Meet the world's biggest waves -- and the mysteries behind them

On Oct. 29, 2020, Nazaré, Portugal—known for some of the world’s largest surfable waves—produced a record-breaking ride by German surfer Sebastian Steudtner. Towed by a jet ski, he dropped into a massive wall of water and surfed for about 25 seconds, racing to the side as the wave broke. Scientists and surfing officials later determined the wave reached 26.21 meters (85.99 feet), topping the prior Nazaré record of 24.38 meters set in 2017. Steudtner may have surpassed it again: in February 2024 he surfed a wave estimated at 28.57 meters (93.73 feet), measured by drone-mounted cameras using technology developed in part by Porsche, though the height is not formally confirmed. Beyond oceans, the article notes tsunamis, rogue waves, “sneaker waves,” seiches, and internal waves.