic

Ouch!!

Oh my.
I don't think I've ever shuddered so hard as I did when I read that passage.
That must be so painful..!

[shinningstar]

Thank's for the information Zach. Frankly speaking, I hate big waves. Tidal Bore Surfing sounds like a dangerous kind of sports for me. I'll never try it.

[Kuzaki]

Originally Posted by shinningstar

Thank's for the information Zach. Frankly speaking, I hate big waves. Tidal Bore Surfing sounds like a dangerous kind of sports for me. I'll never try it.

Never say never.
I said I'd never go snowboarding or skiing and now they're both favourite hobbies of mine.
Sure, it seems dangerous but then what are adventure sports without a sense of danger? That's what makes them so appealing, at least in my book.

I'd definitely give this a go if I could find somewhere to do it.

[Tcm9669]

Originally Posted by Zach

This is the part that would scare me!

Add to those risks the candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa), a small parasitic fish that can swim up a person's urethra, dig in its spines, and feast on its host's blood. The invader can only be removed by surgery. - National Geographic

Ouch!!

Omg! Thats bad, too bad man!! I don't think (so not to say never) that I will ever try this sort of sports!!

[pointsurfbaja]

Originally Posted by Zach

This is the part that would scare me!

Add to those risks the candiru (Vandellia cirrhosa), a small parasitic fish that can swim up a person's urethra, dig in its spines, and feast on its host's blood. The invader can only be removed by surgery. - National Geographic

Ouch!!

Practice safe surf. Wear a condom!

[Zach]

hehe ROFL!!