Thousands of big-wave surfing fans straggled onto a small beach north of Half Moon Bay on Saturday morning to watch – or try to watch – the greatest surfers in the world battle the worst that the Pacific Ocean can throw at them.
Watching the fabled Maverick’s contest from the beach seemed nearly as challenging as riding the waves themselves, as close-in breakers blocked the view of the waves that the competitors were riding about a half-mile offshore.
But the fans, many of them tugging on beers as they scrambled for position before sunrise, didn’t care.