Maverick’s or Mavericks is a world-famous surfing location in Northern California. It is located approximately one-half mile (0.8 km) from shore in Pillar Point Harbor, just north of Half Moon Bay. After a strong winter storm has occurred in the northern Pacific Ocean, waves can routinely crest at over 25 feet (8m) and top out at over 50 feet (15m). The break is caused by an unusually-shaped underwater rock formation.

Mavericks is a destination for some of the world’s premier big wave surfers. Very few riders become big wave surfers; and of those, only a select few are willing to risk the hazardous conditions at Maverick’s. An invitation-only contest is held there every few winters, depending on wave conditions.

The First Mavericks Pioneers – In early March of 1961, three surfers, Alex Matienzo, Jim Thompson, and Dick Knottmeyer, decided to try the distant waves off Pillar Point. With them was a white-haired German shepherd named Maverick, owned by a roommate of Matienzo. Maverick was used to swimming out with his owner, or with Matienzo, while they were out surfing.

The trio left Maverick on shore, but he swam out and caught up with them. Finding the conditions too unsafe for the dog, Matienzo paddled back in and tied Maverick to the car bumper, before rejoining the others. The riders had limited success that day, surfing the tail end of the break and generally deeming the conditions too dangerous.

They decided to name the point after Maverick, who seemed to have gotten the most out of the experience. It became known as “Maverick’s Point”, and later simply “Maverick’s”.

Jeff Clark, growing up near Half Moon Bay, learned about Maverick’s at an early age, that it was too dangerous to surf. He spent time watching the break, and saw the possibility of riding Hawaii-sized waves right there in Northern California. One day in 1975, with the waves topping out at 10 to 12 feet, the safest conditions possible for trying out the surf, Clark paddled out alone to face Maverick’s. He was successful, catching a number of left-breaking waves, the first person to tackle Maverick’s head-on.

For the next 15 years, Clark continued surfing Maverick’s alone. Other than a few close friends who had paddled out and seen Maverick’s themselves, no one believed in its existence. The popular opinion of the time was that there simply were no large waves in California.

The next two people to surf at Maverick’s, on January 22, 1990, in the company of Clark, were Dave Schmidt (brother of big wave legend Richard Schmidt) and Tom Powers, both from Santa Cruz. John Raymond, from Pacifica, and Mark Renneker, from San Francisco, surfed Maverick’s a few days later.
[edit]Popularization

In 1990, a photo of Maverick’s taken by Steve Tadin, a friend of Clark, was published in Surfer magazine. This event triggered a flood of interest in Maverick’s as surfers realized that world-class big waves could be found in California. Over the next couple years, more photos of Maverick’s began showing up in surfing magazines, and before long, filmmaker Gary Mederios released a movie about Maverick’s, Waves of Adventure in the Red Triangle. As news of Maverick’s spread, many big-wave surfers came and surfed the new break.

The next major event occurred in December of 1994. During a week of huge swells Mark Foo, Ken Bradshaw, Brock Little, Mike Parsons, and Evan Slater came to surf Maverick’s; unfortunately, the occasion is remembered for its tragic outcome. Hawaiian big-wave legend Mark Foo died when on takeoff he caught an edge on a midsize wave and fell. A few hours later his body was found floating just under the surface. Foo’s death gave Maverick’s more publicity and also prompted the formation of the Maverick’s Water Patrol. A PWC rescue team assembled by Frank Quirarte and Jeff Clark.

The first big-wave surfing contest at Maverick’s was held in 1999. It was sponsored by Quiksilver Boardriding Company and dubbed the Men Who Ride Mountains. The competition resulted in Darryl Virostko (“Flea”), Richard Schmidt, Ross Clarke-Jones, and Peter Mel taking first, second, third, and fourth places, respectively. The second competition was held the following year and put Darryl Virostko, Kelly Slater, Tony Ray, Peter Mel, Zach Wormhoudt, and Matt Ambrose in first through sixth places. In 2004, with Darryl Virostko, Matt Ambrose, Evan Slater, Anthony Tashnick, Peter Mel, and Grant Washburn placing in spots first through sixth. The 2005 winner was Anthony Tashnick. In 2006, Grant Baker, from South Africa, won first place, with Tyler Smith (Santa Cruz) and Brock Little (Hawai’i) in second and third places.

