Heart-In-Your-Throat Footage From World’s Scariest Wave

Teahupoo, Tahiti, colloquially known as Chopes, is the world’s gnarliest wave. Like most of the scariest waves on earth, it was first ridden by bodyboarders then colonized by standup surfers. On the biggest and meanest days the wave moves so fast surfers have to be towed in at full speed on a jet ski; physics dictates paddling in becomes impossible.

Last week, the place erupted with swell and this footage was captured by drone. If you’re wondering about the many boats, by thew way, they cluster in the channel, in water deep enough that waves will not break there, to be extra close to the action.

It looks more peaceful from above, but this wave is anything but.

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