hiya wa howa aswat

Maya Gabeira has survived the biggest wave of her surfing career. After leaving the Portuguese hospital, the Brazilian promises to return to Praia do Norte, Nazaré, in the next year.

Gabeira is happy to be alive and has reasons to believe Nazaré is the most dangerous wave in the planet. Her words say it all.

"I am very happy to be here. It's true, from the heart. For having another chance. Heaven would be super boring. It was too calm up above", jokes Gabeira.

"The conditions we faced are perhaps the toughest in the world. Not only for the wave out there, which can compare to Cortes Bank or Mavericks, but the thing is, in those places, the wave ends. Here, danger never ends and it can get worse because of the rocks and the close-outs".
"I took a big wave, and in the third or fourth bump I fell and broke the ankle. But I got to the surface well. Then came another wave. It was when I got a long time underwater and I didn't know where I was exactly. Then I felt something in my chest - my safety vest exploded - and went underwater again, too deep, with black vision," she recalls.

"No doubt, I'm alive because of my training. I have adapted to be four minutes without breathing. I take more time to enter an advanced stage of oxygen deficit. Being without vest is a problem. After taking two waves in the head without the vest, it is difficult to survive".

"It was worth it, I would do it again. It was not time for me to go. Next year, I'll be back".

"I'm going to Brazil for a week. In two months, I'll be in the water for the Hawaiian season," Maya Gabeira concludes.

Watch how Maya Gabeira almost lost her life at Praia do Norte, Nazaré, Portugal.