From towering 73-foot walls of water in Portugal to the enigmatic 'square waves' of the Aegean, the world's oceans are no strangers to strange and baffling phenomena. Yet a newly highlighted discovery off the coast of Australia might just be the most unusual spectacle of them all, leaving even seasoned scientists scratching their heads.
The Discovery of 'The Thing'
Surfers exploring a secret and undisclosed location somewhere off the Australian coastline have stumbled upon a wave so bizarre it has been dubbed 'the wave that shouldn't exist'. Aerial footage of the phenomenon shows water approaching from four distinct angles in the open ocean before colliding explosively in the centre, creating a chaotic and powerful pillar of water.
The man behind the discovery, Chris Whitey, first encountered this natural oddity over a decade ago. He described spotting waves swirling from every direction, meeting and breaking into a huge column stretching more than 40 metres into the sky. "The very first time I ever laid eyes on it, I wasn't filming, I just had my still camera. We just randomly ended up there," he explained in a video.
Returning to the site ten years later with friend Ben Allen, Whitey was stunned to find the wave still performing its impossible dance. On Instagram, he marvelled: "25+ years hunting the wildest slabs on Earth — and then we found THE THING. Impossible shape. Impossible power. 100% real."
Science Struggles to Explain
Baffled by what they had witnessed, the surfers sought an expert opinion. They took their footage to Dr Arnold Van Rooijen, a coastal engineering expert at the University of Western Australia. After analysis, Dr Van Rooijen suggested the freak wave was likely the result of "a pretty unique combination of the geomorphology of the reefs and the symmetry of the water depths."
Initially, the expert theorised it would be a one-off event. However, as Ben Allen joked, the surfers had captured it happening repeatedly. "I'm pretty sure we captured it happening over and over and over again. He just didn't believe it – and he's meant to be one of the best oceanographers in Australia!" Allen said.
Public Reaction and Viral Sensation
The mind-bending footage has captivated thousands online, with viewers flocking to YouTube and Instagram to express their disbelief. Many initially suspected the video was generated by artificial intelligence. One user wrote, "I literally thought it was Ai, unbelievable piece of reef," while another quipped, "Because the ocean isn't scary enough, here's two random waves smacking each other in the middle of nowhere."
The uniquely Australian take on danger was also present, with one comment reading: "Australians: hey look another thing that can kill ya." Others were mesmerised by the mechanics, noting, "seeing the rock almost completely drain before two massive waves collide is insane."
This extraordinary wave discovery comes hot on the heels of another major ocean feat. British surfer Laura Crane, 30, from Devon, recently rode what could be the biggest wave ever attempted by a woman at the Nazaré Big Wave Challenge in Portugal. Guinness World Records are currently assessing her ride, which she believes surpasses the current women's record of a 73.5ft wave set by Maya Gabeira in 2020.
