Surf's up: Alaskan bore tide a surfer's delight

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (WABC) -- It's called a bore tide but it's far from boring for surf enthusiasts in and around Alaska's Turnagain Arm, just outside of Anchorage.

The Turnagain Arm is a waterway in the upper reaches of the Gulf of Alaska, and it's bore tide wave is one of the world's largest and the only one that occurs in the far northern reaches of the Earth. The bore tide phenomenon occurs when a rush of seawater enters a shallow inlet following a period of extreme low tide created by a full moon.

The wave can average 6 to 10 feet in height, reach speeds of 10 to 15 miles per hour, and ripple along for miles luring anyone bold enough to grab a wet suit and surf it.