Nazare, Portugal

The wave at Nazare, Portugal - unlike deep-water reefbreaks that hold swells of comparable size - is a freakish result of a bathymetric canyon, a well-positioned headland, and a steep beach. Shane Dorian found himself hammered back to the sand by ten-foot shorebreak after his first-ever wave a the spot. "There is no way to paddle back out after catching a wave," he explained. "Relying on a water safte jet-ski is the only way you can really paddle the place." Unshaken by the curt introduction, Dorian sat on shore for almost an hour watching the waves fire before finding a ride back into the lineup, where he sifted through the roiling peaks and paddled into this beauty minutes later.