mike prickett's reel life: mike's first steps

Waimea Bay is considered the birth place to big wave surfing. Courageous surfers from around the world travel to experience waves here that can top 50 feet.

about

location: Oahu, Hawaii

best viewing hours: 8:00am - 9:00pm

time zone: Pacific Time

did you know?

Waimea Bay was an influential surf spot during the dawn of big wave surfing in the 1950’s. Major surfing competitions continue to be hosted in Waimea each year.

did you know?

Big wave season hits Hawaii from November through February attracting the best men and women surfers in the world.

did you know?

An ocean wave can be described as a disturbance in the water that travels from one location to another. The water is the medium that the wave travels through.

did you know?

As a wave moves through water, energy is transferred between the water molecules causing them to move in a circular motion. The peak of the wave is the water at the surface that moves up and forward.

did you know?

As the depth of the water decreases, the waves become bigger.

did you know?

When waves traveling a long distance from the far ocean reach the shoreline they usually become much taller and slow down. How far they have traveled and how fast their speed will determine the size of the wave.

did you know?

For the generation of “maverick” waves, scientists study the underwater topography of the ocean floor. They also use bathymetry, which is the measurement of the depths of oceans and other large bodies of water.

did you know?

“Period” is the time between two wave crests at a given point. It's the equivalent of wave frequency. The longer the period, the faster the waves are moving.

did you know?

Good surfing swells often have a period of 13 to 15 seconds, but the real cruisers can have a period of up to 25 seconds.

did you know?

Most measure wave height from the face of the wave, from crest to trough. But Hawaiians are famous for measuring the back side of a wave, which results in a shorter height. Californians often estimate wave height relative to a body; shoulder-high means 5 feet.

did you know?

There are three factors that contribute to the formation of good surfing swells: how fast the wind is blowing (velocity), the surface area of ocean that's affected by the storm (fetch), and the amount of time those winds blow over a given spot on the ocean (duration).

did you know?

Tsunamis are giant waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under the sea.

did you know?

Out in the depths of the ocean, tsunami waves do not dramatically increase in height. But as the waves travel inland, they build up to higher and higher heights as the depth of the ocean decreases.

did you know?

The speed of tsunami waves depends on ocean depth rather than the distance from the source of the wave. Tsunami waves may travel as fast as jet planes over deep waters, only slowing down when reaching shallow waters.

did you know?

While tsunamis are often referred to as tidal waves, this name is discouraged by oceanographers because tides have little to do with these giant waves.

did you know?

The largest tsunami on record rushed past Ishigaki Island, Japan, in 1971. It was an incredible 84.7 meters (278 feet) high. While it caused little damage, the giant wall of water relocated a 750-ton block of coral 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) inland.
1 / 12

After much anticipation and hope, Mike goes to his firsrt rehab session in San Diego in hopes to take his first steps towards walking.

explore news

comments powered by Disqus