Offshore winds are from the east. Surfers at cortes bank are thought to reach speeds of 30 mph on the wave s face.
Surviving over the falls in massive nazare surf with will skudin duration.
Cortes bank waves. In an absolutely gripping book ghost wave chris dixon describes both the history of cortes bank and the quest to explore and surf waves. Cortes bank and shipstern bluff. Beware of rocks and sharks.
Wave under the right conditions. Big waves of the north pacific the cortes bank can produce a rideable 100 ft. This history includes the deliberate sinking of the 334 foot ss jalisco to attempt to create the nation of abalonia and the multiple quests to ride the waves over a twenty year period beginning in 1990.
World surf league 90 887 views. Shawn 03 03 2009 08 14 am. Cortes bank continues to be one of big wave surfing s most elusive and dangerous venues.
Big wave champs lead strike to cortes bank duration. Fishing boats have been coming here for years with stories about the huge surf and big waves found here. As with all big wave spots the perils of cortes bank are just as dangerous as the waves.
The optimum well angle is from the west. Big wave surfing cortes bank s ghost wave a crew that includes peter mel kelly slater alfy cater nathan fletcher mark healey and greg and rusty long stare down a perfectly shaped beast at the bank the waves at cortes are shifty and the lack of land points to triangulate radically swirling currents and supernaturally fast swells make for one of the toughest big wave paddle spots on earth. Cortez bank surf guide.
Cortes bank is a shallow seamount a barely submerged island in the north pacific ocean it is 96 miles southwest of san pedro los angeles 111 miles 166 kilometers west of point loma san diego and 47 miles 82 kilometers southwest of san clemente island in los angeles county it is considered the outermost feature in california s channel islands chain. Cortez bank in san diego county is a reef break that has quite reliable surf. Cortes banks are situated 100 miles off san diego the is a submerged mountain range 17 miles in length with its peaks coming within 3 feet of the surface.
The only way to achieve proper positioning in the wave is to tow in behind a motorized watercraft and let go when traveling the same speed as the breaking wave. The take off zone shifts fifty yards in or out with each new set. According to the surfline video.
