Cue The Avalanche Of Water: 100 Foot Wave Emmy Winner Surfs In Season 2 – Deadline FYC House + HBO Max

There are few people on earth who can burn colossal fires like the legendary Garrett McNamara. And even fewer share his ability to put the experience into words.

“It’s like you get in a race car, there’s an avalanche coming up behind you, and you’re driving as fast as you can on a muddy road,” Garrett explained during an appearance on HBO Doc Panel: 100 Foot Wave , part of the Deadline for FYC House + HBO Max Screening and Panel Series. “That avalanche – you mock it, for lack of a better word, by staying right under the avalanche and letting it engulf you.”

Season 2 of the Emmy-winning series premieres Sunday night on HBO, with Garrett and his wife Nicole returning, along with many of the world’s top big wave surfers chasing the adrenaline rush of a giant wall of water. Much of the action again takes place in Nazaré, Portugal, which has helped McNamara get on the map as the place with arguably the biggest waves on earth.

“We had faith in the idea that there was a lot more to do,” director and executive producer Chris Smith said of returning for a second season. “We’re only as good as the people we let into their lives… They’re incredibly open with us and I think that’s what makes it so special.”

Season 1 was all about McNamara’s quest to surf the biggest wave in history. In Season 2, he plays more of a supporting role for others who want to do the same.

“I’ve achieved almost all of my goals and dreams, so I just want to help everyone around me achieve theirs,” McNamara said. “Finally I got patient and didn’t have to surf every wave.”

In Season 2, Garrett and Nicole welcome their third child, daughter Fe (pronounced “fay”; the Portuguese word for faith). Nicole literally gives birth in front of the camera.

“I’m actually a very private person,” Nicole said, but noted that she still had “absolutely no hesitation” about allowing cameras around her for this intimate moment. “Since my goal was to start season 1, if I was going to do it, I would definitely do it. I didn’t want to half Do it. …I just had to tell myself I was going to completely ignore the camera and do what I would normally do and not change anything I would say or do.

This philosophy extended to the sharing of open human moments between woman and man.

“Sometimes it frustrates Garrett because he’s like, ‘Don’t be so mad at me on camera.’ I say, ‘You asked me to document my life. So I’m going to keep it real,'” she said to the amusement of the audience. Garrett joked about how he felt at the time, “Don’t let the real see it! ”

Tony and Emmy winner Joe Lewis (flea bag) is one of the executive producers of the series. He is attached Wave of 100 feet through a family connection.

“Nicole is my wife’s second cousin. And a few years ago they just asked my advice “to do a documentary series,” he said. “You asked me to join you. I was lucky enough to know Chris and asked him if he liked to surf. Turns out he didn’t, but it worked out anyway. I just follow my curiosity and love great artists. And like Garrett, I enjoy helping people achieve things. I like to bring good things into the world.”

Smith agreed: “For the record, I love surfing now.”

Smith’s credits include the documentary series Bad veganthe documentation Fireworks about the ill-fated music festival and executive producer of the documentaries King of the Tigers. None of these projects necessarily do justice to humanity.

“I’ve spent several years trying to make certain things seem almost more negative,” Smith said. “Since doing this program, I feel like I’ve done more positive things. They both have their place, but it was really nice to live in this place because you spend so much time on these projects and I never get tired of visiting these people and this city [Nazaré] and those waves.”

As for the possibility of a third season, Smith says he’s ready.

“We’ll see,” he said, adding: “We’d love to. We leave while we can.”