World’s Longest Wave (or Surfer’s Paradise)

Every year there is a large tidal bore which results when the Atlantic Ocean meets the currents at the mouth of the Amazon River Basin. The result is a series of destructive waves called Pororoca which typically measure up to 12 feet high and travel for 10-15 kilometers. Pororoca comes from the native Tupi language and roughly translates to “great destructive noise“. Since 1999, a surfing competition has been held to ride the Pororoca. In 2003, a Brazilian surfer rode a wave for an estimated 12.5 kilometers — a ride that lasted 37 minutes!