Waves are the most representative exponent of the sea, its most plastic part, captured by writers, artists, and photographers. Difficult for scientists to understand due to their complexity. Feared by sailors due to their power. And appreciated by surfers for the same reason. There are many theories about the “rhythm of waves” when they break on our shores. Scientifically, it is not easy to explain why waves arrive in groups or series, although the most widely held theory is that of Tony Butt, a guru in the study of wave physics and surf science, who has described that the waves observed on a good day at the beach typically arrive in series of 12 to 16 waves.

In these series, as is often the case in group physics, the largest wave tends to be in the center, a crucial fact when you are sitting in the lineup and see a set of waves approaching on the horizon. The first wave in the group is very small, the next is larger, and so on until the largest one is reached in the middle of the series. So, if there are 14 waves on average in a series, the seventh wave is the largest. They then become increasingly smaller, eventually returning to a calm state. This could be the possible basis for the popular saying that waves come in series of 7, as we ignore the waves that are diminishing and focus only on those that are growing.

At 7 Olatu, however, we have chosen to create our own theory, a metaphor about the spirit of overcoming that connects very well with our Basque culture, which goes like this:

“In ancient times, a lamia wove the sea that bathes the Basque coast with threads of her own golden hair, giving each seventh wave a fragment of a unique energy: her spirit. This wave was in fact a portal, a connection between the human world and the deepest secrets of the ocean. Since then, intrepid and dreamy surfers strive to find and ride the mythical seventh Basque wave. To achieve this, you must paddle with determination, feeling how each wave pushes you towards your destiny. The first six waves will be strong, each one more challenging than the last, but if you remain steadfast, you will know that the true test is yet to come. So, when the seventh emerges on the horizon, majestic and fearsome, you must launch yourself towards it and ride its crest. Those who succeed discover that the seventh wave requires not only physical power, but also a pure soul and a brave heart. Only then is it possible to feel that indescribable connection with the wave, as if the lamia herself were guiding you, whispering the deepest secrets of the sea. Because the seventh wave isn’t just a bigger and more powerful wave; it’s a symbol of harmony and respect for nature. It represents the perfect balance between man and the sea, a reminder that, like the wave, life follows cycles and that every end is a new beginning”.

Regardless of this, what is truly important is knowing how to “read the waves.” There are waves to the right and to the left, some fast, others large, and this reading helps us detect the waves that are surfable so we can make “the escape.” That magical moment that occurs when we catch “the wave” with its characteristic energy and sound, and maintain balance, allowing us to experience those powerful sensations. That dance, as the natives of Polynesia define it, that creates a perfect symbiosis between surfer and wave in the that “I am you and you are me.”