World · United States

Mavericks Surfers Race to California for Waves Near 50 Feet

Big-wave surfers flew in from France and drove across the Bay Area for Mavericks surfing, chasing a Pacific swell expected to bring waves near 50 feet between two storms, while California officials warned the public to stay off beaches.

By Elena Vance

November 14, 20262 min read

Mavericks Surfers Race to California for Waves Near 50 Feet

Expert big-wave surfers rearranged their lives this week to reach Mavericks, a famed surf spot 20 miles south of San Francisco, where a Pacific swell was forecast to bring mountains of water nearing 50 feet tall. Mavericks surfing is rarely possible on this scale, and riders were aiming to arrive by Saturday morning.

Word spread fast through the close-knit surfing community. The swell was traveling thousands of miles across the ocean toward the Northern California coast.

Timing is tight. The waves are expected to land between two storms, giving surfers a short window, even as experts up and down the coast told ordinary people to stay away from beaches.

Storms and warnings

Back-to-back storm systems are bringing California its first widespread rain of the season. Warnings for flooding and strong winds were in place across the state. One storm was set to move on by Saturday morning, before another arrives on Sunday.

In Southern California, the Manhattan Beach Pier was closed because of "very large surf." An evacuation warning was issued, and roads and beaches were closed as towering waves approached.

Surfers on the move

Bianca Valenti, 41, was getting her gear ready at home in San Francisco on Thursday. She planned to drive to Mavericks on Saturday morning.

Clément Roseyro, 27, had a much longer trip. He grabbed three surfboards and boarded a plane early Friday morning in Biarritz, in southern France, about 6,000 miles away.

"It's a big mission to get there on time with all the gear," Roseyro said.

Part of that preparation is lining up a Jet Ski. The waves at Mavericks are so big that surfers are often thrown into them while holding a rope attached to one of these machines, which have more than 200 horsepower and are driven by a surf partner.

That makes the craft a scarce item. "Every serious big-wave surfer or big-wave filmer is trying to rent a Jet Ski right now and find a way to get out there," Valenti said.