Why Is Measuring Big Waves So Controversial?

Hey Teddy, what’s up? Tell us a little bit about your background.

I’m a meteorologist, a climate scientist if you wanna get technical. I study extreme events in different regions – heat waves, floods, etc. But I also have a background in marine meteorology and wave forecasting. In grad school, I had a couple professors show me what was possible with drone technology. I always thought, ‘drones are nerdy. They’re like a video game. I want nothing to do with that.’ Then I started realizing the capabilities that come with the sensor technology.

Fast-forwarding to 2020, and there was that debate surrounding Maya Gabeira and Justine Dupont’s entries in the XXL Big Wave Awards. That’s when the idea for Henet started?

So, I read that article, and I was just shocked. Like…this debate is still going on? And now I knew that we had sensor technology to measure water levels. Can we put that on a drone, and use that to measure the wave height? Think about a sensor when you’re backing up your car. You know, the beep, beep, beep. It’s measuring what’s behind you. As the distance between you and the wave gets taller or smaller, we can measure that using drones and sensors.

Then, I was watching 100 Foot Wave on HBO, while I came down with a bad case of COVID. I think it was in the second episode that Cotty [Andrew Cotton] talks about the issue of measuring waves. I paused the TV, found his email, and shot him a note. The next day I got an email back saying he was interested. Since then, Cotty has worked really closely with the project. He’s not motivated by money or what’s in it for him. He just wants answers. He doesn’t care if it’s his wave or someone else’s. He just wants real numbers associated with giant waves.

What’s wrong with the existing way of measuring big waves?

What’s being done now is essentially geometry. It’s estimating wave height by perspective, photogrammetry, angles, and this and that. But you can have two different pictures of the same wave, and you’ll get two different answers. Take that Nazaré wave from Mason Barnes; from the side, yeah, it looks like it’s 100 feet. But from straight-on, it’s something else. I’m not bagging on him, but that’s just one example.

The general consensus is that the powers that be want the ultimate authority in deciding who gets the record-breaking wave. That could come down to sponsors, or if your team isn’t friendly with the organization, then you’re less likely. The other thing that gets me is that there’s no margin of error. Take Laura Enever’s wave. They announce that Laura rode a 43-foot [43 .6-foot] wave, and she beat the previous record by 1.4 feet. So, what’s your margin of error? I’m sure it’s more than 1.4 feet.

There’s so many surrounding factors in the big-wave debate – actually completing the wave, versus simply making the drop; where the wave starts, and where it ends – what’s your take on all that?

I try and stay completely agnostic with the entire process. All I try and do is measure the wave height. It doesn’t matter what position the surfer is in; I’m just trying to tell you how big the wave is from crest to trough. If someone else wants to debate where that surfer is in relation to the wave height, they’re more than welcome to it. [Laughs.]

Despite all the advancements in technology, do you think surfers will ever be in full agreement on wave heights? Or are we doomed to debate for eternity?

There’s always going to be that machismo in surfing. Despite the definition of wave height being the measurement from crest to trough. It has nothing to do with the back of the wave, it has nothing to do with half the wave. So, for whatever reason, that machismo fuels people to call a legit 12-foot wave 3-to-4-foot. Don’t get me wrong; I have complete respect for Hawaiian surfing. But it’s just objectively wrong. You have guys like Laird Hamilton, who doesn’t even want you to tell him how big a wave is. He’s, like, spiritual about it. In his mind, he’s surfed 100-foot, 120-foot waves out at Jaws. Then, you have guys like Kai Lenny, who, from a scientific standpoint, they’re really interested in knowing the exact wave height. Everyone’s different.