Mavericks surf leads to costly wipeout

The surf at Mavericks was at its most treacherous on Thursday, one of the biggest days of recent years. Conditions were far from ideal, and there was no talk of holding the annual big-wave contest at Half Moon Bay’s fabled spot. One particular episode, however, got everyone’s attention.

The biggest waves were steaming in at some 50 feet on the face. It was a clear, relatively windless day, but the ocean was so chopped up from recent storms, very few surfers were out - and even fewer were willing to meet the challenge.

WATCH FRAME BY FRAME:

Garrett McNamara wipes out at Mavericks, January 7th, 2016. Image from Powerlines Productions. Garrett McNamara wipes out at Mavericks, January 7th, 2016. Image from Powerlines Productions. Photo: Powerlines Productions Photo: Powerlines Productions Image 1 of / 69 Caption Close Mavericks surf leads to costly wipeout 1 / 69 Back to Gallery

One of them was Garrett McNamara, who is not on the 24-man list of Mavericks contest invitees but has been a storied figure in big-wave surfing for years. On a day when most of the really giant waves went unridden - just too dangerous - McNamara stroked into one of the biggest waves ever paddle-surfed (as opposed to tow-surfing, with a jet-ski assist).

He did not get far. About halfway down the drop, McNamara went down, hard, and as San Francisco surfer Grant Washburn described it, “He skipped like a stone and flew into the air,” at one point getting so dramatically airborne, it resembled a man being catapulted off a trampoline. Then, to make matters worse, McNamara was crushed underneath the wave’s massive lip.

“Shocking,” said Washburn. “Maybe one of the worst wipeouts ever filmed.”

Badly shaken, McNamara wound up in the hospital for surgery on his arm and shoulder. “It happened early,” Washburn said. “The crowd was understandably cautious the rest of the day.”

According to reliable forecasts, Mavericks isn’t likely to be contest-worthy for at least another week, due to poor conditions and undersized swells. The contest window runs through the end of March.

Recommended Video:

Bruce Jenkins is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. E-mail: bjenkins@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @bruce_jenkins1