--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To acknowledge that the biggest wave in…" description: "\"To acknowledge that the biggest wave in the world might be a shore break off a little Portuguese town no one has ever heard of flies in the face of wha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/garrett-mcnamara-6371_acknowledge_to-acknowledge-that-the-biggest-wave-in_2277236.jpg" --- # To acknowledge that the biggest wave in the world might be… ![“To acknowledge that the biggest wave in the world might be a shore break off a little Portuguese town no one has ever heard of flies in the face of what passes for reason in the surf world.” quote by Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/garrett-mcnamara-6371_acknowledge_to-acknowledge-that-the-biggest-wave-in_2277236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/garrett-mcnamara-6371_acknowledge_to-acknowledge-that-the-biggest-wave-in_2277236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/garrett-mcnamara-6371_acknowledge_to-acknowledge-that-the-biggest-wave-in_2277236.jpg) > “To acknowledge that the biggest wave in the world might be a shore break off a little Portuguese town no one has ever heard of flies in the face of what passes for reason in the surf world.” [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing obscure surf spots challenges mainstream assumptions about what constitutes a valid wave. **In simple terms:** Unusual surf spots defy expectations. Key Takeaway Explore beyond popular surf locations. Themes surf culture exploration challenge norms Mood adventurous curious Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - travel planning - surf trip - local community engagement - environmental awareness Key Concepts geography local knowledge wave dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What drives you to seek hidden surf breaks? - How do locals view outsider surfers? A Different Perspective Not all unknown spots are safe or accessible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [River](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Most of what Hawaii has to offer is no secret. Pipeline is probably the most famous wave in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-slater/most-of-what-hawaii-has-to-offer-is-no-secret-pipeline-is-probably/) [Kelly Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-slater/) > [I'm burning bridges shore to shore, I break away from something more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-roux/i-m-burning-bridges-shore-to-shore-i-break-away-from-something-more/) [La Roux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-roux/) > [That first plunge under the shore break on a chilly fall morning. It forces a sound out of one's body that is kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-boyd/that-first-plunge-under-the-shore-break-on-a-chilly-fall-morning-it/) [Brandon Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-boyd/) > [“The short story can be hot and sweet or hot and fierce. You get it in one sitting or you don’t get it. It’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-vaughn/the-short-story-can-be-hot-and-sweet-or-hot-and-fierce-you-get-it-in/) Stephanie Vaughn > [For long you live and high you fly But only if you ride the tide And balanced on the biggest wave You race towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pink-floyd/for-long-you-live-and-high-you-fly-but-only-if-you-ride-the-tide-and/) [Pink Floyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pink-floyd/) > [“Imagine all the people you meet in your life. There are so many. They come in like waves, trickling in and out with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/imagine-all-the-people-you-meet-in-your-life-there-are-so-many-they/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [“Even the biggest wave crashes. You're about to hit the sand. I hope you like the taste of dust.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-shen/even-the-biggest-wave-crashes-you-re-about-to-hit-the-sand-i-hope-you/) [L.J. Shen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-shen/) > [When we pray, we must begin by conceiving God in full and vigorous images, but we must go on to acknowledge the inadequacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-farrer/when-we-pray-we-must-begin-by-conceiving-god-in-full-and-vigorous/) [Austin Farrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-farrer/) > [We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage in, but the whole point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-raising-children-is-not-some/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) > [You can't go into games with any fear. You can acknowledge a good team but you can't go in worrying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/you-can-t-go-into-games-with-any-fear-you-can-acknowledge-a-good-team/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/on-thanksgiving-day-we-acknowledge-our-dependence/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source. Instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-way-to-ease-our-fear-and-be-truly-happy-is-to-acknowledge/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. It acknowledges the reality that the evil we observe in the world is also present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-m-a-christian-because-christianity-names-and-addresses-sin-it/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III ## More by Garrett McNamara > [I used to not care if I died, but once I married and had children and became part of a big surfing community, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/i-used-to-not-care-if-i-died-but-once-i-married-and-had-children-and/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [I don't wanna say I'm growing up, but I definitely feel content.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/i-don-t-wanna-say-i-m-growing-up-but-i-definitely-feel-content/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [I broke ribs three different times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/i-broke-ribs-three-different-times/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [The surfers' code is that you surf your wave and let the world discuss it as you move on to the next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/the-surfers-code-is-that-you-surf-your-wave-and-let-the-world-discuss/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [Fear is when we're thinking about the past or thinking about the future, two things that do not exist. If we stay in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/fear-is-when-we-re-thinking-about-the-past-or-thinking-about-the/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [I love being underwater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/i-love-being-underwater/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [I lose my mind if I miss a swell that I want to be on and I have the ability to be on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/i-lose-my-mind-if-i-miss-a-swell-that-i-want-to-be-on-and-i-have-the/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [The ocean is my church and my playground, and it's where I love to be. It's where I belong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/the-ocean-is-my-church-and-my-playground-and-it-s-where-i-love-to-be/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [There's giant waves in numerous occasions around the world, it's a matter of the wind being offshore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/there-s-giant-waves-in-numerous-occasions-around-the-world-it-s-a/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [The first time