You may not have seen Pete Shaw in marquee big wave competitions, but he’s quietly been charging some of the most notorious breaks in the world for over a decade. The New York-based surfer and actor has been sharing his adventures on his YouTube channel, and the latest installments are part of a new series highlighting his heaviest wipeouts and closest calls.
In the first video of the 10-part series, Shaw recounts a massive left-hander at Nazaré in 2022. On his first day of XXL tow surfing at the Portuguese behemoth, he dropped into a wave he estimates at 45 feet – the fastest he’s ever gone on a surfboard.
“The wave had so many bumps. It felt like snowboarding down a mogul trail,” he said, noting that his straps were set unusually wide, designed for a taller surfer.
“The super bumpy wave smoothed out perfectly like butter,” he added. “I was in Nirvana, in the sweet spot. The barrel above me was massive, like a building curling over me, an ecosystem of its own, with no wind. Time felt like it stood still; it was blissful.”
Shaw rode the wave to the inside, perhaps too far. When it began to close out, he pulled his feet from the straps and bailed – held down long enough that he had to deploy his inflation vest.
“My tow partner warned me not to go inside again, but I was grinning ear to ear, having just caught the wave of my life,” Shaw said.
In the second installment of the series (below), Shaw recounts a closeout at Ireland’s premier big wave, Mullaghmore.
Shaw says the long-period swell caused the waves to gurgle and form boils. Local legends and visiting chargers were out catching bombs.
“I paddled for a few waves, eyeing the bumps and almost seeing the rocks beneath,” he said. “After missing three or four waves, I told myself, ‘Next wave, just go. Even if you eat it, just go for it.’”
As he took off, a boil formed, causing him to fall in the air. Miraculously, he landed on his feet and completed the drop. The wave, however, had no wall. It closed out, pounded Shaw, and snapped his leash. Luckily, the board survived, losing only a fin.
“That was the end of my session,” he said. “I was relieved the board hadn’t broken in half. Despite the close call, it was an amazing experience.”
