J.O.B. Just Tried to Shortboard a Tidal Bore in Alaska—Here’s What Happened
If you thought Alaska was only for grizzlies and glacier selfies, Jamie O’Brien just dropped a reminder that the Last Frontier also serves up one of the longest rides on planet Earth. On his latest YouTube drop, the Pipe specialist waxed up a tiny twin-fin and paddled into the famed Turnagain Arm tidal bore, chasing the mythical 20-minute wave.
"We got the shortboard out today," JOB grinned at the camera. "Instead of the usual soft-top, we’re going full send on a twin made for weird little runners." Translation: he swapped cushion for carving and hoped the river would cooperate. Spoiler—keeping speed on a shin-high shoulder that travels farther than your daily commute is harder than it looks.
Jamie’s only previous tidal-bore shortboard attempt came in China on a wave four times the size, so expectations were mixed with a healthy dose of "please-let-me-stay-on." The clip strings together POV rail grabs, drone shots of chocolate-brown water stretching to the mountains, and the inevitable paddle-of-shame when the wave outruns even his cardio. Still, when he links a few clean turns, it’s proof that curiosity—and a tiny board—can turn a chilly rip into a canvas.
Check the full ride over at The Inertia and decide if you’d trade boardshorts for booties on your next strike mission.