What in your opinion is the best wave on the planet?
Bus-eater, Hawauii sur rhone, New river Dries, Nile Special, Zambezi 12B or #3 or Montreal's Lachine, etc...?
If you've experienced one of these waves, share your opinion. If you've experienced more than one thats even better.
And if you think there are other waves that match up, share that too!

Good lines and Big Air
Scotty R

p.s Here's some footage of Zambezi's #3 at my site below

If surf kayaking waves rely on the same principales as the best surf boarding wave then it has to be pipeline in hawaii!!!

NO!

I'm talking about River waves and Freestyle Kayaking.

Been on Lachine Garb and Nile Special and Malalu, so I can only comment on those.

Nile special is in a league of its own. Its so fast, all of the video footage makes it look so easy. it takes loads of wipeouts before you get used to the wave and can do anything proper. And in high water its a monster. This is my favourite of all of the waves cos once you can time the bounces properly its so cool.

Lachine is cool wave, the only problem was eddy service was poor. the wave was sweet, and the pit was awesome, when you bounced down it you got so much air. Pretty easy wave to surf, you can have so much longer rides, and can practice your moves there pretty well.

I liked garb too, cos of its cool eddy eddy service, and it is a great wave. Pretty fast, loads of air immediatley available.

Malalu was rarely working when I was there, although when it greens out, its gets so big. I liked it but I dont think my boat was fast enough to really harness its potential.

Other than that list, the Cuban wave, for those with the big cajones, deserves a mention. I didnt surf it, but its huge, loads of potential for massive air, youd just want to stick it and not wash off the back!

I heard there's a savage wave out in winnipeg, heartbreaker, and another one somewhere in quebec, the black mass... Not really too sure though.

Surely Skook has to be in there somewhere.

I've only been on two really monster waves! The Bus at high water at 23 was amazing, fast and great eddy service! And Coliseum at 10 on the gauge, tough surf at the time (1997) I was in a much longer boat, and never felt in control! But a thrill none the less! Of the two I would go with the Bus eater at high water is the most fun! I still would like to get out too the Skook. And I'm not sure if I'll ever make it over to Zambezi or the Nile, but it is nice to dream!!!

Cheers

Andrew

[quote:460d91a299]Surely Skook has to be in there somewhere.[/quote:460d91a299]

Sorry completely forgot about Skook. That definately qualifies.

hmm...you do get nice waves in the UK though nothing big, just like 4 or 5 foot so nothing to brag about sadly. Ive heard about the Bus Eater! OMFG would i even try to ride that? No Thanks! I Choose Life!

Here's an article i found on the best big water play spots in the world

www.eddyflower.com/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleId=10

Good lines and big air
Scotty R

[quote:e19e475351="scottyr"]Here's an article i found on the best big water play spots in the world

www.eddyflower.com/ArticleDetail.aspx?ArticleId=10

Good lines and big air
Scotty R[/quote:e19e475351]

Good Website...

www.snowgears.com

shurely hurly has got to feature its not huge bout 5 foot but its is so smooth quick and easy to surf

in the uk u have hurly, the severn bore and my local wave on the river rumney 3ft clean on low water and 4ft+ in high/flood water

Bitches? tidal rapid goes big
wave hole etc

Well.... speaking of tidal waves
I'm probaly going to Skookumchuck tommorow evening. The tide is totally ripping and it is at perfect level. I'm so excited. I can't wait to catch some rediculous air.

Just came back from the bitches med tide 6.4 but no swell so the hole ws working nicely as was the main wave will post the piccys up soon!

Oh and it was a really sunny hot day sorchio!

OK... skook is the best wave in the world. I literaly watched for 1 hour as a 10 foot monster formed from absolute flatwater. The wave changes everytime. Sometimes it's really glassy and somtimes it's really foamy. Set up for any trick on the left shoulder. Flatspin on the green, get to the top of the wave. Sit on the foam and with one paddle stroke you litterally fall an entire story. I can hardly blunt on the little wave-holes back home and I was throwing aerial clean blunts. It was even funny. It was the most beautiful place I've ever paddled. As you surfed you could see star fish on the little ledge that forms trhe wave under you. I could write about it forever. The tricks that i threw don't even compare to the beauty and fun of just front surfing and super cleaning flatspins.

lucky bastards, im fifteen and only dream of hitting the spots you guys have. Never been to any of the waves mentioned, but having seem footage of most of it, the biggest air seems to come out of lyon,

That's right, I'm just a lucky bastard. A lucky bastard who was cleaning blunts and super cleaniing spins yesterday. Can't wait to go back next year for more than a day.

Unfortunatly I have no pics of me doing tricks or of me when the wave got really big. My camera crew got tired of clicking pics and just sat on the rocks when I was getting confident and predictably going big.

[quote:2fdcdc4e43="ross_t1989"]If surf kayaking waves rely on the same principales as the best surf boarding wave then it has to be pipeline in hawaii!!![/quote:2fdcdc4e43]

pipeline would be really bad in a kayak if you got upside down cause that place is like a foot deep, actually a pro surfer got killed there like a few months ago, i think he hit his head and got knocked unconsious then drowned. anyone know his name, he was friends w/ my oceanography teacher

Im sure theres a squirt boater who surfs pipe line!
Why would it be more diasterous in a surf kayak than a board???

It is a very dangerous wave for both! several kayakers from the uk went to indo and surf teuachpo renouned as the heaviest wave in the world!

The are a number of reasons why its more dangerous in a kayak.

1) you can't jump clear.
2) you need to fist get out of the kayak before you can swim away.
3) A kayak is has a lot more buyency that a swimmer.

The british kayaker surfer did not get close to surfing the waves that surfers surf in Indo. They came home with a couple of injurues if i remember correctly.

yeah, plus just the wegiht of a kayaking slamming down on you in addition to the waves water would probably break soemthing

I just got my first ever go at surfing last night. only on a 1 foot high wave but it was amazing cant wait till im good enough to surf the nile and other BIG things

Good job. Keep the banana in your pants. You've got a lot of powerflipping to do before you get on any big waves. When you do get on a big wave or in a big hole you're first time it will blow your mind. Don't forget that the best wave/hole in the world is your local playspot. Although I love to travel to new rivers and playspots I always feel like I'm at home when I get back to the Potomac.

true dat nate...best spot is always the home spot.

The seven Bore is a good wave, it lats the whole of the river which lasts for a good few miles!!
well its the only one i know of and its a gooden!

Gustard wrote:

The are a number of reasons why its more dangerous in a kayak.

1) you can't jump clear.
2) you need to fist get out of the kayak before you can swim away.
3) A kayak is has a lot more buyency that a swimmer.

The british kayaker surfer did not get close to surfing the waves that surfers surf in Indo. They came home with a couple of injurues if i remember correctly.

Umm yes they did surf the waves with the locals all were very friendly check out the picutres on www.goatboater.com
or in Bill MAtos book \"Surf Kayaking\"

but anyway this is about river waves and getting off topic

Personally, For a playboater I don't think any break is as good as the likes of Nile Special, Buseater or Skook, etc...
There's something very different to hucking big air in the ocean to hucking big air on a big river wave.

Ofcoarse if you're a surf kayaker that is different but the intension of this topic was for playboaters and river waves

Good lines and big air
Scotty R