“Ghost Wave” Author Visits Diesel, A Bookstore in Brentwood

There is a spot in the Pacific Ocean 100 miles off the coast of San Diego so treacherous that sailors take whatever measures necessary to avoid it, yet big wave surfers are drawn to Cortes Bank as the home of the biggest rideable waves on the planet.

Author Chris Dixon was at in Brentwood Country Mart Wednesday to talk about his book, “Ghost Wave,” which tells the incredible story of Cortes Bank, a fabled island now submerged just 15 feet below the surface of the ocean.

“This giant wave just breaks out in the middle of nowhere and it captured everyone’s imagination—particularly in the surf world—when it was revealed,” Dixon said. “The ocean goes from 6,000 feet deep to 15 feet deep in the space of a mile. So I started looking into what little maritime history I could find and the more I learned, the more I wanted to tell the story of this place.”

Dixon, who grew up surfing the waves off the coast of South Carolina, traveled to Cortes Bank with a group of surfers in January 2008 and watched as they rode the biggest waves ever documented—waves in excess of 80 feet. The author, however, chose not to attempt the waves himself.

“I would never try to surf these waves. I think it is the most dangerous thing you can do,” he said.

In addition to telling the history of Cortes Bank and its unusual geography, “Ghost Wave” tells the stories of the colorful cast of serious surfers who are drawn to the Everest of the sea.

“I really wanted to get into the heads of these guys and find out why they do it,” Dixon said. “What I came away with is that they’re not crazy, they’re addicted, literally, physically and psychologically addicted to this wave. To pull them away from it would drive most of them crazy.”

“Ghost Wave” is available in hardcover at Diesel, A Bookstore and other book retailers for $24.95.

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