When waves crash on the shore they actually create vibrations in the Earth that can be detected by seismometers and used to determine the power of the waves. Seismologists have been archiving this data from 22 locations across the world for decades. Recently, a researcher noticed a trend in the data indicating that the overall power of waves worldwide is on the rise. This trend is consistent with the prediction that storms will increase in size and power as a result of global warming. Link
It should come as no surprise that on January 5th of this year Mike Parsons set a new record for the biggest wave ever ridden when Brad Gerlach towed him into a 70ft+ bomb at the Cortes Bank. And it should come as no surprise when that record gets broken.
Check out these jet-powered surfboards from MonoJet and PowerSki. Gives new meaning to the term “power surfing”. All kidding aside they do look like fun.
The creator of MonoJet, Egon Monostory, claims that the MonoJet surfboard is the lightest, fastest jet-powered surfboard on the market and is capable of speeds up to 40 mph. Apparently it’s not that easy to get a MonoJet board, though, because Egon will only make one for you if he likes you.
I wonder how long it’ll be before we see surfers using self-propelled surfboards for catching and riding big waves. It stands to reason that a self-propelled surfboard could eliminate the need to have a tow-in partner, although, I do think that if you’re in the water when there are waves of consequence, it’s a good idea to have someone out there with a JetSki for rescue situations.
