New world surfing record made on 90-ft. wave

Hawaiian big wave rider Garrett McNamara has surfed what could very well be the biggest wave ever taken on by a surfer– an estimated 90-ft. (30-m) monster – in Praia do Norte, Nazaré, Portugal, during the ZON North Canyon Project 2011, according to report released on Nov. 9 (Manila time). “I feel so blessed and honoured to have been invited to explore this canyon and its special town. The waves here are such a mystery," said Garrett. The previous record—77 feet—was set by Mike Parsons in 2008.

A report on the Drift Surfing website explains that: “The ‘Nazaré Canyon’ is a rare geographical phenomenon, the biggest in Europe and one of the largest in the world, which can be explained as a gap on the continental plate with 170 kilometers of length and 5 kilometers of depth. The ‘Nazaré Canyon’, that is located right in front of Praia do Norte, receives the swells from the Atlantic Ocean and creates waves with abnormal size, compared to the rest of the Portuguese coast." The report also explained that McNamara had accomplished the feat during the second mission of the three-year Nazaré City Hall project initiated last year to internationally promote the region as a destination for surfing. — MRT/RSJ, GMA News