Michi Mohr p2

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April 2006: Bells Beach had the best and largest contest waves of the past 20 years. Kelly wins in 12 ft surf and just after the final I sneak out and surf best Bells ever almost by myself. July 2006: I´m staying at one of the most gnarly left waves of Australia as a really large swell arrives. I surf some of the heaviest waves of my life and a bit further south Jake Patterson surfs a 18m wave and becomes contender for the Billabong XXL Challenge.

November 2006: I see a monster swell heading for Madeira and spontaneous fly in the next day. Waves with according to windguru, 7-8m size roll in the whole week.

datrip: Tell us how that´s possible to evolve from a land locked river surfer to a regular big wave charger within 7 years.

Michi:  O.k., I had the luck to be able to travel a lot and for long times… only this way you really get the confidence necessary to paddle out in bigger waves. When I was living in Portugal for a while I considered 6 ft. waves as pretty challenging. But then came my first round the world journey and I realized that bigger waves are somehow my thing.

During my second world trip in 2005 I surfed waves that barely anybody else wanted to surf and I started to like that. Since then I plan all trips according to the chance of getting the biggest waves (Madeira in winter, West or South Oz in summer) and try to get on spontaneous short trips chasing big swell as often as possible. 2005 / 2006 I started with Tow In surfing. I all worked somehow but consence is that you have to surf big waves on a regular basis to become really comfortable with it and you really have to want it.

datrip: What is it, that fascinates you with big waves?

Michi: What I like most is that you´re usually almost alone out there and that the people that surf these waves usually know what they´re doing. There´s usually no stress out there and people look after each other much in contrary to small wave conditions.

The fascination for me comes from the extra sensation, means: surfing standard waves is my thing, it´s incredible fun, the best sport in the world. Period. But surfing in big waves adds an extra kick to my favorite past time and that makes all this even more exciting. The combination of fun and serious challenge is exactly the thing that I like with surfing big waves. With every solid forecast I get really excited, can´t wait paddling into some crazy waves or let myself being towed into them.

datrip: o.k., this is a complete new concept of avoiding the crowds: just get out and surf a few monster waves…. I once read an article about a scientific survey that stated that big wave surfers have a psych similar to heavy criminals. As far as I remember there is an hormone that makes you addicted to extreme adrenalin doses. Do you see something like that at yourself?

Michi: O.k, I haven´t compared myself with criminals yet…:=)

Sure, the rush you get in big waves is addictive. You want this experience, this kick again and again. But the kick has to intensify, say: not everything that satisfies you now will kick you next year. But back to the question: yes, it definitely makes me addicted. But there is more extreme cases than me.

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