An Hawaiian pro surfer has been filmed riding an epic wave for nearly 1.5 kilometres off the coast of Namibia.
The 23-year-old surfer, Koa Smith, caught the amazing wave for two whole minutes as he travelled through eight barrels – the hollow formed by the curve of the wave.
Smith and videographer Chris Rogers filmed the 120-second ride using both a drone that hovered overhead and a GoPro attached to a mouthpiece worn by Smith himself.
“There was a point where I was at four barrels and I was already like, ‘This is amazing‘,” Smith told SkyNews.
“It looked like the wave was over, but it formed again. I figured, the drone’s there, I might as well stay on.
“And I was like, ‘Whoa!’ This went from a good wave to like a life-changing wave.”
Smith reportedly put his success down to doing his research, having mastered the art of reading weather charts to predict when and where the greatest ocean swells will hit.
Koa Smith at Skeleton Bay: Watch the epic video, here
Smith also posted the wave from the GoPro’s angle on YouTube, saying:
“My whole day surfing I try to invision that one dream wave that I want to experience. I picture it clearly. What it will look like. How it will feel. The emotions pouring out of me when the wave is complete. Then this happens.”
Skeleton Bay
According to Surf Holidays, Skeleton Bay is located along Namibia’s isolated and hostile Skeleton Coast, which is roughly a six hour drive from the capital of Windhoek. Skeleton Bay surf spot is considered the longest sand-bottomed left hand wave in the world and only came into the surf world’s radar back in 2008, although a handful of South African surfers such as Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker had reportedly made the journey a few year prior.
With TheSouthAfrican.com
