Present, Connected, and Protected… Dude

Oh, how I love when surfers ride gigantic waves.

Because:

1) It seems like one of the boldest, bravest, most balls/ovaries-out thing you could do, really. Plus, having lived in Maui, I’ve seen some of those biggies up close-ish and been humbled to my non-surfing bones by the raw power of water.

2) Surfers are some of the most quotable sports-folk on the planet. They’re more Zen-yogic than the most rockstar yogis.

3) It’s gorgeous.

Today I have extra thrills in all departments because a new Guinness Book of World Records record has been set for biggest wave surfed, ever.

According to Reuters, in November, 2011, Garrett McNamara, 44, caught a 78-foot swell in Nazare, Portugal, beating the existing record by 1 foot. In urban terms, that’s about six to seven stories high. High.

The Hawaii-based surfer told Reuters these bits of awesome:

“I was totally in the moment. PCP. Present, connected and protected.”

And:

“One the main reasons I’m doing this is to hopefully inspire at least one person to do what they love, to do what they are passionate about,” McNamara said. “I am living proof you can do what you love as a career.”

Yum!

Here’s the video: