| Jason Polakow enjoys 30-foot waves at Jaws |
| Friday, 20 January 2012 11:42 |
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El Niño and La Niña have joined forces to deliver less quality waves to the Hawaiian Islands, this winter. The result is fewer large weather systems resulting in fewer large ground swells. The upside of La Niña is more wind and that means two ideas: windsurfing and Jason Polakow. "I have never seen such a windy December in all the years I have been here. With the La Nina taking a strong hold on the Pacific I was happily surprised when I saw the maps indicating that there was a Jaws size swell in the pipeline", explains Polakow. Surfer packed up their quiver from all around the world and traveled to Hawaii. It was big time showdown. Polakow hired a boat to put all the equipment and food on board. Also, he set up a wet suit made with a CO2 canister and air bladder built into the back of the suit so that if he got into real trouble, he would spend less time underwater. In the morning swell, it was "occupy all pits and spits". The line-up was already packed with 30 surfers, 10 windsurfers and five kitesurfers trying to get barreled in these huge wave. Jaws was pumping. "I thought the challenge would be to catch the right set wave but once I caught a few waves I discovered that the real challenge was trying to get deep off the bottom without the wind stalling out". "At least 50% of the time I would stall out and would have to exit the back of the wave before it closed out on the reef. This is super dangerous as you are in the firing line for the next wave and if you get a little unlucky your day will be done", tells Polakow. The JP brand manager scored 30-foot waves racing down the huge water faces "a million miles an hour. I am now in the process of making another Jaws board. I think this next board will be the one! All I need now is 20-foot swell".
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