Rock
Ledges
Where the madmen of
surfing like to reside.
Shipsterns Bluff, Cape
Solander, Voodoo...
they all have one thing
in common. They
are exposed parts of
coastline where super-
deep water is abruptly
met by a shallow rock
ledge close to, or right
onto jagged cliff faces.
This is high stakes
surfing where every
wipeout is a potential
critical situation.
How critical, we hear
you all ask?
Well, take Dave Wassel,
a North Shore lifeguard
who’s renowned for
his big balls of steel in
heaving, heavy waves.
At one point he held the
record for the biggest wave
ever surfed. A standout
at maxing Waimea Bay,
Mavericks, Todos Santos
and Cloudbreak, where he’s
regularly surfed 40-foot
waves.
Wassel came out for the
Red Bull Cape Fear event
in 2016, and baulked at
paddling out to 10- to 12-
foot Cape Solander. Surfing
Life asked Wassel what he
thought about surfing Cape
Solander.
“For starters, let’s get
this straight. I’ve never
surfed Cape Solander. I’ve
paddled out, looked over
the ledge on a few, and
paddled right back in,”
deadpanned Wassel.
How does this rock ledge
compare to other big
waves you’ve surfed?
“It’s in a league of its
own. It’s just as dangerous
at five-foot as it is at 15.
It’s that cliff face that’s so
messed up. No matter the
size, if you fall on the drop
you’re going into that cliff
and no one, not even God,
can help you there!”Make the drop or
you’re fish food.