In October 2006, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary proposed barring personal watercraft from Maverick’s, which led to disputes within the sport.

Maverick’s in film

The first video images were shot by Eric W. Nelson in February of 1990. On that sunny day Jeff Clark paddled out with Dave Schmidt and Tom Powers. Eric was shooting for his community access television show ‘Powerlines Surf-Spots’. This would be the genesis of the Powerlines Productions company that showcases big wave surfing around the Globe.

Eric’s first movie was ‘High Noon at Low Tide’ 1994/2005. In 1998 he produced another big wave documentary ‘Twenty Feet Under’. Meanwhile Curt Myers, another local filmmaker, had produced ‘Shifting Peaks’ and ‘Heavy Water’ 94/95.

On December 11, 1998, during a big Northwest open ocean swell reaching 20-25 feet, Curt Myers was shooting from the water and Eric was shooting from land. On this memorable swell they joined forces and produced the mini documentary ‘twelveleven’. On this day Powerlines Productions was born.

In 2000 Frank Quirarte and Mavsurfer Films put together “Year of the Drag – In”. The first film featuring Tow In surfing at Mavericks. The film received awards within the surfing community and documented Peter Mel’s gigantic October 28th Mavericks Monster. Some are saying the biggest wave ever ridden anywhere. Quirarte then followed it up in 2001 with Return of the Drag – In. A film dedicated to both Tow surfing and the art of paddle surfing at Mavericks. It also featured a half hour mini documentary of fallen Mavericks hero, Jay Moriarity.

Jeff Clark and Maverick’s are featured in the 1998 documentary Maverick’s, a one hour PBS film that chronicles the break’s early years, and the 2004 film Riding Giants, which documents the history of big wave surfing. Directed by skateboarder turned documentary producer Stacey Peralta (best known for the skating documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys), Riding Giants includes interviews with many of the surfers mentioned in this article. In the film Zoolander, Owen Wilson’s character’s retinue includes a big wave surfer from Maverick’s.

Mavericks on the Net

In 1994 along with his cousin Jeff Nagy, Frank Quirarte created Mavsurfer.com. The first website dedicated to Mavericks. It features message boards, photos and videos from all the major Mavericks swells and features a live Mavericks web cam.

Mavericks in Print

2006 – Doug Acton, Grant Washburn and Bruce Jenkins publish the first book, Inside Mavericks, dedicated to Mavericks.

A more detailed account courtesy of surfline.com

A few miles north of Half Moon Bay, California, and a quarter-mile off of Pillar Point Harbor, Maverick’s qualifies as a natural phenomenon. It is not just a perfect wave, but a perfect 20-foot wave that breaks like a hollow 6-footer, exploding top to bottom with a ferocity that makes brave men shudder.

Like a lot of surfers, Half Moon Bay resident Jeff Clark had watched massive waves breaking out on a reef while surfing at nearby Ross’ Cove in the ’70s. Unlike his peers, Clark decided to surf it, alone, riding the lefts at first because he was a goofyfoot. Once he figured out that the other side of the wave was less hazardous, Clark began riding the rights — switchfoot. He had Maverick’s to himself for 15 years, and by 1990, he was getting lonely. On January 22 of that year, Clark led Santa Cruz surfers Dave Schmidt and Tom Powers into a monster swell at his private domain. They paddled out, got their minds blown and the cat was out of the bag. Surfers began filtering north from Santa Cruz and south from San Francisco to try this freakish big-wave spot.

