I couldn't even comprehend paddling that far out into waves this big. Look what you have to go through - and if you get pummeled, you can't go anywhere because land is VERY far away.
...this time at Panga Drops: a deep water break about 500 yards off shore. Here's a photo of Steve getting close to the wave after about five solid minutes of paddling.
And here's Steve surfing a wave that hopefully explains why I nearly soiled my boardshorts when I found myself on the other side of it. Surfing East Coast waves that are 5 or 6 feet is no big deal. This, however, was a whole different animal.