Surfing is an entirely legitimate sport through which to launch geographical investigations (a lot better than football in my opinion) Mavericks is the nickname for a big wave spot in Half Moon Bay, famous for generating huge waves out of the enormous winter swells that batter the coast of Northern California. The waves routinely reach 25 feet in height and are tackled by highly experienced big wave surfers, prepared to risk the considerable hazards involved.
Ocean floor mapping has revealed the reasons for the unique qualities of the surf at Mavericks. A New Scientist article explains the how the gradual ramping of the seafloor topography produces powerful waves that hold up for a considerable time.
The map can be viewed in Google Earth.
Thanks, inevitably, to Google Earth blog for this news.
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