Rogue Waves on California Beaches Video: Half Moon Bay Mavericks Beach Wave Leaves Broken Bones

Hundreds of people on a seawall at Mavericks Beach, California were hit with a massive 20' rogue wave, crashing into the wall and knocking people off of their feet.The Mavericks Surf Contest went on anyway. See two videos below.

 

Chris Bertish  - Winner Mavericks Beach Surf Contest

More than a dozen people suffered broken legs, arms and hands, and at least one had a punctured lung after being hit by the 20" swell.

Then it happened again as high tide came in, as officials tried to clear the shoreline, but their speaker system was washed out to sea:

Waves up to six feet high also knocked over barricades, a spectator stand and scaffolding holding loudspeakers that were broadcasting the contest.

 ...two more rogue breakers hit the shore, knocking down more spectators and causing others to flee in panic. Nobody was injured or swept out to sea in the second bout of tidal chaos, but spectators did lose cameras, mobile phones, and backpacks.

 A man on a beach near Carmel, California was swept out to sea while swimming yesterday. He has not been found. A woman walking with friends at shoreline on Sharp Park Beach in Pacifica was carried out to sea. She was recovered, but died in-hospital.

The Mavericks Surf Contest, the most lucrative surf contest in the world paid a purse of $150,000 to South African, Chris Bertish who said "I took the worse beating of my life out there.

Half Moon Bay Rogue Wave Slams Mavericks Beach (video)   Rogue Wave at Mavericks Beach Surf Contest - Broken Bones (video)