Most surfers don’t care why the waves are big. They just want to know how to get there. Like “Mavericks”, a world famous surf spot south of San Francisco, where massive waves tower 50 feet above sea level. But if you’re a geekier surfer, or just a science geek, keep reading.

The abrupt topography of the bedrock reef at Mavericks causes wave energy to converge over the reef, causing the wave to rapidly slow down, shorten in length and substantially increase in height.

Read more illustrated wave science at the geeky surfer Blown Glass

Photo: Pillar Point by Dawn Endico