Class is in session with the Maverick’s Mathematician

Welcome to Episode XX of Season Three of Late Drop – The Big Wave podcast. The series was created to showcase conversations with some of the best big-wave surfers in the world — hosted by one of the best big-wave surfers in the world. New episodes will drop on Surfline every other week — upcoming guests include, XXXX and others. Stay tuned here for more.

It's funny how things are a thing—until they’re simply not. “There’s no such thing as a proper 20-foot [Hawaiian] wave in California.” That used to be a thing…until Maverick’s came along, and California’s 20-foot taboo was lifted. A mighty man that’s sure seen a whole lot go down out there in the last 30 years straight is Grant Washburn. From just he and a couple takers in the lineup, to what the break is now—and nearly every moment between—the level of devotion, passion, and knowledge the man has for the break, is unmatched. In the newest episode of the Late Drop, Jamie Mitchell settles into his desk and takes some notes from the professor himself.

0:00 Growing up as a kid on the East Coast, being fixated on big-wave surfing as a kid; Never thinking he’d surf big waves coming from Connecticut; The moment as a child during a hurricane swell when he realized he loved bigger surf; Putting in the time

12:09 Being known as the guy who understood ocean conditions well; Moving to San Francisco and surfing big Ocean Beach; Hearing about Maverick’s and then surfing Mav’s for first time

22:33 Mav’s breaking the taboo about a 20-ft wave in California; Going out and being committed from that moment on; Mav’s in the 90s; the battle between Pete Mel and Flea, with Jay Moriarty; Jay’s commitment/influence at Maverick’s and beyond

42:20 This past winter’s monumental waves; Pete’s wave and how he got it; The special swell in December 2020; Figuring out the new lineups at Mav’s this past winter

1:01:10 New frontiers at Mav’s (or, swells between last December’s and January’s); Optimal equipment for specific Mav’s swells; the correct period/seconds for the best Mav’s swells; January being the biggest clean day he’s ever seen

1:09:13 Playing the “Notches Game”; Surfing with Twiggy and the South African guys; Giving Twiggy a chance in the contest

1:15:29 Grant’s project with PBS and climate change

1:20:15 The best surfers Grant has seen at Mav’s through the decades; Grant’s best ofs at Mav’s; Best equipment for Mav’s

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jamiemitcho.substack.com