Nelscott Reef 2008

Just off the coast of Oregon, about half mile out to sea is a reef known to fisherman as Tackle Buster Reef, and known to some surfers as Nelscott Reef. Every year, there is a locally organized contest that attracts big tow-in wave surfers from a few parts of the world and pisses off locals in Lincoln City (where the wave is located latitude-wise). The contest itself has become quite the controversy as many of the locals who ride the reef feel they’re not represented in the event. The other side counters with, ‘it’s a pro event.’ Anyway, the contest went down last weekend causing an utter lack of a media storm. Why? Because of the back story that surrounds it. Wave size was estimated at 30 feet by the optimistic, and 15 by the less optimistic. I’d say it’s somewhere in between. Thanks to Steve Lewis, surfer and drummer for the band The Verbtones for submitting these photos. Yeah, they’re a little grainy, but hey, it’s a half mile offshore!