The most dangerous waves in the world

Surfing in waves as tall as mountains is something for professionals. Because if you fall in these waves, you can end up with very bad injuries, some even fatal. Dangerous waves are created by an interaction of several criteria. They are usually at surf spots where the swell can build up and form over thousands of miles, and then unload on a shallow seabed that is often made of sharp coral reefs or rocks. Here, the wave breaks and forms a tube which surfers simply called it: "the tube". In such waves, the surfer tries to surf as long as possible in the tube and is completely or partially enclosed by the breaking wave. Mistakes inevitably lead to a fall in which the surfer runs the risk of pounding on shallow ground and injuring himself. In big waves, there is the additional risk of strong currents and long whiplashes, in which the surfer is rolled over by the white water and kept under water. Whoever paddles out at the surf spots below, should know absolutely what he does - otherwise the fun can be over very very quickly.

1st place: Southwest Australia: The Cyclops is the name of a wave that breaks only off the southwest coast of Australia. It is only accessible by boat and it is impossible to paddle the wave while lying down. Here only the most intrepid surfers can be pulled by jetski into 10 to 15 meter high crushers. A fall ends devastating, because you are thrown directly onto rocks. 2nd place: Tahiti: The wave of Teahupoo breaks over a shallow, razor-sharp coral reef. To get to the spot you either need to paddle for 20 minutes or take a boat taxi. The exceptional feature about this particular wave is the abruptly rising reef, which ensures that the wave becomes very extremely steep very fast while an enourmous amount of water is thrown forward. A fall on a ride on this monster will inevitably be punished with nasty cuts by sharp coral.

3rd place: Tasmania, Australia: On the Tasmanian coast, the powerful swells from the Arctic Sea meet various reef plates. Out of nowhere, a mighty mountain of water builds up, and the reef, which runs irregularly under the surface of the water, creates treacherous bumps and ripples on the wave's face, which are often enough to cause bad falls.

4th place: Cape Town, South Africa: The waves at Dungeons are cold and frightful and its high season is in the winter. Here you can break waves of over 65 feet in height. To top it all off, this spot receives lost of visits from Great White Sharks, making this surf spot even more extreme.

5th place: Oahu, Hawaii: A shallow lava reef off the North Shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu forms one of the most well-known and at the same time most dangerous waves of the world. Despite the presence of lifeguards, several surfers have already drowned, even the most experienced. The most recent of these notable victims was the professional surfer Nathan Fletcher, who in January 2009, broke his thigh and only survived with the help of lifeguards.