Jojo Roper’s Relentless Chase of Big Waves: From Hawaii to Maverick’s
“It feels like it was yesterday,” said Jojo Roper, reflecting on one of the largest swells he and other Maverick’s veterans had ever encountered. Although the moment occurred nearly six months ago, the events of December 2024 remain vivid for the San Diego surfer. That month tested Roper physically and mentally, likely exhausting his adrenal system, but it also became one of the most unforgettable experiences of his life.
all tired, I’d just be wishing I was there.”
This wasn’t the first time Roper
Roper had spent several days surfing clean, powerful waves at Jaws in Maui before heading to Oahu for his debut at the legendary Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay. It was his first invitation to the iconic contest, and the waves were consistently massive all day. The sheer magnitude of the event left him feeling fulfilled.
“I was so content and so stoked after the Eddie that I wondered if I even needed to go to Maverick’s,” Roper admitted. “My cup was full.”
But true to his nature, Roper had already made preparations for what was next. Before leaving for Hawaii, he had driven his jet ski and gear up to Half Moon Bay, ensuring everything was in place if the mainland swell lined up. After finishing the Eddie, he boarded a late-night flight back to California, tracking the same massive swell that had pounded Hawaii.
“I just realized, this could be the craziest Maverick’s ever,” he said. “If I woke up in Hawaii the next day all tired, I’d just be wishing I was there.”
This wasn’t Roper’s first time chasing waves with little rest. Back in March 2024, he managed to surf Maverick’s within a day of flying from Fiji to Los Angeles, driving to San Diego, taking another flight to San Francisco, and catching some sleep-deprived barrels. That performance earned him the Men’s Paddle Award at the 2024 Big Wave Challenge.
“I just can’t miss big waves,” he laughed. “I’ve somehow become that guy who chases swells and doesn’t sleep.”
On the morning of December 23, 2024, still groggy from a sleepless night, Roper teamed up with John Mel on a jet ski, heading to Maverick’s via Blackhand Reef. What they found was something entirely new — waves breaking far outside their usual zones, whitewater appearing where it never had before.
“I remember getting two waves, then heading back out on the rope and going, ‘Holy shit, that wave was huge,’” Roper recalled. “It was like Maverick’s had shifted offshore into this other dimension.”
He started the day towing John Mel into waves, then paired up with Peter Mel in the afternoon. One of the biggest waves Roper caught that day — now submitted to the 2025 Big Wave Challenge — was his third or fourth ride. It was a towering monster that exploded behind him and impressed even other seasoned tow teams watching nearby. At first glance, the footage looked unreal. “I texted Frank, ‘Is this photoshopped?’ I thought he was messing with us,” Roper said.
According to Roper, the most intense waves — including ones ridden by surfer Alo Slebir — all happened within the same short window. With a long-period swell pulsing every 25 seconds, the ocean would calm briefly before erupting again with ferocity.
“I felt like you could call it a winter after that,” Roper said. “But it had only just begun.”
Despite his relentless pursuit of waves, Roper remains grounded in his roots. He recently signed with Quiksilver but still works at his family’s surfboard repair business in San Diego — Joe Roper’s Surfboard Repair — which is nearing its 50th anniversary.
“I pretty much live in the shop unless there’s a swell,” he said. “This is our family business, and it’s my business too. No matter how much money I’m making surfing, I’m still going to be here, running things.”
At the moment, things are quiet, so surfers needing board repairs in San Diego can likely find Roper at the shop. But if another low-pressure system lights up the swell maps, don’t be surprised if he’s already chasing the next giant wave on a red-eye flight.
As for December 23rd at Maverick’s? Some are calling it the biggest day in the break’s history. And Jojo Roper, unsurprisingly, was right in the heart of it.