*
By Daniel D’Ascenzo
Zach Gorecke
*
* Teahupoo is located in Tahiti, French Polynesia.
* Sits on the 17th parallel south
in the Pacific Ocean.
* Island formed by two
dormant volcanoes.
* Surrounded by reefs formed
by nutritious ocean water.
*
* Consistent swell year round comes
primarily from the Roaring Forties.
*
Most powerful swell is during the
winter months (May – October).
* Best swell is from S, SE, or SW
because of south facing reefs.
* Wave periods of greater than 16 seconds ideal for big
waves.
* Receives some swell from Northern Hemisphere storms.
*
* Why aren’t all reef breaks like Teahupoo?
* Unique seamount configuration to the south
* Perfect depth for refracting long period swell(>16 s)
so that it focuses on Teahupoo
*
Deeper water following seamounts, allowing no
energy loss
*
* Teahupoo is a reef break that primarily breaks left.
* Waves break at the same point at a pass in the reef.
* Water depth changes from 100m to 10m almost
instantly.
* Slope from reef to seafloor is about 1/6.
* Roughly equal to slightly less than the maximum
slope a wave can endure before breaking.
* Teahupoo translates to “broken skulls”.
*
* Break is about 1 km offshore
* It is very difficult to paddle out to where the
waves are breaking. For an experienced surfer
it would take a solid 25 to 30 minutes of
constant paddling.
* It is recommended to be taken out by boat or
drug out by jet ski.
*
* Considered the world’s “heaviest” wave.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYQQtxb8wv0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfPYVYc0U3M
* Face often 10 times larger then the back.
* Greater wave heights caused by more powerful
swell.
* Under 6 feet 95% of the time.
* Best wind direction is from the NNE(offshore)
* occurs 36% of the time.
*
* Summer months: November thru April
* Increased: Temperatures, precipitation, and
humidity
* Winter months: May thru October
* Decreased: Temperatures, precipitation, and
humidity
* Average air temperatures: 77-85
* Average water temperatures: 77-84
*
* Seasonal Prevailing Winds
* NE trade winds dominate from January to
April
* SE trade winds from May to August
* Easterlies from September to December
* Chance of hurricanes during summer
* Offshore winds do not coincide with winter
* Local weather patterns controlled by local
topography
* Rainier on windward side of islands
Yellow =
NE trades
Brown=
SE trades
*
• Easiest way to travel to Teahupoo is by plane. The
average time it takes would be about 15 hours on
the plane and additional time spent waiting for
connecting flights.
• Very Expensive
• US Airways flight out of Philadelphia to Tahiti totals
$1,128 with stops in Charlotte and Los Angeles then
finally arriving at Papeete, Tahiti.
• American Airlines flight out of Philadelphia to Tahiti
totals $2,077 with stops in Chicago and Los Angeles
then arriving at Papeete, Tahiti.
• Once in Papeete, Tahiti one must either rent a car
or take public transportation to Teahupoo.
*
*Friendly locals because tourism is a major
component of French Polynesia’s economy
and therefore provides many jobs.
*Local Languages
*French
*Tahitian
*Local currency is the CFP Franc
*1 dollar = 86 CFP Francs
*Local wildlife
*Tiger sharks
*Giant centipedes
*
* Teahupoo is home to the annual
ASP Billabong Pro.
* Fifth stop on ASP World Tour
* This single event brings out some
of the worlds best surfers
* Former stop on bodybuilding world tour
*
* It is recommended that you have a board that
fits the curve at Teahupoo. No long boards
because the curve will toss any rider with a long
board. Around 6’9’’ is a good board size.
* It is also recommended to bring two spare
boards. There is an increased chance of board
breakage at Teahupoo.
* Bandages and power for reef cuts are also
recommended. Since the break is on a reef,
many people get cuts and scratches on the coral.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlzSy_lUUvc&feature=related
*
Wave Period and
Direction
Wave Height
*
*
Actual breaking wave heights
corroborate to what would be
expected.
Teahupoo wind and swell statistics
Approximately what waves
would look like
*
* "Teahupoo." GlobalSurfers an Online Surf Travel Resource, by
Surfers for Surfers with Free Surf and Travel Guides. Web.
18 Oct. 2011. <http://www.globalsurfers.com>.
* "Teahupoo Surf and Swell Size and Direction |
SURFLINE.COM." SURFLINE.COM | Global Surf Reports, Surf
Forecasts, Live Surf Cams and Coastal Weather. Web. 31 Oct.
2011. <http://www.surfline.com/surf-report/teahupootahiti_8366/>.
* "Teahupoo Swell Statistics." Surf Report, Surf Forecast,
Surfing. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <http://www.surfforecast.com/charts/Teahupoo/surf/statistics/year>.
*
*
Wilson, Peter. "Kelly Slater Wins 2011 Billabong Pro Tahiti - ESPN." ESPN:
The Worldwide Leader In Sports. 30 Aug. 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
<http://espn.go.com/action/surfing/story/_/id/6908358/kelly-slaterwins-2011-billabong-pro-tahiti>.
*
"Tahiti Surf Season, Surfing Conditions Tahiti- Waterways Travel." Surfing,
Surf Charters, Surf Trips- Waterways Surf Adventures. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.waterwaystravel.com/surf_tahiti/tahiti_seasons.php
*
"Search for Cheap Airline Tickets at Cheapoair.com." Cheap Flights, Airline
Tickets, Cheap Plane Tickets, Cheap Airfare â€
“CheapOair. Web. 18 Oct.
2011. <http://www.cheapoair.com/default.aspx?tabid=1682>.
*
"Surfing Teahupoo – Tahiti | The Big Wave Blog." The Big Wave Blog: A
Chronicle of Big Wave Surfing From Oahu's North Shore. Web. 18 Oct.
2011. <http://www.thebigwaveblog.com/surf-spots/teahupoo-tahiti>.
*
* National Weather Service: Environmental Moeling Center.
NOAA, 31 Oct. 2011. Web. 31 Oct. 2011.
<http://polar.ncep.noaa.gov/waves/viewer.shtml?-multi_1latest-pacific-hs_sw1->.
* Stanley, David. "Tahiti Travel Guide." South Pacific Organizer.
N.p., 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.southpacific.org/guide/tahiti.html>.
* Waldie, Adam. "Teahupoo-Anatomy of a Monster." Tracks.
Tracks Magazine, 24 Mar. 2010. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.tracksmag.com/Spotlight/Postcards/TEAHUPO
O-–-ANATOMY-OF-A-MONSTER.html>.