BIGWAVE S URFI NG
Tell me about in the most critical spot with no option became separated and decided to dive
Mullaghmore? other than to bail due to the wave from the ski before being pummelled
It’s an infamous and feared location.I’ve moving slightly to the north of the reef. by a huge wage.A concerned bystander
surfed some of the most deadly waves He tried to manoeuvre out of danger presumed we were in difficulty and
on the planet but I still firmly believe but in the end he opted to dive from raised the alarm with the coastguard. I
that Mullaghmore Head is the most evil the ski off the top of the wave.This swam ashore while Cotty remained with
place on earth for surfing. It is cold, left me in the impact zone with, as the ski and waited for me to return with
dark, murky, raw, violent and it feels like luck would have it, or not, the biggest two big wave surfboards so we could
you are on the edge of the world when set so far heading towards me. Cotty attempt to rescue the ski.In the end the
you are sitting out there on a 10-foot surfaced after taking the“beating of his coastguard rescued Cotty even though
surfboard all alone. life”, to face yet another bomb about we felt the situation was under control.
to detonate on his head. Luckily he We appreciate the help and support of
Can you describe the survived this and then swam after the the coastguard crew that day.
swell? ski whilst I frantically paddled in from
The swell was 9.3m at 16 seconds.This the channel to meet him and then take Was this the scariest
means that the swell running at sea was the ski ashore. thing that has
9.3m in height from trough to crest and happened to you?
the crests were spaced at approximately Were you scared? No. Perhaps for Cotty it was, but I don’t
16-second intervals.This produced I wasn’t particularly scared on this think he would agree that this was the
enormous, well-organised, clean lines occasion.I’ve learned that I don’t have worst thing that has ever happened to
of ocean swell marching toward the a real fear before a major tow session him.I think when you tow surf in big
headland and stacking up on the rock and instead I tend to remain calm and waves you can’t expect everything
ledge beneath the surface before accept what is happening and embrace to go according to plan.In fact the
detonating one after another. the experience.We ensure that we plan usually changes according to the
are physically prepared for a session, conditions, and we just have to accept
What was your which involves daily training, but that going with the flow is the only
plan that day? perhaps the most important factor is option.
Cotty and I always play it safe, well our mental attitude. I have had a number of scary
relatively.We understand the risks experiences but most of them have
involved.We know that it is vital that we come from paddling on a big day as
can handle any situation on our own on oppose to tow surfing. I’ve experienced
a big day so we continually assess what some severe head pummelling on
we feel is the safest option.We focus on numerous occasions and I have also
only riding the big ones.Before every had the pleasure of being hurled into
wave we tow each other onto, I always the rocks (it’s truly character building).
say,“We must only go on the monsters; I remember paddling out at
just wait it out and then put me on a Mullaghmore in December 2008 on a
monster!” monster day with 50 footers charging
From previous experience I’ve towards me. Unfortunately I didn’t
learned that if you go chasing small make it through the wave and if you
waves and you miss, you can get have ever heard the expression‘rag
destroyed by the big ones behind. dolled’or‘rocked to the max’ then you
It is much safer, believe it or not, to will understand the sheer power of a
wait it out and tow your partner onto a wave this size and the impact it has on
monster, one that you can see where it is the human body! To add to this, one of
headed and where it is going to break. the back-up safety drivers came in to
We follow this game plan during each pull me onto the sledge and he drove
session. Al Mennie started surfing at the age of 9. over my delicate little head!
(Photo: Courtesy of Al Mennie)
Describe Did you fear for your
the jet ski wipeout? life or Cotty’s at any
I had towed Cotty onto a few waves and Did you have an stage?
then we decided to switch driver. He emergency plan? I didn’t fear for our lives as I was behind
approached a 30 footer from behind We always had a plan of action that we the wave, so I didn’t see exactly what
the peak to allow me to be catapulted would adhere to if we were separated. had happened to Cotty until I saw the
at high speed across the face of it and Two days earlier we’d to put this into footage that night.Then I realised how
into the pit, or trough, as it is more action at a different surf location.It was lucky he had been to survive practically
commonly known.The wave left Cotty exactly the same scenario where we unscathed.
OUTSIDER|June-July|35
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