Garrett McNamara: from Jaws to Nazaré

Introduction – Big wave pioneer Garrett McNamara

Garrett McNamara is a name that is spoken with awe among surfers. This Hawaiian-American big wave surfer pushed the boundaries of surfing by riding colossal waves that most only see in nightmares. McNamara shot to worldwide fame in 2011 when he rode a 78-foot (23.8-meter) monster at Praia do Norte in Nazaré, Portugal – the largest wave ever surfed at the time. The spectacular ride earned him a Guinness World Record and put the sleepy fishing village of Nazaré on the map of global surfing.

Since then, McNamara has become a living legend in the surfing world. He held the world record for many years and played a key role in Nazaré becoming the place to be for mega-swells. He is also the central figure in the HBO docuseries “100 Foot Wave,” which documents his pursuit of the mythical 100-foot wave for a wide audience. With his mix of courage, vision and experience, Garrett McNamara inspires surfers everywhere – and shows that no wave is too big to dream of.

His Youth – unusual upbringing

McNamara’s path to surf stardom began in anything but traditional ways. Born in Massachusetts, USA, in 1967, he grew up in a turbulent family environment. As a child, he and his mother and brother Liam moved between California and Central America, living a life of uncertainty and adventure. At a young age, he saw more of the world than most – even briefly being taken in by a local farmer in Guatemala who wanted to adopt him. Eventually, in 1978, the family ended up on the famed North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, a dramatic change that would change Garrett’s life forever.

In Hawaii, 11-year-old Garrett discovered surfing among the giant waves of breaks like Sunset Beach and Waimea Bay. He looked up to his younger brother Liam and together they were known as fearless rascals – pain and fear seemed to never get to them. That youthful fearlessness was the perfect training ground for the big wave work that came later. At 17, McNamara was already competing in prestigious competitions like the Triple Crown of Surfing in Hawaii, where he made a name for himself. While Liam initially made a name for himself in the surfing scene, Garrett remained determined to follow his own path.

In the early 2000s, surfing was revolutionized as tow-in surfing—the practice of launching surfers onto waves too big to paddle out on—began to take off. McNamara was among the first to embrace this innovation. With the help of a jet ski, he could chase waves that were previously considered unsurfable. It was a natural fit for Garrett’s mentality; he dreamed of finding and riding the biggest waves in the world, a mission that quickly became his life’s purpose. This insatiable pursuit of XXL swell would take him from Hawaii to Alaska—and finally to a tiny village in Portugal with outsized waves.

The Breakthrough: A Legendary Barrel on Jaws

McNamara’s big breakthrough moment came early in his career, at one of the world’s most feared spots: Jaws (Peʻahi) on Maui, Hawaii. In 2003, he took a barrel ride that instantly went down in surfing history. Garrett was sucked into the tube on a giant Jaws set and disappeared completely from view – only to miraculously shoot back out moments later. Bystanders on the clifftop couldn’t believe their eyes; everyone thought he’d been crushed by the thundering lip of the wave, until McNamara suddenly emerged triumphant from the churning “green room.” That 20-foot barrel (more than 20 feet high) not only proved Garrett’s incredible skill and guts, it instantly became surfing folklore. “I thought this was it for a second, until the wave spat me out,” McNamara later joked about that moment, which he admits surprised even himself.

This ride – captured on photo and video at the time – went viral in the surfing world and catapulted McNamara to international recognition. Surf magazines worldwide put him on the cover after such heroic moments. His name became synonymous with defying death on monstrous waves. In 2002, he also won the Tow-in World Cup at Jaws together with tow partner Rodrigo Resende, which confirmed that Garrett belonged to the absolute big wave elite. Thanks to the legendary barrel at Jaws, McNamara gained the confidence and reputation to pursue even bigger dreams. It was the ultimate springboard to his next ambition: tracking down the biggest wave on earth, which was rumored on the other side of the world.

Nazaré – discovery of a new big wave mecca

In 2010, McNamara got a tip that would change his life—and the surfing world—forever. From Nazaré, a little-known coastal village in Portugal, local surfer and instructor Dino Casimiro had approached him with stories of the unbelievably big waves that would appear every winter right outside his village. For years, Nazaré had been a summer resort, but Dino saw potential in the colossal winter swells that could reach 70-80 feet high. With the support of the local council, he invited McNamara to come see if these “sea monsters” were surfable. Garrett jumped at the chance.

