Surfing the Amazon tidal bore, Araguari Pororoca ARAGUARI POROROCA, AMAPA STATE, BRAZIL Independent of the Amazon basin proper, Rio Araguari is the largest river in the interior of Brazil’s northern Amapá state. It begins its journey high in the Tumucumaque mountain range. From there it flows some 350 km south and then, fed by the Amapari river and smaller rivers, it flows east until it drains into the Atlantic Ocean on the north bank of the mouth of the Amazon itself.

The tidal bore known as the Araguari Pororoca (meaning a roar in Portuguese) is possibly the most feared of all Amazonian tidal waves. The river's sedimentary basin stretches so far into the Atlantic, the bore has astonishingly been observed to break some 10 km out to sea. It is not easy to see the Araguari Pororoca. One can view it from the air, or go out to it by boat. The wave forms just 4 days (twice a day at the high tide) for three months a year..A wall of water generated by the tide which then travels upstream, the Pororoca is observable for about forty minutes breaching approximately 25 km upriver. Since 2001, it has attracted intrepid surfers looking for a unique experience.

STATISTICS LOCATION: 00º57'N, 050º00'W MAXIMUM HEIGHT: 6 m AVERAGE SPEED: 25 km h-1 BEST TIME OF YEAR: Feb to June TERRAINE: Rainforest Floodplain FEAR FACTOR: High Surfing the Bore The Pororoca was first board-surfed in 1997, since when it has become a destination for surfers seeking a major challenge. The wave itself is extremely dangerous, smashing everything in its path. Year after year, the local inhabitants fear the arrival of the dreaded Pororoca, and for good reason: if the wave doesn’t get you, you could be killed by an anaconda or a crocodile; or you could become an unwilling host for the tiny Canduru fish which lodges within your urinary tract, requiring major surgery; or you could be crushed or tumbled mercilessly by the debris collected by the Amazon on its thousand mile trip to the ocean or the debris hurled upriver by the bore itself.

While several tidal bores elsewhere in the world have attracted kayakers, no one has yet attempted to ride the raging Pororoca in a kayak. First of all, its size and speed make the wave very difficult to surf — and indeed, special surfboards had to be developed for this particular wave. Specially designed kayaks will be necessary too. Secondly, the logistics are complex and expensive. Jet skis are needed to tow the kayakers to the wave and carry out rescue operations (and jet skis are not easily found or brought to this part of the world). Power boats will be used by the film crew, and then there is the matter of lodging everybody over many days leading up to the wave’s appearance.

In April 2005, a group of expert wave-surfing kayakers will surf the Pororoca for the first time in history. The team will comprise American Rusty Sage (1998 world champion), South Africans Corran Addison (Olympian and three- time world medalist) and Steve Fisher (2 time world medalist), expert kayakers Diego Valsecchi from Argentina and Brad Ludden from the USA, and Australia’s Dan Campbell-Lloyd (a kayaking waterfall world record holder).

Accompanying them will be world renowned photographer Mirco Garoscio, and a film crew whose job it will be to capture the entire adventure for the upcoming extreme sports documentary Risking Life. This film will feature people from around the world who participate in extreme sports. It is due for general release in January 2006.

I've had several people ask me what the team members are paddling: Brad Ludden - Dagger Crazy 88 Steve Fisher - Riot Boogie and Modified low rocker Turbo 52 Dan Campbell - Dragorossi Squashtail Corran Addison - Dragorossi Squashtail Rusty Sage - Wave Sport Flyer Mirco Garoscio - Dragorossi Squashtail Diego Valescchi - Dragorossi Fish Obviously some very different styles out there in the group (that was the idea), so the footage should be good, but the most common boat of choice is definately the Squashtail because of its unique combination of surfboard style wave handling and freestyle kayak type aerial tricks.

Imagine Media has produced several films of this nature over the years, including the acclaimed End Game, which has been hailed by many as the definitive exploration of whitewater kayaking, and the people who do it. End Game was shown in cinemas on five continents, and excerpts have been televised worldwide. Risking Life is slated to be an even grander production. For more information about the Pororoca project, click here: Risking Life, or contact Corran Addison at email or call Imagine Media at (514) 768 4237.