Tow in surfing is a sport that started in Hawaii as a recreational activity in the ocean. Back then they surfed waves of about 3 feet, over the years we have grown to surf waves of 65-70 feet. Surfers use fiberglass and foam surfboards. The sizes range from 5 feet to 12 feet long.

One person on a jet ski is pulling a trained surfer into the wave, for it is too big to paddle into. They are attached by gripping a rope. The surfer holds onto the rope until he is positioned to ride the wave. He then lets go and rides the face of the wave. If he falls or misses, the wave will pummel him. If he were caught in a set of waves, as he came up for air another wave will crash right back on him. Some surfers that miss the wave go down so deep that they have to stop swimming and float to see which way is up, because so deep in the ocean is so dark. At the same time if the surfer falls under, the person on the jet ski has to go back and throw in the rope for the surfer.

Tow in surfing started when surfers kept going to larger and larger waves. Eventually they could not paddle into them and were set back. The jet ski’s allowed surfers to get to waves up to 70 feet. The largest wave ever surfed had a 74 foot face. It was surfed by Ken Bradshaw in Oahu, January 28, 1998.

Surfing is not an Olympic sport because it is so hard to regulate the wave size. A wave doesn’t repeat it’s self enough to score; even surfing contest contestants have to accept the nature of the ocean. An artificial wave machine might be a good idea, however the waves produced would need to be 70 feet high. For all the hassle, and the fact that surfers don’t want it to become a mainstream sport, it is not really worth it. 

Falling or messing up can cost you more than your board. You risk your life every time you go out. Mark Foo, a big wave surfer, died at a Mavericks contest on December 23, 1994. He was pulled under on his first wave in of the contest.