In the fall of 2010, he stood on the cliff at Praia do Norte for the first time and watched the Atlantic Ocean literally billow into mountains of water. From the very first sessions, McNamara realized that there was something special about Nazaré. The cause: a gigantic underwater canyon—Nazaré Canyon—that stretches 200 kilometers (125 miles) out to sea and funnels the ocean’s power toward the coast. “All that energy comes together in that canyon and as soon as it gets shallow—boom!” is how Garrett describes the effect of Nazaré’s unique geography. On November 1, 2011, McNamara made history at Nazaré, towing a monstrous wave on a jet ski and riding it down with a mix of smoothness and sheer guts. The wall of water turned out to be 78 feet (24 meters) high—good for a new world record. That day changed everything.

McNamara’s world record ride made headlines around the world and immediately attracted other big wave riders to Nazaré. Where Praia do Norte was virtually unknown before 2011, it was now stormed by the big wave elite, all determined to ride even bigger waves. Garrett himself believed a 100-footer was possible at Nazaré, and kept returning to push the boundaries. In January 2013, he managed to catch another insanely big wave – estimated at around 100 feet (30 meters) – which he claimed surpassed his previous record. Whether it was actually 100 feet remains a matter of debate, but one thing is certain: Nazaré had established itself as the ultimate big wave arena.

In the years since McNamara’s discovery, Nazaré has evolved into a world-renowned surf destination. The biggest names in the scene descend on the town of 10,000 each winter, chasing XXL swells. Records have been broken one after the other. In November 2017, Brazilian Rodrigo Koxa surfed an 80-foot (24.4 m) wave, officially breaking McNamara’s 2011 Guinness World Record. In 2020, German Sebastian Steudtner went one step further by riding an unprecedented 86-footer (26.2 m) – a new world record, set in 2022.

The Portuguese spot itself has also become a fixture in professional surfing competitions. In 2016, the World Surf League held its first Big Wave Tour event there (the Nazaré Challenge). Nazaré has also set records in other disciplines, such as kitesurfing, with Brazil’s Maya Gabeira setting the world record for the largest wave surfed by a woman several times (most recently 73.5 feet / 22.4 m in 2020).

The impact on the village of Nazaré has been enormous. The once quiet fishing village is now a bustling epicenter of surf tourism during the winter months. Praia do Norte and its iconic red lighthouse on the cliff (Forte de São Miguel Arcanjo) attract thousands of spectators and media crews every year hoping to catch a glimpse of the next giant set. Locals, who once treated the ocean with a mixture of respect and fear, now see their sea revered as a natural phenomenon. It’s fair to say that Garrett McNamara and Nazaré are inextricably linked. He helped the world see Nazaré’s potential, and Nazaré helped Garrett realize his wildest surfing dreams. Together, they made surfing history – and the story is far from over.

HBO Series “100 Foot Wave” – From Cult to Mainstream

What McNamara and Nazaré experienced was too spectacular not to share with the rest of the world. In 2021, HBO launched the docuseries “100 Foot Wave,” starring Garrett McNamara. The series follows McNamara, his family, and a crew of elite surfers over the course of several years as they attempt to ride the first-ever 100-foot wave. Season 1 focused heavily on Nazaré—from the early days of Garrett’s mission to the development of the local big wave scene—but the series quickly expanded its horizons. In later seasons (the show is now in its third season, in 2025), the cast travels the world, from Cortés Bank in the middle of the ocean to Maui, Morocco, and other extreme breaks, always in search of that one magical swell.

But 100 Foot Wave is more than just a series of big waves. The series also highlights the personal stories, camaraderie and sacrifices of the big wave community. McNamara himself is remarkably candid about the toll his decades-long career has taken on his body. “It’s taken a toll,” admits Garrett, now 57, referring to the countless wipeouts and crashes he’s endured. His body bears the scars of this extreme profession: an arm once broken into nine pieces, and “hundreds of mild concussions, maybe a thousand,” he estimates he’s suffered from being hit on the water. Such revelations in the series give viewers—even those outside the surfing world—an insight into the risks and passion that go into big wave surfing.

