Huge Waves: Only One SURFER made it out

It didn't look surf-able!
Huge, relentless waves battered Los Angeles. It looked like far too brutal of a paddle out for most surfers. Shane Gallas made the 45 minute paddle out to surf a few adrenaline filled waves.
Thanks for watching! I'm Brad Jacobson and I'll sea ya on the sand.

[@haveaday1812]

I saw so many rescues at sunset cliffs the last few weeks. The lifeguards deserve absolute respect and admiration for what the do. Literally out there saving lives.

[@kevindukes3012]

How was OB/dog beach jetty?

[@benihana500]

@@kevindukes3012 the waves broke the pier again 😂

[@benihana500]

I paddled out last Friday at garbage. Got smoked 😂

[@rumi2059]

That’s their job lol

[@days8973]

@@benihana500 is garbage good for big waves or why is everyone talking about it?

[@bayareablues2255]

Looks like a pretty normal big winter day at San Francisco's Ocean Beach. Sooooo much work getting out, and then you need to find the energy to catch some. Major props to Shane!

[@kirkdunn1379]

Not to mention the big fatties hovering under the water

[@smw397]

Shyeah, this time of year up in Humboldt the surfers often wait weeks for it to drop down to this size.

[@jimijefferson82]

@@smw397 You should have been here yesterday.....

[@deadlotCamper]

incredible conditions, and my first thought was average epic day at OB, where it usually closes out...45 mins paddle out about right...and yes the energy needed to actually catch one after that paddle out, head spinning, dry heaving, seeing spots etc takes at least 20 mins to regain....once you regain consciousness its game on, just have to be prudent in wave choice or you will be back on shore where you started in a matter of seconds... my OB days got me in the best shape of my life

[@garyroth6117]

OB is almost impossible to get out at that size. And if you make it it’s cold and sharks and your energy will only last for a few waves but it’s intense and beautiful!

[@SlingandStoneVideos]

Shane #Legend

[@chir0pter]

Props to Shane. What an experience to be out there all alone in big surf, in SoCal of all places- that never happens, except when it gets _too_ big!

[@SidewaysSurfDrinksHQ]

Shane Gallas deserves his own action figure doll, just epic effort, balls & commitment. And kudos to the Lifies. Great vid mate👏

[@RoboJandro]

You series on this set of big days we've had this winter is an impressive document. We're gonna be re-watching these for years I think.

[@reddiver7293]

Non stop sets with a shifty sand bottom = no channel. Such tempting waves, such awesome conditions. But so hard to paddle out to, to line up a consistent peak to take off from. Respect for the guys that made it out and to the lifeguards.

[@surferdude800]

Hats off to Shane. Ballsy and tennatious and all alone. A true waterman

[@jaydickey1049]

Wonder why he didn't get towed into a few by his fellow lifeguards on the ski.

[@kodman247]

@@jaydickey1049 lawyers

[@jaydickey1049]

@@kodman247 You're right.

[@jamesdavison2416]

tenacious

[@davidlevinson2460]

Dang, that was really gutsy. Many years ago, I used to surf at El Porto and other South Bay spots fairly often. One day there was a swell close to this size but I didn't really know it (no internet back then). I paddle out in Manhattan Beach on my 6 foot tri-fin, thinking, where is everyone? As soon as I got outside, massive closeout waves start coming in. I wanted no part of it. I've never been that scared. I had to keep paddling out so that I wouldn't get destroyed. I caught a huge closeout, somehow made it and rode straight to the shore, thankful to be alive. South Bay beach breaks are experts only when it gets huge.

