Surfers crave the perfect wave. Often the bigger the better.
But as this stunning video shows, a healthy respect for the awesome power of nature should always be maintained.
Filmed using DJI Inspire and Phantom 3 drones, the dramatic footage shows the Banzai Pipeline break and Teahupo’o in Tahiti. Teahupo'o is often referred to as the 'heaviest wave on Earth', and not without good reason.
It is one of the most powerful and deadly waves on the planet, and breaks over a shallow reef, creating a below sea level effect. Ominously, the name 'Teahupo'o' loosely translates to 'place of skulls'.
Brave souls flock there with their boards for the ultimate challenge, but the shoreline has claimed the lives of five surfers since the year 2000.
As you can see from the video, the power of the waves is truly epic. The scenes are particularly awe-inspiring from 2.30 onwards...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=216&v=aK_sVJIiq7A
