Pete Mel has long been a standout in big waves, and especially at Mavericks. Now his son John, also a gifted surfer, is stepping into the big wave realm. The father-son duo is definitely carrying the Mel torch at one of the most dangerous big-wave theaters in the world.
Last week at the Mavericks Awards, Pete Mel cleaned up, winning multiple awards after logging a big wave season for the ages where he was gifted one of the best barrels ever caught at Mavericks. But right on his heels was John, who was runner-up in a number of categories. It was an incredible year for the father-son duo. Here, we sat down with them to understand the headspace involved in pursuing the family tradition: riding gigantic waves.
Find the full results of the Mavericks Awards here.