Surfer riding a wave in Nazaré, Portugal
© Rui Caria/Getty Images
International Surfing Day - Where there's a will, there's a wave
Let's hit the waves for International Surfing Day! This event both celebrates the sport and promotes protecting the ocean for wildlife and surfers alike. Surfing has a long history; around 5,000 years ago in Peru, people used reed watercraft to surf the waves when they were out fishing. Polynesians are believed to have brought their version of surfing to Hawaii, where modern surfing was born. Here, people started to stand on their boards and to surf for fun. Historians believe that surfing made its way to the US in 1885, when three teenage Hawaiian princes surfed on redwood boards while on a break from boarding school in California.
Today's image shows an intrepid surfer riding a wave at Nazaré, Portugal. This town on the Atlantic coast is known for its giant waves, which can reach over 100 feet in height. Thanks to these impressive breakers, several surf records have been broken here, including the biggest wave ever surfed—an incredible 86 feet. So, wax down your surfboards and go out and catch some waves!