Kwajalein Atoll Surf Slam-fest

A tropical storm develops 150 nm off the coast of Kwajalein Atoll, battering the tiny island with enormous waves.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Kwajalein
• atoll
• marshall
• islands
• surf
• tropical
• storm
• waves

[crabnuckle]

HEY ARE YOU THE GUY FROM SEX LIFES OF THE NATIVES... tHE BOOK. IF YOU HAVENT HEARD OF IT YOU HAVE TO READ IT. UNLESS YOU WROTE IT,

[mcgrathimages]

I think you mean The Sex Lives of Cannibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific by J. Maarten Troost. Nope, that's not me, though a few of my friends on Kwajalein have read the book and said that it was excellent. It's on my reading list.

[mrkauffman]

i missed the big wave. i saw an furious ocean. but no big wave.

[mcgrathimages]

These waves are probably laughable, especially when compared with those seen on the north shore of Oahu. However, they were pretty big by Kwaj standards. Too bad I couldn't find a brave soul to jump into the water to add some perspective. ;-) The tropical storm generated a strong westerly fetch, which caused a lot of beach erosion on the lagoon side of the east reef. If memory serves, an LCM/LCU for ferrying folks between the islands of Kwaj and Ebeye sank due to the inclement weather.

[HomeInNetherlands]

I was in Kwaj from 89-94. Great place

[pupluver888]

I WANT TO GO BACK I MISS EVERY BODY :( best years of my life any one who was is kwaj during 2003,2004,2005 please respond my name is Rachael i miss the island

[KwajGecko]

Was on Kwaj from 71-73. My friend found a Japanese machine gun on Emon Beach after a tropical storm. Wow, I miss that place!  Great video!

[lurindelle73]

when i lived on kwaj, no one surfed, ever. I was young, and I was never allowed to anyway, but I remember how furious those waves could be :)

[Hcsidar]

Remember the tidal wave disaster training army film they showed us in school? A jeep speeding to higher ground, as if we had any higher ground (other than Mt. Olympus, which was hollow).

[ershepard]

in the late 60's I lived on Kwaj and the "edge" of a typhoon came over. Tore up what they call "iron trees". Had electric eels on the street. Kwaj has survived for thousands of years (with natives) due to the way the atoll is designed. They say a tidal wave coming toward it would be neutralized due to the way the ocean floor is. Good thing or the small island would be gone.

[awershler]

hahah nice music.

[mrkauffman]

oh ok ok i get it.