I tried surfing, we went out in front of Cement City and I just remember falling in love. It just instantly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/the-first-time-i-tried-surfing-we-went-out-in-front-of-cement-city/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [I have two settings: full speed and stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/i-have-two-settings-full-speed-and-stop/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [I lived for big waves. It's where I felt comfortable and I could surf with ease. With smaller waves, it didn't feel as natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/i-lived-for-big-waves-it-s-where-i-felt-comfortable-and-i-could-surf/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [It never happens in Europe, and I'm not sure how often it happens here in Australia, but in Hawaii and all over the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/it-never-happens-in-europe-and-i-m-not-sure-how-often-it-happens-here/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [Usually, I lead with my heart and feel my way through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/usually-i-lead-with-my-heart-and-feel-my-way-through/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) > [I had gotten too comfortable. I was desensitized whenever I got in the water. I started riding big waves for that rush, but now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/i-had-gotten-too-comfortable-i-was-desensitized-whenever-i-got-in-the/) [Garrett McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) [Explore all 99 Garrett McNamara quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/) ## More Acknowledge quotes > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I'm a Christian because Christianity names and addresses sin. It acknowledges the reality that the evil we observe in the world is also present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/i-m-a-christian-because-christianity-names-and-addresses-sin-it/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source. Instead of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-way-to-ease-our-fear-and-be-truly-happy-is-to-acknowledge/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/on-thanksgiving-day-we-acknowledge-our-dependence/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [You can't go into games with any fear. You can acknowledge a good team but you can't go in worrying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/you-can-t-go-into-games-with-any-fear-you-can-acknowledge-a-good-team/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [Conservative feminism is such an artificial term that doesn't mean much to me. For me conservatism means accepting reality. I acknowledge that there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristina-schroder/conservative-feminism-is-such-an-artificial-term-that-doesn-t-mean/) [Kristina Schroder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristina-schroder/) > [We must acknowledge that bearing and raising children is not some pesky, peripheral activity that we engage in, but the whole point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-maushart/we-must-acknowledge-that-bearing-and-raising-children-is-not-some/) [Susan Maushart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-maushart/) > [When we pray, we must begin by conceiving God in full and vigorous images, but we must go on to acknowledge the inadequacy of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-farrer/when-we-pray-we-must-begin-by-conceiving-god-in-full-and-vigorous/) [Austin Farrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-farrer/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. We could almost say that being willing to be a fool is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/acknowledging-foolishness-is-a-very-powerful-and-important-experience/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Actually, when I look at my old notebooks, I think I have been a bit self-indulgent and have given myself too much time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-goldberg/actually-when-i-look-at-my-old-notebooks-i-think-i-have-been-a-bit/) [Natalie Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-goldberg/) > [I would like, then, to end by putting in a good word for the non-industrious poor. At least they aren’t hurting anyone. Insofar as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graeber/i-would-like-then-to-end-by-putting-in-a-good-word-for-the-non/) [David Graeber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graeber/) > [No one seriously doubts Socrates' maxim: The unexamined life isn't worth living. Self-assessment and attempts at self-improvement are essential aspects of "the good life."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/no-one-seriously-doubts-socrates-maxim-the-unexamined-life-isn-t/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [As objects of contemplation, images of the atrocious can answer to several different needs. To steel oneself against weakness. To make oneself more numb.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/as-objects-of-contemplation-images-of-the-atrocious-can-answer-to/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [It is in the measure that special methods acknowledge their common core in transcendental method, that norms common to all the sciences will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-lonergan/it-is-in-the-measure-that-special-methods-acknowledge-their-common/) [Bernard Lonergan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-lonergan/) > [I can hear of the brilliant accomplishments of any of my sex with pleasure and rejoice in that liberality of sentiment which acknowledges them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-adams/i-can-hear-of-the-brilliant-accomplishments-of-any-of-my-sex-with/) [Abigail Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-adams/) Browse all 1,475 Acknowledge quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To acknowledge that the biggest wave in the world might be a shore break off a little Portuguese town no one has ever heard of flies in the face of what passes for reason in the surf world.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Garrett McNamara" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/to-acknowledge-that-the-biggest-wave-in-the-world-might-be-a-shore/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acknowledge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/to-acknowledge-that-the-biggest-wave-in-the-world-might-be-a-shore/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/garrett-mcnamara-6371_acknowledge_to-acknowledge-that-the-biggest-wave-in_2277236.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/garrett-mcnamara-6371_acknowledge_to-acknowledge-that-the-biggest-wave-in_2277236.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/86d/garrett-mcnamara-6371_acknowledge_to-acknowledge-that-the-biggest-wave-in_2277236.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To acknowledge that the biggest wave in the world might be a shore break off a little Portuguese town no one…” — Garrett McNamara", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Garrett McNamara", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-mcnamara/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To acknowledge that the biggest wave...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/to-acknowledge-that-the-biggest-wave-in-the-world-might-be-a-shore/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-mcnamara/to-acknowledge-that-the-biggest-wave-in-the-world-might-be-a-shore/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```