July 24th signalled the beginning of the five-week waiting period of the Red Bull Big Wave Africa 2008 in Hout Bay, Cape Town, and the big wave event is off to a roaring start.

With Amber Alert seriously tickling surfers around the world, this weekend might already see the world's best big-wave surfers off into the the Big Wave mayhem dubbed Dungeons.

For the next 5 weeks, Hout Bay will house 24 of the best big-wave surfers in the world who will patiently await the big-wave beast that is Dungeons, to come alive for the event.

The window period closes on the 31 August, providing enough time for a swell of the required height, to rumble over the Dungeons reef and start the 2008  Red Bull Big Wave Africa.

Invited big wave surfers have already started arriving in Cape Town, and a few big surfboards have been spotted at the Cape Town International Airport.

Greg Long (USA), Anthony Tashnick (USA) and Dungeons first timer Tyler Smith (USA) are already in the Mother City, and Grant Washburn (USA) and Mark Healey (HAW) arrived yesterday, along with the Durban big-wave riding triumvirate of Grant Baker, Jason Ribbink and John Whittle.

Red Bull Big Wave Africa Co-contest directors Gary Linden (USA) and Johnny Parma (SA) are also present and accounted for in Cape Town.

Their time of arrival couldn’t be better it is set to coincide with a giant swell on Friday that will definitely see surfers out at Dungeons to ride some of the biggest waves on the African continent.

Spike, the official Big Wave event surf forecaster and South African surf weather expert, is tracking the swell modules for Friday, with conditions looking great for a practice session.

All of the 24 big wave surfers which have been invited to participate are considered to be the best in their field and have competed in big wave events all around the world.

Red Bull Big Wave Africa is the second longest running big-wave event in the world behind the Quicksilver Big Wave Invitational event at Waimea Bay in Hawaii.

The Big Wave contest has run three times in the last 9 years, in 2000 the contest was won by Sean Holmes(SA), followed by Greg Long(USA) in 2003, and John Whittle(SA) taking the honours in 2006.

Prizes for the contest this year are:

• First Prize is a cheque for R100, 000

• Sensi Threads Biggest Wave Award valued at R30, 000

• Billabong Biggest Tube Award - R10, 000

• Von Zipper Deep Throat Award - R5, 000

• DaKine Ikaika Award of R5, 000

• Good rewards for going for it

Molo says: “If you want up to date news on surf events taking place in and around Cape Town & the Western Cape, remember to subscribe to our free and popular monthly Editor’s Picks Newsletter.”