[@MapleBar777]

Was that in like 2011? I use to live in Redondo and surfed El Porto all the time. I don't think most people realize the difference between paddling out on big days at a beach break vs a point break. If we're talking about the same swell, me and my buddies surfed Haggerty's, paddled out no problem, and caught the biggest waves of my life (double-triple overhead). I'll never forget that day. It was magical. Edit: you said no internet back then. Definitely a different swell. I'm an idiot 🤦‍♂️🤣

[@1k1ngst0n]

so true. the close out waves in MB are terrifying some times and the paddle out is ridiculous

[@davidlevinson2460]

@@MapleBar777 I think that was sometime around 1990. I remember I just bought a Dennis Jarvis Spyder board at the time that I loved :). Glad I didn't break or lose it cuz I was way undergunned.

[@DaniSlot]

I feel you, I never surfed big waves, when I went with my instructors I was even surprised they were so relaxed leaving the students in such a size wave as it was, just shows the expertize on it. I surfed for 2 years, biggest waves I went out with was 2.5m / 3m, and I felt many times through sessions I was passing out, either I'm too weak, or there is a huge praise to this athletes that go years and years into improving and becoming ultimate wave riding machines.!

[@jan8742]

@@DaniSlotwow you surfed for 2 years?

[@crush3095]

after a big wave day, lying in bed trying to go to sleep I will STILL feel the waves pushing and pulling haha

[@jamesdavison2416]

Fully. and then ride them all again in my dreams ... & wake up tired from all tjay paddling in my sleep lol

[@J.J.J.J.J.J.J]

Normal wave day for me hehe.

[@Madbootdestruction]

Great coverage Brad. Watched all your vids throughout this madness winter swell. Very much thankful and appreciative 🙏

[@rvierra7235]

Very Very COOL!! It is great to see a real surfer, under his own power, paddle out and paddle into a wave, the way it is supposed to be. No jetski, no tow-boarding, just pure hard-core surfing.

[@j-new6278]

Go Shane!! I saw you feeling the jiuce a couple times, get it!

[@briancartmell9767]

Enjoying this, what a crazy event. So glad to have good footage captured of this. Much appreciated.

[@chrisgardner6677]

Right on Shane. Smooth style & you are in great shape to be able to duck dive &/or bail your board than regroup and keep paddling through all those sets.

[@Makai77]

Shane Gallas just became a certified legend. Bold effort, mate.

[@michaelcasey9531]

Big thx for filming, being fit is great that’s why surfers smile all the time

[@guysetian4365]

Thanks for sharing and the cool commentary!

[@juneribaldi7093]

Mad respect to Shane! Thank you Excellent Video.

[@BigDaddy-hn7oh]

Hey Brad,wow, I've surfed since, 72 maybe earlier, I can't remember, with the Advent of the internet and KZbin Etc the Drone shots everything from Black's Beach up to LA well now I'm just taking it all in theres so much, . Your positive outlook and the way that you present every one of your videos you're setting a good example for young people and people that aren't aware of the ocean as well I'm assuming this is your career of choice keep doing what you're doing in my opinion you should have a spot mainstream all your own there's other guys that present things differently maybe even film some of it differently not so good but some may be better that's not the point it's your approach direct and honest I appreciate that happy 2023 I think I will subscribe and I have been watching your videos for some time now all the best

[@Bukester72]

Great video and storytelling. That guy is a stud! Thanks!

[@toddanderson2193]

Props to Shane for charging it.

[@jonnyhawt8973]

Sheer Determination! Great to watch!

[@JimPickell]

Great piece. Well told story. Love the footage. Reminds me of OB in NoCal. Only missing a Shane interview….

[@richganzel9248]

kudos to Shane! Thanks for posting!

[@oxfordblaze4392]

Excellent footage and commentary!! Thanks!

