HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — More than two dozen of the world’s top big wave surfers are gathering Sunday in Northern California for the Mavericks Invitational surf contest.
The surfers will be waiting half-mile offshore at a surfing site known as Mavericks for waves that have to be at least 20 feet.
Spectators are forbidden access to the beach or bluffs. After a large set of waves crashed into the crowd in 2010, injuring dozens, local officials barred crowds from congregating there.
Also, people congregating on the bluffs and along tide pools during previous contests caused environmental damage.
The Coast Guard has issued a high surf advisory for the weekend, and is warning people throughout the region to watch for “sneaker waves” and other hazards.
