Mavericks Arrives!

Wipe out at Mavs.
Photo: Maverickssurf.com

At 2 pm on Thursday, January 10th, the horns blew and surfers from around the world came racing to Half Moon Bay. A large swell was pushing in on the horizon and the winds were set to be calm, so Mavericks organizer Jeff Clark called "on" this years Big Wave Surf Contest.

Greg Long of San Clemente won the 2008 contest, beating out last year's champ Grant "Twiggy " Baker in the finals. However, the six finalists banded together in a circle of friendship during a lull in the waves and decided to split the prize money evenly. Hence, the six surfers each left the famous break with nearly 10,000 dollars in their pocket.

It was a gorgeous sunny day with gentle winds, and though the waves were a bit inconsistent, some big 20-plus-foot sets rambled in. It wasn't huge by Mavericks standards, but during the finals, one massive set did arrive, and Greg Long rode a perfect "10" to solidify the crown.

On the whole, the 2008 surf contest ran much smoother than in past years. The high tide kept viewers from trampling over the rocky intertidal zone and marsh areas. Two years ago, a low tide during the event allowed people to disturb the delicate tidal area.

"This year the contest went well," says Sarah Lenz, a park ranger at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. "There was no litter on the beach on Sunday when I did a post survey of the event."

Monitoring the Event

With the primary mission of resource protection, FMSA and the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary implemented tactics that will give a snap shot of the days events.  From a conservational perspective, there were fewer incidents than previous years.  The Beach Watch program implemented surveys pre and post contest.

In an effort to document resource use, monitors stood on the bluff overlooking the contest.  These surveyors were responsible for documenting the number of boats, helicopters, and jet skis, and counting wildlife.  Stationed on the beach were additional monitors who were tasked with the challenging job of counting the number of people on the bluff, the beach, and out onto the break water.

"Of course any time you have tens of thousands of people tromping on the beach, there is going to be some damage to coastal vegetation and hillsides," says Lenz.

Even though this year's contest was on a Saturday, the crowds were no larger than in previous years. But for surfing fans trying to leave Half Moon Bay in the afternoon, the traffic was more than enough.

 

Photo Credits: MojosCoast