The Unsuspecting Surfer

The day before the internationally renowned Mavericks surf contest was slated to start, surfers at Ocean Beach, just south of the entrance to San Francisco Bay, enjoyed some killer waves. Filmmaker and kitesurfer Pete Koff caught some impressive surfing action last Saturday, including a high-performance cigarette boat that zipped into the surf zone. It’s unclear whether the driver knew what he was getting into, but it’s obvious that he got in way over his head. Check out the video below, but be aware there’s some colorful surfer language going on in the background. 

Not only is this a great opportunity to share a really cool video, but it’s also an excellent reminder of what can happen when you’re not paying close attention to your surroundings. Take the Potato Patch, for example. Ocean waves, changing tides and wind can all cause tall, breaking waves to stack up very quickly over that shoal area. One minute it’s relatively placid, and the next powerful, steep-faced waves appear. So while your first instinct might be to laugh at the foolish cigarette boat driver in the video, think back to the last time your attention strayed and you got caught in a potentially dangerous situation. And the next time you’re boating offshore, for heaven’s sake, pay attention to where you’re going!