Australian Paddles In To 50′ + Wave

Jeff Rowley has successfully paddled in to ride 50-foot plus waves at Peahi ‘Jaws’ in Hawaii to become the first Australian to ride these waves without a jet-ski tow-in.

By completing the feat, Rowley fulfilled his personal ‘Charge For Charity’ quest while raising money for Breast Cancer Australia.

Rowley flew from the island of Oahu to Maui Tuesday night and arrived at the infamous Peahi ‘Jaws’ clifftop before sunrise to see the 50-60 foot waves (15-18 metres) for the first time.

The surf at Peahi, aka ‘Jaws’, is considered the world’s biggest and most dangerous and until recently has been considered impossible to catch and ride without the use of a jet-ski tow-in and foot straps.

Rowley and a small group of big wave surfers, including Shane Dorian and Garret McNamara, pushed the boundaries of big wave surfing by refusing to tow-in and choosing to paddle in to the monster waves.

“The waves were moving about 50km/h an hour and the wind was absolutely howling so every instinct is telling you it cant be done, but we did it. It’s unbelievable,” Rowley said.

“I’m so proud to be the first Aussie to paddle in at Jaws, it was a historic day and we pushed the limits and survived.”