Qiantang River, China: surfing the world’s largest tidal bore
The Qiantang River in China is home to the world’s largest tidal bore. It is also the spiritual crib of the country’s first wave riders.
Surfers may know Brazil’s Pororoca better, but it’s in Asia that you can find the queen of all tidal bores.
The 285-mile (450-kilometer) river runs through the Zhejiang province until it reaches the East China Sea in Hangzhou Bay.
Hangzhou Bay is a 60-mile (100-kilometer) wide shallow and muddy inlet sided by two megalopolis, Shanghai and Ningbo.
The “Silver Dragon,” as it is known locally, refers to the infamous phenomenon that has been simultaneously feared and attracted local populations and foreign visitors.
The planet’s biggest tidal bore is one of Nature’s most impressive spectacles.
As 30-foot (9-meter) tides get compressed at the trumpet-shaped Qiantang River mouth, waves of up to 20 feet (six meters) “feel” the undulating bottom and travel up the river at speeds exceeding 25 miles per hour (40 kilometers per hour).
Technically, a ride into China’s ruthless tidal bore could get you surfing a wave for 90 minutes or 30 miles (50 kilometers).
A Dangerous Spectacle
Thousands of spectators stand on the riverside to watch the “Silver Dragon” pass by on special days when the roaring tide forces are at their strongest.
Wave can be seen from a long distance.
The largest tidal bore takes place on the eighteenth day of the eighth month of the Chinese lunar calendar between 11:45 a.m. and 14:15 p.m.
The best city to watch Qiantang River’s “Silver Dragon” is Haining, a city near Hangzhou. While there, choose between three locations: Haitang, Babao, or Lao Yan Cang.
Many bystanders have lost their lives watching the show, swept and dragged by the powerful waves.
Throughout the years, authorities have increasingly forbidden access to the surfing arena, with heavy fines imposed on those trying to ride waves.
History of Surfing in Qiantang River
Believe it or not, wave-riding in China’s Qiantang River dates back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279).
The surprising facts were revealed by Italian surfer, Mandarin interpreter, and author Nik Zanella in his research on ancient Chinese texts and poems.
The surf-like activity was part of a ritual to honor the “God of the Tide,” or the “Dragon King,” during the mid-autumn festival.
The “Children of the Tide,” skilled watermen from the Wu region, would surf the massive tidal bore on the Qiantang River for both religious purposes and the entertainment of the emperor.
They would perform tricks and “dance” on the waves, leaving spectators in awe.
However, wave-riding was gradually banned due to its perceived recklessness, and the fortification of the riverbanks made the activity more dangerous, leading to its decline.
The surfers of that time rode waves using various methods, including bodysurfing, pieces of wood, canoes, and even sailboats.
While this early form of surfing faded into obscurity, local fishermen continued the practice in secret.
In his book titled “Children of the Tide,” Zanella traces the lost historic ritual by deciphering ancient Chinese literature and artwork, including depictions of surfing Buddhas and poems about the Children of the Tide.
Nik states that while the Polynesians and Peruvians may have surfed earlier, the Chinese were the first to document it in writing.
Actually, the oldest known tide table dates from 1056 and is for China’s Qiantang River.
A Wonder of the World
In contemporary history, British surfer Stuart Matthews was the first to ride the “Silver Dragon” in 1988.
At the time, the physical education teacher surfed the Chinese river wave for 11 seconds, a ride that was shortened because one of the support boats capsized.
“I first saw the [Qiantang River] bore in 1984; I just thought, ‘Why isn’t this one of the Wonders of the World?'” Mathews once recalled.
“And when I went back in 1988 when the tides were much bigger – the biggest in 400 years – and surfed it twice, it was like if I was privileged.”
“It was one of these concepts you couldn’t imagine – a three-mile wide river with a 20-25-foot wave coming up. You know, it’s not a religious feeling, but I suppose if I was a Buddhist, I’d think it was.”
“It was one of those moments in your life you think, ‘Things are different from this moment onward.'”
The “Silver Dragon” Shoot-Out
In 2012, the inaugural Qiantang Shoot-Out put surfers competing in a tidal bore for the first time in a team competition format.
The conditions were spot-on, and athletes made the most of it.
Team members alternately drop off, either by tow-in or stepping off and moving off the wave face to await the end of their mates’ ride.
At that point, they switch positions and are dropped into the next opportunity.
The contest venue has several wave faces. Teams take turns down the river as faces appear. The first priority is determined by a coin toss.
Obvious hopping, interference, or wakes on the wave face result in a “no score” for that section and possible deduction for flagrant or dangerous behavior.
With tons of sand moving down the river all year, a riverbed that is constantly changing, and different currents and tides generating different sand bars and channels constantly, the challenge is enormous.
Lastly, there’s the ever-curving “dragon” shape of the river course, making it harder for surfers to maneuver on workable wave faces.
The window opportunity is short – just a few days – and the number of rideable waves is limited.
But when drop and take-off gets done, it’s the ride of a lifetime. Truly, a natural Wonder of the World.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com
