Holiday ideas

Hey! You`re fed up of sight seeing, drinking yourself senseless, or visiting Churches, or lying on the beach? Well try this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a_2g6uTDb0

If surfing, the ancient art of wave riding, was transformed into music, it would sound like a blazing electric guitar, not a symphony. Surfers generally get just a fleeting stage on which to dance, as ocean waves that have traveled hundred of miles explode on shore in a matter of few seconds. But not in Brazil.
There like a mysterious beast, rises the wave known as the POROROCA - the name means \"mighty noise\". Twice a day around the new and full moons during the spring and fall, walls of chocolate-colored water rear up in several rivers in northern Brazil. The most powerful occurs in the Araguari, leaving a path of bankside destruction and flooding in its wake.
Scientists call such waves as tidal bores. They are a regular phenomenon in many rivers around the world where a powerful incoming tide collides with a river's outflow.
For surfers, bores are far from boring. Ten-minute rides are common on a pororoca, which was first surfed in 1997.Brazilian surf star Alex \"Picuruta\" Salazar has carved the wave for 37 minutes, riding more than several miles.
The maraphone wave comes with its own peculiar risk. There are caimans, piranhas and poisonous snakes, but it's one of the greatest experiences ever. Would you ever dare to try?

Up for trying anything for a first within the fact that I don't kill myself.

Awesome wave sound and pics, wonder how the curl felt with that one.

a tidal bore is at least predictable - any surfer will tell you that the 4th wave is the one to ride - thats fairly predictable as well - what isnt predictable is the rogue wave - these waves literally appear almost from no where.

Youve seen computer generated videos of tsunami (tidal waves) but image a relatively calm sea and then suddenly a wave appears thats seems to keep growing - these waves (any big waves) really do 'eat' the water thats infront of it often leaving either very shallow water or even bare sea bed before it.

I was lucky to escape injury from a rouge wave - the conditions were hard anyway (4-6 foot and choppy) then out of the ocean came a 'beast' a rogue wave - when it got to me (i was about 250yds from shore) it was a 20foot rogue - bear in mind the height of a wave is measured at its back wall - this wave was around 400 foot on the front wall.

Too big and fast to duck dive and no way I was going to swim fast enough along the coast to avoid it - I had to decide 'take it or die' as I said above - these waves draw the water before them into themselves - and I was lucky in that this happened to me and i was drawn towards the top of te wave - but as the wave was runing out of fuel (as it neared the sore and shallow water - I could feel the wave beneath me begin to collapse.

this is the point of abject terror (no exaggeration) as i knew if Id 'fallen off' ie got the angle and weigh distribution wrong on the board - id have ended up at the base of the wave and been slapped (the term for when the wave lands on top of you) a wave that size would have either knocked me or or out right killed me (1 cubic meter of plain water weight 1 tonne sea water a bit more) all the while - the navigation bouys and the ropes theyre attached too, were sucked ointo the wave and the ropes that remained exposed tot he air, screamed and whistled under the strain - and im headed towards them, as well as the sea floor becoming almost barren of water, exposing rocks and all kinds iof things i didnt want to meet in person.

I was really lucky in that i managed to ride this wave relatively safely to shore top the astonishment of the life guards and my surfing companion who was farther out to sea and swore id been wiped out by this wave.

If you believe in guardian angels - i think there was one with me on this day - it was certainly the biggest wave I rode and the most frightening - and from that day on - I worse a surfers helmet (peanut cap we called em) and thicker wetsuits.

Ive seen the guys in Hawaii ride the real monster waves and deal with the sharks and razor corals that will mince you for making a mistake - and I always think the same thing - mess with the sea and she'll beat you to a pulp - the sea truly is a fickle mistress - she can be calm n placid and turn on you ion an instant - anyone who lives by and or works on the oceans will tell you this - but until youve experienced the raw power for yourself - words cant really describe the sound or the energy. the nearest I suppose in terms of sound I suppose is like horses galloping over your head - its a thunderous pounding that bangs so deep into your head that your brain resonates. If youve seen the award winning guiness commercial - the idea of the waves being white horses is spot on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcdDg30VBgo

BTW - i was body boarding not full surfing - moral of the tale is if you want to feel the true power of the force in all its glory - try surfing/body boarding - its a bigger thrill than being in a thunderstorm (ive been there - I was stood 20meters from a house that took a full strike from forked lightning) - Nature (or the force) is a wonderful - but remember - we are all insignificant little beings in comparison - treat it with respect and play safe.

Would I surf a tidal bore given the chance - oh puck me yes

In the mean time - any one for downhill racing (mountain biking) or tombstoning - the stupid things we do as kids

Hahaha! Well thats an aspect of surfing I can relate to. GUINNESS! Well in 3 weeks here I come!!!

I forgot to say I first saw that advert in a cinema - I hate this word but at the cinema (movies for non english speakers ) it was truly awesome

the beginning of life commercial is excellent too

I used to drink guiness - one of my old little luxuries now denied (officially anyway )