Pro Surfer Garrett McNamara Mega Wipes Out At Mavericks On Video

Big wave surfer Garrett “G-Mac” McNamara experienced a frightening wipeout in the famous Mavericks surf break in Central California, falling down the face area of the towering wave and subsequently needing emergency surgery.

McNamara, age 48, had paddled right into a wave reported to be between 40 and 50 ft tall as he lost his balance and went falling across the front of the wave before being eaten alive by whitewash.

McNamara was quickly scooped up by rescuers and brought directly to the shoreline, where he was rushed off to a nearby hospital and went through arm and shoulder surgery. His humerus or arm bone was snapped clear off at his shoulder socket from the impact.rong place, you’re going to have to get rescued.”

McNamara said, “You know, I’ve had so many horrendous wipeouts in my career, and normally I’ve walked away from them without a scratch. In fact, I’ve kind of enjoyed them.”

McNamara added, “The one thing I’ve always said is that when you get hurt, that’s when a wipeout is not much fun. So yeah, that one wasn’t much fun.”

McNamara said, “This wave got me good. When I hit the water the first time, I hit it with so much force that humerus my (arm) bone snapped clear off at my shoulder socket.”

“Then when they brought the jet skis out to rescue me, I couldn’t pull myself up onto it. It was such an odd feeling having my arm be completely useless; I felt like I had this foreign object attached to my body.”

McNamara, who broke the Guinness World Record for that biggest wave, ever surfed, this year in Portugal. He was at the surf apparently practicing for that Leaders of Mavericks big wave surfing contest, a yearly event that, if the weather is right, includes 24 from the world’s best large-wave viewers to tear the huge waves off California’s Half Moon Bay.

Shaun Clark, the guy who first surfed Mavericks, told San Francisco’s CBS Local that Thursday’s conditions managed to get so the smallest mistake could cost your life.

Clark said, “The energy is just violent. The bowl out in the Mavericks today is violent and, if you’re in the wrong place, you’re going to have to get rescued.”