Watch: Anthony Walsh Narrowly Survives 38-Second Hold-Down At Rogue Tidal Rapid

Read our Stab Interview with Dylan here.

The open-mindedness of Dylan Graves is a hallmark of a unique surfing career. 

He’s successfully ridden waves in odd corners of the world that not only entertain him, but millions of viewers who tune into his YouTube. It undeniably resonates. According to the stats, Dylan’s channel has received more than 10 million views since 2011. 

First through the Weird Waves series and now under his own discretion, Dylan’s wave-taste knows no bounds. Some of his ventures look delightful. Others hardly resemble surf spots. Then there are the few that make you grateful you’re nowhere near the same zip code. That was the uncomfortable feeling in my gut upon watching Dylan’s latest montage that takes him to a tidal bore-turned-rapid in the northern tip of Western Australia. 

The setup is sketchy, to put it mildly. Breaking somewhere off the coast of the Kimberley Region, a place as wild and rugged as it is removed from medical assistance, Dylan enlisted Anthony Walsh to tackle a lefthand wave that had never been ridden before. And it’s not hard to figure out why.

The zone is a known “boat killer,” according to Jamie Hornblow, local who helped them out. The wave in question wasn’t huge, but it moves with a power that is downright spooky. The tidal forces here are extreme, and weird shit happens. It’s entirely natural, but the way it perpetually bends and twists into a semi-slab feels unsettling. Just pure ocean energy racing over some peculiar bathymetry. And two humans are quite literally just along for the ride.

On his second wave, Anthony falls off the back, goes under a trough and stays there. For 38 seconds. An experience that would make most mortals count their lucky stars and book it home. Yet Walshy hops back on the ski for more. “It was like I was surfing a crappy Huntington Wave to get down it, and then Teahupo’o was behind me,” Anthony recalled.

Hit play to Dylan on the most intimidating wave he’s ever surfed.

Read our Stab Interview with Dylan here.