[@BradJacobson]

Thanks

[@timothytice3074]

most people don't understand that surfing is not riding down a wave think about it sea level is the beach you are being lifted up to sea level its not paddling fast but adopting the correct angle so the board is being lifted. i see people all the time paddling fast an kicking when all you have to do is push pull or prone that board into the angle you need, one way is to put you hand on the front or nose an push down, another way is to dip your tail in than push the nose down i call that fall back spring forward i call that daylight saving's, i have never seen a person paddle 25 miles an hour, maybe 3 stroke's then jump over the ledge or under the lip jump up, fading into the power then turn it's all about the angle . there a point at witch no amount of speed paddling can match waves that travel that fast with out a ski or motor assist. I've paddled out for an hour or more, it's taxing but you get a second wind but when your arm's feel like noodles just chalk it up as learned lessen , I can't at 64 years old can even handle a 7' board so i love watchin towin's an big wave paddle outside reef surfing, sorry bout the ramble, surf on

[@scottgorman7166]

Great video. Good to see the guys practicing their skills in big waves. Shane buddy you impressed us all. Glade you caught some and are back on shore safe. Only thing I can see as a problem, you paddled out with a 10 foot leash and now its 40 foot leash...time for a new one.😎

[@JoeMmt347]

Excellent video!

[@harrychapin808]

Great filming by the way!

[@Biomass22]

Nice video brah! 🏄‍♂️

[@blndrckr]

What a stud Shane!! You go!! And wowwee what a Winter!!! Went to the Sierras camping 3 different times in June! Snowpack was 296% of normal. Praise to the Gods! Hope we can have another ...pray for 2 consecutive wet winters! We need it, stay grateful my peeps!! PS , greetings from Ventucky!! (Ventura 😅)

[@paulricketts1089]

...Hey Brad. Next time it gets like this check out Malibu. The best I've ever surfed it was on a west swell on a December 29th years ago. We were taking off north of the river mouth and riding them all the way to the pier. After a few looong paddles we would punch out after where the second peak would normally break. It shortened a 20+ minute paddle to a 5 minute paddle. Hardly any crowd either. Epic day at a place you wouldn't expect it to be good at this time of the year. AND it handles the swell like a champ........

[@zeissmanzeissman5852]

Great footage!

[@clintjones9848]

Great footage. That wave at the beginning looks enormous. I thought for sure this was norcal. Good on the local charger too.

[@byronbaybarrels]

nice vid. good narrating. got a swell coming here this weekend big one 😁

[@billwalt9026]

having Been at the Hollister Ranch when its pumping and moving my anchor so much, then to be at Rincon on a big double over head day... sure love the guys who are Shane Gallas powering back out.... only because the ride is a buzz Stay Stocked :)

[@barbaraweiss8686]

Ok pal whatever you say

[@louisroth5941]

Like your vids a lot Brad.

[@BradJacobson]

Thanks

[@mikel5582]

I recall a big SD day with great-looking empty waves at my favorite break where I thought I was in for an epic solo session. After an hour of paddling and being pushed half a mile down shore, I walked back to my car fully understanding why nobody was out.

[@sammymunchkin1462]

Fabulous, thank you. Peace

[@herrkiwi3110]

The problem getting out is not so much the size it's the frequency and also the fact that your basically paddling air amongst all that whitewater, and how quickly you can start paddling after duck diving is the key. You have to be super fit which he obviously is. Anyone who's paddled a heavy beach break will have noticed as soon as you get out of that whitewater that you actually start moving forward a lot faster.

[@nikkilovesrocks]

Nice insight!

[@Chillpillspill]

never thought of that part, about the air, but it makes sense.

[@AA-kf7uf]

great video, thanks!

[@FrankGrow]

Thanks for the chance to surf vicariously! Love our channel

[@BradJacobson]

Thanks!

[@theyoungupstarts1243]

Another awesome video! We’ve seen the Wave Runners lose it in other videos - any practice with that in L.A. ?

[@jeffreyhartwig4965]

Big Ups to that Gallas dood! Hellavu paddle machine!

[@J.J.J.J.J.J.J]

Shane paddling out in those monster waves is like what it's like for me trying to paddle out amongst medium sized waves.

[@gcsoulsurfer]

That takes incredible fitness and a lot of guts !!

[@juliusatkison3289]

That reminds me of surfing giant sandbar in Santa Barbara with Tommy Curren back in the 80’’s.

