While it features the "knights of the waves," the world's elite surfers, and the stunning locales where they practice their craft, this is not your standard sport photography collection. These breathtakingly dramatic images by leading figures in outdoor and extreme sport photography, it is the immense power and beauty of the ocean that is the true "star." These brilliant and briny shots from seemingly impossible angles capture mounting ocean swells and cresting, curling, and crashing waves ridden by nimble, intrepid athletes, whose precarious dance embodies our collective love for the acrobatic challenge and of the sport. The entertaining text provides a breezy review of surfing history, from its Polynesian origins to the death-defying big wave riding of today, with vignettes of pioneers and contemporary luminaries, including big wave emeritus Jason Polakow, teenaged phenomena Kai Lenny, windsurfer Robby Haish, bodyboarder Mike Steward, and the veritable Poseidon himself, Laird Hamilton. Readers will discover how each offshoot of the water surface sport emerged, how its innovators adopted new techniques and equipment to suit the unique aerodynamics of windsurfing, kite surfing, stand up paddle, body boarding, and most daring of all: tow-in surfing, which involves high-stakes teamwork and strategy to tow the surfer by jet ski and drop - at just the right moment-before a monster wave towering as high as 100 feet! ILLUSTRATIONS: 156 colour photographs
