(photo Brad Brenner)
Well, it’s on, the most contested contest in Oregon waters, The Nelscott Reef Tow In Classic. Each year, surfers come from foreign lands to ride in a big wave contest In Lincoln City, Oregon with just 48 hours notice. The contest works on a window period, and when conditions look right, the light goes green. Locals for Lincoln City, who consider the reef their break are inexplicably excluded from entering the contest. This has made the contest controversial, as Oregon surfers aren’t typically interested in being in the international spotlight.
Nelscott Reef aka Tackle Buster Reef, is capable of holding extremely large waves, though rarely does the weather cooperate enough for them to be rideable. It takes a massive swell (Oregon beaches get the largest winter swells in North America) and a rare set of weather conditions locally to make for the perfect wave. Oregon isn’t known for pleasant weather on the beach in the winter, unless you like 80 mile an hour winds and sideways rain. Though unseen as of yet, organizers believe the reef can hold upwards of 70 feet, though historically, the biggest wave ridden in a contest is probably under 30 feet. And not 30 feet Hawaiian, where waves aren’t measured from peak to trough, but by the size of the back of the wave. Tomorrow’s forecast is looking for a peak of 17ft. and 15 seconds, which should produce some pretty good sized waves, though the swell doesn’t look as if it will hold for more than a day. I’ll give an update tomorrow after hearing from some folks that are attending.