[@Silvermototsurfer]

Mad respect. Most people have no idea what it takes.

[@renzyyy]

dude that guy is a legend

[@MartinAston00]

Yeah.. my so cal local rippers .. If you didn’t get out there (any CA spot during the storm) YOU MISSED OUT !

[@djgrab1]

Props and bragging rights for sure

[@iracordem]

excellent commentary!

[@chrisculley3756]

That really is an awesome awesome Display of will courage and strength. He was getting the crap beat out of him. What's your 100% right even if you do catch one and write it in to go back out you know you're just going to have to do it all over again. Nice job of getting that footage. Was an Epic week or two in California surfing. RLTW 3/75

[@westsidewheelmen]

Love this

[@dennismull147]

Great job on excellent " Commentary" as besides filming you are one great" Surfing Commentator" even the non- surfers( I showed this video to), felt like" WoW I want to be out there& win.El Porto, alone on a small day is a" Workout''.

[@MrScottmoad]

Good job Shane.

[@rockymnthodad3047]

Like to know what brand and model leash he uses.... Timing (for take off) is everything and ya some strong paddle strokes to go along with... (nobody paddles at '15+ mph') ...lol

[@killbill5486]

Now that earns legit respect. Solo surfing in waves that heavy??? Old school waterman there.

[@magicgordo4878]

Big props to the big wave guys and for hoddadbrad for staying on the beach.

[@roosdad1]

Nice edit

[@45revolut1on]

Insane!

[@jpmtlhead39]

Ive been there. And its all abaut the sheer "love" for big waves,and an huge Cardio and Stamina.

[@user-fw8rd5ud4q]

I’d love to ride a ski through these!

[@cherylb2008]

Shane is quite an athlete

[@patrickmanfred]

Question: what do the lifeguards attach their uppers to their waist with? And what type of jetski do they use?

[@AnthonyTilleyVideography]

Love show you illustrate all that goes into surfing these big waves to include the paddle out. Had you put together an edit of those few waves with no commentary it would have been a lot less exciting

[@TheSanDiegoSteve]

I almost drowned just sitting here watching that dude trying to paddle out. 😅

[@cc-bp2kv]

Love the fact that you didn't play music over the thundering sound of the wave!!!

[@punanitsunami2786]

It was nice watching the jet ski training

[@thomasbennett9155]

Like others have commented, this is standard DOH Ocean Beach, but big props to Shane paddling out on a short board. At the same time now you know why you paddle out at OB on big days with a thick meat wagon board, otherwise you'd never make it out.

[@gregraines8082]

Awesome

[@danielkoval6922]

F awsome video thank u what beach was this?

[@clarkewi]

Iconic.

[@tcantel1]

Legend

[@tygrahof9268]

"Go through the rinse cycle..." LOL Oh how I know that sentiment...

[@fairygodmomma2313]

This be really beautiful once they find the sweet spot.🌊

[@finnmcginn9931]

That's wild, looks fun but I'd lose that battle.

[@gregmossed]

Wild that 4:30 isn't dark sky in the background but a massive wall of water

[@someblokecalleddave1]

That bloke must have had his porridge that morning! Mortals have no idea what that involves or feels like. I don't think even with the Jetski looking at this footage you get the sense of the scale and size of these waves, as an old bloke who used to surf back in the 80's and 90's and has obviously seen footage of places like Nazare this looks big, but not stupid big. But... no-one else in and only one bloke making it - yeah that's got to be big - really big. Very commendable. Question - are all the beach front houses getting swamped by the waves as well?

[@markdittbenner9949]

Yaa good for hem he didn't give up and made it out... He was rewarded a few nice rides..👍....

[@cameronharris8039]

Man must have massive cardio

[@dizzymindy6024]

Gotta give Shane credit.

[@sierrasix2003]

Brad, I've surfed a lot of spots in my day but this is one I don't recognize. Where was this shot?

