‘Silver Dragon’ Tidal Bore Collides in Rare Swirling Super Wave (Video)

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Apr 12, 2026 12:24 PM ET

The Qiantang River is a 285-mile waterway, which snakes through eastern China, and is most famous for its world-renowned tidal bore wave, dubbed the “Silver Dragon.”

It even holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s “largest tidal bore,” in which, according to them, “it can form a massive wave of water up to 9 m (30 ft) high and traveling upstream at up to 40 km/hr (25 mph).”

But the tides, in addition to the waves, can also do some strange things – like two opposing currents colliding with one another in a rare, yet mesmerizing, phenomenon. Check it out.

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Although the video above doesn’t mention the Qiantang River, it’s likely the location shown. In the caption, they describe the rare occurrence:

“An aerial view captures two opposing waves meeting on a sandy shore, reshaping the surface into mesmerizing, swirling patterns. As the water moves, it erodes and deposits sand at the same time, forming natural designs that look almost intentional.

“This is fluid dynamics in action—where currents interact, patterns emerge, and the landscape constantly transforms. What lasts only moments still feels like a masterpiece, proving that nature doesn’t just move… it creates.”

Here's another view of the tidal collision on Qiantang:

As mentioned, the Qiantang River is famed for its tidal bore waves, the largest in the world. And surfers have ridden the novelty waves in the past, including during the Red Bull Qiantang Shootout, an event that ran back in the early 2010s.

“There’s a lot going on,” explained former winner of the event, Jamie O’Brien. “How are we going to approach this? We know how to surf, and we know how to execute once we’re on the wave. But the cool thing about surfing the Silver Dragon is that it can change at any moment, and every day it’s different, and that’s what I love about it.”