Surfer Mag - May 2012 - The Wedge - 1975 Monster Swell

[yogisurf]

Surfer Mag has dredged up the classic pick of a Wedge monster wave with a kneeboard floating over the top. The swell, in 1975, was known as the Monster from New Zealand. Ok, who's board is that and can you share the story?

[maxb]

Yogi,I believe that is Bill Seilers fish sailing over the top of a massive ,perfect ,what dreams and nightmares are made of Wedge peak.
I was on the beach as a grom during that swell,and it is what lured me out to surf the place a bit later and smaller.
That swell has not been duplicated since,HUGE and ABSOLUTELY PERFECT, and no bodyboards.
Never happen again
Max

[yogisurf]

Thanks Max. That picture was also a poster. It is a daunting moment in time. The face of that wave must be ~20 feet and perfect. And a good point...a time never to be seen again...pre-sponge.

[analbirth]

i was lucky enough to see footage of that swell at the palm beach picture theatre, it was in the mid to late 70's it was a trailer to another surf film that was the main feature, which one i can't remember, maybe crystal voyager but the massive peaks at the wedge stuck with me all these years, absolutely huge. Would love to track it down

[Mark Ramirez]

AB, It was the swell of '75, the New Zealand "Monster from down under."
I have that poster. I was told that the board going over the top of the
wave was a bellyboard. Nevertheless, it's still one huge wave! I still stare
at it almost every day.

[Bob Gove]

I was living in New Zealand at the time the storm that produced the swell was raging on the east coast. The west coast, however, was blowing 20-30 mph offshore. Raglan was uncrowded and perfect! I heard Calafia was triple overhead, and breaking in the kelp beds with few takers. I also received a few thank you letters in the mail after the swell hit California.

[Bill F]

I was living in San Diego going to college. Blacks and Big rock were 10-15 ft faces and PERFECT. Seven days of offshore wind,72 degree water. Blacks looked like perfect indo.Big Rock was like pics of Padang Padang. I saw the best kneeriding EVER.....That pic of the wedge, is of someone throwing a bellyboard to a drowning surfer. Because of the lack of crowd and being only 20 yrs old and super fit ...it was the best surf I've ever had.

[wanderer]

Has anyone got a copy of the photo or artical

[yogisurf]

Here's a link to the pic on Google images.

http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X ... x=56&ty=72

[Mark Ramirez]

Thanks for posting that Yogi, that is the poster that I have of the Wedge alright. And that link that you posted, it's a small world! The 3rd comment from a Ken Windfield, is a good friend of mine. But I actually know his older brother first, Kevin. I surfed Blacks with Kevin during that swell, 15ft. faces! A-framed peaks, rights and lefts, although the lefts were much better! Gerry Lopez was out at Windansea and not Big Rock. He got sounded by the locals and did leave angry. I agree with Bill F. I watched Stevie Lis, Rex and his brothers and all of the big name "birds" demonstrate some of the "best" kneeriding that I have ever witnessed in person in my entire life! They got tubed twice on most of the waves, get up on their feet with their flippers on, do wide cut backs into the soup, go back down on their knees again, and get another barrel! "Wow."