[@RasX144]

🔥🔥🔥

[@dizzymindy6024]

The rinse cycle can be so brutal.

[@kevinakling]

Watch the movie Big Wednesday. Winter swell… magical. I went to Huntington Beach hs, that movie captures the magic a little.

[@andredecaires2]

Big, big, big respect. Not f^&*&^%g me. Lost my balls in my mid 30's. Super stoked these days with head high to just overhead runners. 3 turns, paddle out without having to duck dive. That there is a life and death session. Not only balls but big heart. Been out in waves as big. Hurricane swell in the Caribbean. Easy paddle out, perfect conditions. Light off shores.. Deep channel. We sat on the shoulder and looked at massive barrels peeling off. If you guys and pros were there, I'm sure that guys like Chayne would have paddled to the peak and dropped in. A good few hurricanes have passed since then, but it was never that perfect. Once in a lifetime, lack of balls.

[@woodnbikes]

I find shotgunning a Monster re-sacs you👍

[@andredecaires2]

I'm done with big waves.

[@numbaonestunna4806]

So sick

[@GuitarWithBrett]

Beast

[@r.c.salyer3652]

Hey Brad. I love they way you narrate the surfing, Fun and Congenial, just like the Sport of Surfing. Good sounding voice too. I would love for you to approach some of the big Surf Contest Sponsors and say "my followers would like me to try out to be one of your announcers". I am ABSOLUTELY FED UP hearing some bloody bloke with an English Accent narrating top surfing contests, especially Surf Contests in Hawaii - it's down right INSULTING! What do they have to do with Surfing? Ans: NOTHING! Why do they pick them? Because they figure they'll have good diction? Still INSULTING!

[@sammysamsam1415]

We paddle out like this at 2-3X ocean beach in SF all winter. 30-45 min paddle outs are typical. The difference is that it’s more hollow and doesn’t close out…

[@coldercooldude]

Yup! OBSF represent. Grew up there till 20. Now down in SD. 45 min brain freeze paddles were a norm and I miss it more than ever. Sorts out the weak.

[@peters219]

Sammy I was thinking the same thing. This is normal stuff up in SF and NorCal but gets no press. It's a typical winter. It is way more surfable when you do get out there too. If you've surfed a winter at SF OB you know how good it gets even with size! Maybe I shouldn't have said that though lol.

[@jamesdavison2416]

@@peters219 glad it gets little to no press, those who know, know. Even still it uas gotten Sooo busy the past 5-7 yrs or so ... miss the empty breaks

[@fergferguson7370]

Yep…born and raise in the shitty..these waves are burgers on the take off..

[@latentsea]

Lifeguard training 😁 more like let’s zip around today brah!

[@river4462]

Even on the ski geez what a rush

[@dairyair5371]

I catch myself holding my breath watching this video.

[@BradJacobson]

💯

[@Moondoggy1941]

Thanks for the video, great narration. I always say there are two types of surfers who go out when it is BIG, Idiots and people who know what they are doing.

[@friotaiocht101]

I'm not a surfer but these conditions look really dangerous the waves looked ferocious & mean.... I watched this whole vid & that guy Shane is a beast... I got to give kudos to that dude on the jet ski he knows his shit....

[@coloradoriversurfer5421]

Did Tanker Reef break? I saw it break in January of '98

[@DrezMedia]

If that was in Sydney Australia there would be at least 20 to 30 ski and tow guys out.

[@jamesdavison2416]

spent 20 yrs obsf - welcome to the paddle battle ... spent many an hour sitting outside alone (or w/ maybe a few others, sometimes spread across a mile or two) ... 3 hr sessions for 3-4 waves, really good waves tho. You Gotta be persistent & Really want it - know when to hover & when to sprint, and ya gotta be able to read them from kinda far away ... it's a fully diff game

[@djizzah]

Watching from Australia I thought Shane was pretty Cool