You don't just show up to the beach in Corpus Christie, paddle out and score epic tanker waves. That's not how it works.
Years and years ago, a small, hardcore, dedicated crew of Texas surfers discovered that with enough determination they could ride the wakes of incoming tanker ships in the Gulf. The wakes run down shallow shoals, sometimes forming perfectly peeling waves. The catch is that it's not easy.
First one has to know when the ships are coming in. And like any surf spot around the world, the tide and winds have to be right. It also takes a tiny armada of boats and skis to get in the right place at the right time.
Josh Kerr, his daughter Sierra, and innovative friends Jacob Szekely and Greyson Fletcher, just got the full experience. After a stint at the BSR Surf Resort in Waco, they headed for saltier water. Teaming up with Captain Hill and his team to get a first-hand experience of what Texas tanker surfing is all about, it was an eye-opening moment for all of them.
"Tanker surfing definitely exceeded my expectations," wrote Kerr on Instagram. "Chasing these mega ships around and surfing all sorts of different sections of the wave! Sharing that with my family and friends was so much fun!"
"Trip of the decade," added Szekely.
No matter where you find them or how they're created, there's just something amazing about riding waves with friends and hooting until your voice is horse. And that's exactly what tanker surfing is all about -- just ask the local crew, they've been staying stoked down in Texas for years.
Josh Kerr Takes On Texas Tanker Waves
Jake Howard
You don't just show up to the beach in Corpus Christie, paddle out and score epic tanker waves. That's not how it works.
Years and years ago, a small, hardcore, dedicated crew of Texas surfers discovered that with enough determination they could ride the wakes of incoming tanker ships in the Gulf. The wakes run down shallow shoals, sometimes forming perfectly peeling waves. The catch is that it's not easy.
First one has to know when the ships are coming in. And like any surf spot around the world, the tide and winds have to be right. It also takes a tiny armada of boats and skis to get in the right place at the right time.
Josh Kerr, his daughter Sierra, and innovative friends Jacob Szekely and Greyson Fletcher, just got the full experience. After a stint at the BSR Surf Resort in Waco, they headed for saltier water. Teaming up with Captain Hill and his team to get a first-hand experience of what Texas tanker surfing is all about, it was an eye-opening moment for all of them.
"Tanker surfing definitely exceeded my expectations," wrote Kerr on Instagram. "Chasing these mega ships around and surfing all sorts of different sections of the wave! Sharing that with my family and friends was so much fun!"
"Trip of the decade," added Szekely.
No matter where you find them or how they're created, there's just something amazing about riding waves with friends and hooting until your voice is horse. And that's exactly what tanker surfing is all about -- just ask the local crew, they've been staying stoked down in Texas for years.
News
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Episode 20
A full Lemoore recap, the winners of "Best Overall Performance" announced, and a preview at the next WSL Countdown event.
With a new edit, new YouTube channel and new website, Tanner Gudauskas and his brothers continue to keep the vibes right.
Kai Lenny takes the win for his top performance at the Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge. Footage by WSL Video Team.
Justine Dupont takes the win for her top performance at the Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge. Footage by WSL Video Team.