Over the next few seasons, predictions made about the potential for tube rides and the prospect of disaster came to fruition as more and more surfers began challenging Maverick’s. As skills and equipment were honed, the performance level rose. In December 1994, Peter Mel faded into a double-up that pitched over the inside bowl, becoming the first surfer to get shacked at Mav’s in front of the public eye — a shot of him standing tall inside the green monster made the cover of Surfing magazine.

The danger also was realized in 1994. During the same stretch of large surf that pitted Mel, 16-year-old Jay Moriarity launched into one of the most spectacular wipeouts in history. The image of an airborne Moriarity about to face annihilation was displayed on the cover of Surfer magazine.

Four days after Moriarity’s wipeout, Hawaiian big-wave legends Mark Foo, Ken Bradshaw and Brock Little flew over from Oahu to test Maverick’s on a perfect 18- to 20-foot day. Things were going smoothly until Foo caught an edge on a midsize wave and fell into what looked like a standard wipeout. No one noticed that he didn’t come up. A few hours later, some surfers returning to the harbor spotted a piece of Foo’s board floating outside. They found his lifeless body floating just under the surface. Foo and Maverick’s made international headlines, and big-wave surfing took an unwelcome step into the international spotlight.

In the years after Foo’s death, the world’s best big-wave surfers approached Maverick’s with caution and respect. But by the late ’90s, the limits were being stretched again.

During the El Nino winter of 1997-’98, K2, a California clothing company, offered a $50,000 bounty for the surfer who paddled into and made the drop on the largest wave of the winter. Mel led the assault on Maverick’s as people threw themselves over the ledge in pursuit of the ransom. On January 30, a day that proved beyond the capabilities of paddle surfing, Perry Miller and Doug Hansen of Santa Cruz took to Maverick’s on a Wave Runner. Miller towed into two giant waves, which towered eight to 10 times over his head, and Maverick’s had entered the unridden realm.

The following winter, Mel, Ken Collins, Darryl “Flea” Virostko and a few others began experimenting with Wave Runners and towropes. That same winter, Quiksilver ran its inaugural Maverick’s big-wave invitational. On February 17, 24 of the world’s best big-wave surfers competed for a $15,000 first prize — captured by Virostko.

The tow-in debate raged as people objected to the noise and stench of Jet Skis in a federal marine reserve, but surfers began to see the potential of tow surfing at Maverick’s. A protocol emerged and paddle surfers had the right of way, but tow surfers took over when paddling became impossible.

On October 28, 1999, Maverick’s started the season with one of the biggest swells ever witnessed in Northern California. It was too big for paddling, but after much preparation during the summer, Mel, Collins, Virostko and Clark were ready. They had their technique down and were hotdogging waves that had been deemed uncatchable, linking S-turns, fading drops and pulling into gaping barrels.

The winter of 1999-’00 was less consistent than previous years. Big days were few and far between, and the winter was divided equally between approachable paddle-in days and out-of-control days when only surfers behind Wave Runners had a prayer of catching any waves. On March 3, Quiksilver held the second Maverick’s Big Wave Invitational in jarring 20- to 25-foot surf, again won by Virostko for $30,000.

In only a decade, Maverick’s has become an institution. It is one of the most famous waves in the world, creating careers, opportunities and a scene every time it breaks. When it’s booming, the parking lot and path that Jeff Clark once had to himself is clogged with dozens of surfers, hundreds of spectators and an ever-present press corps, photographing, filming and videoing the show from the cliffs, boats, Jet Skis and helicopters. At least a half-dozen photographers and writers make a regular living from recording Maverick’s, and there is one known web site dedicated the place.

It has taken the brunt of human ambition, ego and conflict over the past 10 years, but has brushed all of it aside. Clark’s 1991 prediction still stands and always will: “I’ve seen a lot of people paddle out there, but only a few really ride it. I don’t care if word gets out. Maverick’s will always take care of itself.”