This happened when a hurricane swell hit Mullaghmore, Ireland. Good height and period. At dawn it looked perfect and clean but shallow, with boils everywhere. People were waiting for the tide fill in when Mikee Hamilton and Dave Lavelle turned up, didn’t think twice about it and started towing each other in. It was heavy.

Photo: Aaron Pierce

Basque surfer and WCT competitor Aritz Aranburu at Supertubes in Peniche: “This wave is amazing - one of the heaviest and most perfect beach breaks I’ve ever seen.” As for us this was the best and most surprinsing stop of the world tour 2011… Will it be the same this year?

photo: Carl Steindler

Tickling the golden coping - perfect point positioning somewhere near the North Atlantic shipping lanes.

Photo: DJ Struntz

The Cave is righthander wave in Ericeira, Portugal. This wave is usually considered too shallow to surf, but from time to time the waves are so good that some guys decide to paddle out and give it a go.

The people on the cliff were tripping whatching the crazy guys surfing the risky wave that they have watched break for years.

This post is to congratulate Ericeira that in October 2011 was officially recognized as a World Surfing Reserve.

Ericeira, Portugal was officially dedicated on Friday as a World Surfing Reserve, and becomes the second WSR overall and the first in Europe.

Photo: Carl Steindler

The aussie Dean Bowen having a wobbly moment in Teahupoo - the Tahitian anvil of death - before regaining rail composure and heading for the escape.

Photo: Hilton Dawe

Maine has so few surfers they still wave to each other when they pass on the highway, or mid-rotation in an air 360. Here’s Sterling Spencer spinning, and keeping in with the locals.

Photo: Nick LaVecchia

Baker Beach view of that bridge, lofted in the 1930s to span the Golden Gateway into San Francisco Bay, with Cully Chesnut whipped into a study in suspension.

photo: Adam Warmington