The $68,000 Wave

Back when I was working at ABC News, I pitched a story about big wave surfers and the Billabong contest which offers
a cash award for the largest wave surfed in a year. They turned it down. Who’s interested in surfing, they said.

Ah, the East Coast-centric media mind-set. Well, sort of. 60 Minutes did the piece and it was one of the best pieces
I’ve seen them do. They focused on Laird Hamilton, which was a good idea since he is pretty much the preeminent pioneer
of the tow-in/big wave movement.

Well, the contest still continues, and recently
$68,000
went to Dan Moore, a 48-year-old surf veteran from Oahu’s Sunset Beach. Moore picked up the 2005 Biggest
Wave Award for the 68-foot monster he caught on December 15, 2004, a wave just two feet shy of the world record
captured last year by surfer Pete Cabrinha.