By Daniel DAscenzo Zach Gorecke

* Teahupoo is located in Tahiti, French Polynesia. * Sits on the 17 th parallel south in the Pacific Ocean. * Island formed by two dormant volcanoes. * Surrounded by reefs formed by nutritious ocean water.

* Consistent swell year round comes primarily from the Roaring Forties. * Most powerful swell is during the winter months (May – October). * Best swell is from S, SE, or SW because of south facing reefs. * Wave periods of greater than 16 seconds ideal for big waves. * Receives some swell from Northern Hemisphere storms.

* Why arent all reef breaks like Teahupoo? * Unique seamount configuration to the south * Perfect depth for refracting long period swell(>16 s) so that it focuses on Teahupoo * Deeper water following seamounts, allowing no energy loss

* Teahupoo is a reef break that primarily breaks left. * Waves break at the same point at a pass in the reef. * Water depth changes from 100m to 10m almost instantly. * Slope from reef to seafloor is about 1/6. * Roughly equal to slightly less than the maximum slope a wave can endure before breaking. * Teahupoo translates to broken skulls.

* Break is about 1 km offshore * It is very difficult to paddle out to where the waves are breaking. For an experienced surfer it would take a solid 25 to 30 minutes of constant paddling. * It is recommended to be taken out by boat or drug out by jet ski.

* Considered the worlds heaviest wave. * Face often 10 times larger then the back. * Greater wave heights caused by more powerful swell. * Under 6 feet 95% of the time. * Best wind direction is from the NNE(offshore) * occurs 36% of the time.

* Summer months: November thru April * Increased: Temperatures, precipitation, and humidity * Winter months: May thru October * Decreased: Temperatures, precipitation, and humidity * Average air temperatures: * Average water temperatures: 77-84

* Seasonal Prevailing Winds * NE trade winds dominate from January to April * SE trade winds from May to August * Easterlies from September to December * Chance of hurricanes during summer * Offshore winds do not coincide with winter * Local weather patterns controlled by local topography * Rainier on windward side of islands Yellow = NE trades Brown= SE trades

Easiest way to travel to Teahupoo is by plane. The average time it takes would be about 15 hours on the plane and additional time spent waiting for connecting flights. Very Expensive US Airways flight out of Philadelphia to Tahiti totals $1,128 with stops in Charlotte and Los Angeles then finally arriving at Papeete, Tahiti. American Airlines flight out of Philadelphia to Tahiti totals $2,077 with stops in Chicago and Los Angeles then arriving at Papeete, Tahiti. Once in Papeete, Tahiti one must either rent a car or take public transportation to Teahupoo.

* Friendly locals because tourism is a major component of French Polynesias economy and therefore provides many jobs. * Local Languages * French * Tahitian * Local currency is the CFP Franc * 1 dollar = 86 CFP Francs * Local wildlife * Tiger sharks * Giant centipedes

* Teahupoo is home to the annual ASP Billabong Pro. * Fifth stop on ASP World Tour * This single event brings out some of the worlds best surfers * Former stop on bodybuilding world tour

* It is recommended that you have a board that fits the curve at Teahupoo. No long boards because the curve will toss any rider with a long board. Around 69 is a good board size. * It is also recommended to bring two spare boards. There is an increased chance of board breakage at Teahupoo. * Bandages and power for reef cuts are also recommended. Since the break is on a reef, many people get cuts and scratches on the coral.

Wave Period and Direction Wave Height

Actual breaking wave heights corroborate to what would be expected. Approximately what waves would look like Teahupoo wind and swell statistics

* "Teahupoo." GlobalSurfers an Online Surf Travel Resource, by Surfers for Surfers with Free Surf and Travel Guides. Web. 18 Oct * "Teahupoo Surf and Swell Size and Direction | SURFLINE.COM." SURFLINE.COM | Global Surf Reports, Surf Forecasts, Live Surf Cams and Coastal Weather. Web. 31 Oct * "Teahupoo Swell Statistics." Surf Report, Surf Forecast, Surfing. Web. 18 Oct

* Wilson, Peter. "Kelly Slater Wins 2011 Billabong Pro Tahiti - ESPN." ESPN: The Worldwide Leader In Sports. 30 Aug Web. 18 Oct * "Tahiti Surf Season, Surfing Conditions Tahiti- Waterways Travel." Surfing, Surf Charters, Surf Trips- Waterways Surf Adventures. Web. 18 Oct < * "Search for Cheap Airline Tickets at Cheapoair.com." Cheap Flights, Airline Tickets, Cheap Plane Tickets, Cheap Airfare – CheapOair. Web. 18 Oct * "Surfing Teahupoo – Tahiti | The Big Wave Blog." The Big Wave Blog: A Chronicle of Big Wave Surfing From Oahu's North Shore. Web. 18 Oct

* National Weather Service: Environmental Moeling Center. NOAA, 31 Oct Web. 31 Oct * Stanley, David. "Tahiti Travel Guide." South Pacific Organizer. N.p., Web. 18 Oct * Waldie, Adam. "Teahupoo-Anatomy of a Monster." Tracks. Tracks Magazine, 24 Mar Web. 18 Oct