In addition to McNamara, 100 Foot Wave introduces a colorful cast of big wave surfers to his crew, including British veteran Andrew “Cotty” Cotton, French charger Justine Dupont, Hawaiian waterman Kai Lenny, and talent from Portugal, Brazil, and the US. We witness their highs and lows, from euphoric giant-wave rides to terrifying wipeouts and even tragic losses within the community (one episode deals with the death of a surfing legend, making everyone realize how thin the line between adrenaline rush and mortal danger can be). The series presents these stories with breathtaking cinematography—from slow-motion shots of crashing behemoths to intimate kitchen-table moments—so that the viewer is in on the epicness as well as the emotion.

The impact of 100 Foot Wave has been enormous. Where big wave surfing used to be a niche within the surfing world, the HBO series has brought the phenomenon to a mainstream audience. Millions of viewers, including people who had never stood on a surfboard, were captivated by Nazaré's waves and McNamara's dream. Critics praised the series for its compelling story and spectacular images. The success did not go unnoticed in the film and TV world: 100 Foot Wave received multiple awards and nominations. For example, the series won a Producers Guild of America Award for Best Sports Program in 2022. It was also nominated for two consecutive Emmy Awards in categories such as Outstanding Documentary Series and Cinematography. (According to recent reports, the series now has eight Emmy nominations and two wins to its name.) This recognition not only underscores the quality of the production, but also confirms that the world is fascinated by the power of the ocean and the people who defy it. 100 Foot Wave has elevated Garrett McNamara from surfing icon to TV personality – but most of all, the series has shown why he and his fellow big wave surfers do what they do, and inspired a new generation to dream bigger.

Gear Designs: The Thule Aion Surfboard Bag

While McNamara is known for conquering waters, his innovative spirit doesn’t stop at surfing itself. More recently, Garrett has applied his knowledge and experience to a new adventure on dry land: developing the ultimate surf travel bag. In collaboration with outdoor brand Thule – of which he has been a longtime ambassador – he has designed a high-performance surfboard travel bag, aimed at surfers who travel the world in search of waves. The brand new Thule Aion Surfboard Bag (launching in late 2024) is more than just a board bag; it’s a thoughtful quiver-on-wheels, shaped by McNamara’s decades of travel experience. Key words in the design were practicality and sustainability: Garrett wanted to simplify the surfer’s travel life (“one bag instead of ten” was his motto) while also reducing his environmental footprint.

The result is impressive. The Thule Aion bag is made from durable, 100% recycled canvas fabric with a water-repellent coating—built to withstand a beating and last through many surf trips. The bag has wheels and holds four surfboards, so a surfer can carry their entire quiver in one bag. Clever, adjustable padding protects the nose and tail of any board, whether it’s a small fish for summer waves or a long-range Nazaré gun for the biggest waves. Each bag also features an internal “roll cage” frame for extra protection during transport. Thule has limited the production to 500 pieces, each personally signed by Garrett McNamara—a nod to the exclusivity of this product.

McNamara’s involvement in the development of this surf bag clearly goes beyond just putting his name on it. In interviews, he says he considered every detail, from material selection to modular design, with sustainability in mind. “Everything I have is because of the ocean, so I feel a responsibility to give back,” Garrett says, referring to the use of eco-friendly materials. The project shows that his passion for surfing extends beyond just riding waves—it’s also about the life around surfing. Whether he’s dropping in a 60-footer or making sure your boards arrive at their destination in one piece, Garrett McNamara remains a pioneer. With the Thule surf bag, he’s helping to make the adventure of many surfers who are following in his footsteps around the world in search of that next big swell.

Conclusion of the Garrett McNamara story:

Garrett McNamara’s story reads like an epic surfing adventure—from a rough childhood in California and Hawaii, to epic barrels at Jaws, to discovering the world’s biggest waves in Nazaré. He’s continually pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in surfing, setting new standards in the process. Nazaré’s name will forever be linked to McNamara’s, and projects like 100 Foot Wave have brought the magic (and madness) of big wave surfing to the masses. But Garrett isn’t resting on his laurels; he remains committed and innovative, both in and out of the water. As every surfer knows, there’s always a bigger wave waiting just over the horizon—and if anyone’s ready to take it on, it’s Garrett McNamara.