Waveriders

Yesterday in Huntington Beach, California, the third annual multi-faith Blessing of the Waves event was held to honor the ocean and protest coastal pollution. Several thousand reportedly attended the event, in part to recognize a spiritual aspect of man's relationship to water, the coastline, and the surf. Whether it's massive rolling ocean waves, or standing waves in rivers, or wind-driven lakewater, people around the world find a way to get out and ride on belly boards, kiteboards, longboards, wakeboards and more. As summer rolls to a close, find here a collection of recent photographs of these waveriders around the world over the past several months. (41 photos total)

Former three-time Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Champion Andy Irons from Kauai, Hawaii rides the tube of a wave Friday Sept. 3, 2010. Irons captured his first ASP World Tour victory in three years defeating CJ Hobgood in the final. (AP Photo/ASP, Kirstin Scholtz)

Luke Davis of the US competes in his heat during the US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach, California on August 4, 2010. The event celebrates its 51st year beside the historic Huntington Pier which is considered the birthplace of California's surfing culture. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) #

Dane Reynolds, of Venture Beach, California, flies over a wave during his round 3 heat in the The Hurley Pro surfing competition in San Clemente, California. (AP Photo/ASP, Kirstin Scholtz) #

South African surfers take to the water in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the highest number of riders on a single wave at Muizenberg in Cape Town, September 26, 2010. (REUTERS/Mike Hutchings) #

Surfers ride a wave in the annual Earthwave event, where the participating surfers try to break the Guinness World Record for the number of surfers surfing a single wave on September 26, 2010 at the Muizemberg beach, Cape Town, South Africa. Unconfirmed reports are that 95 surfers simultaneously rode a wave together, not enough to break the record of 103, set the previous year, at the same beach. (RODGER BOSCH/AFP/Getty Images) #

An Israeli man kitesurfs in the Mediterranean sea at the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon September 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Amir Cohen) #

Mick Fanning, of Australia, competes in the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay surfing competition in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa on Thursday, July 15, 2010. (AP Photo/ASP, Kelly Cestari) #

Reverend Matt Munoz (center) heads to the surf with Reverend Christian Mondor (left) during the Blessing of the Waves ceremony at the pier in Huntington Beach, California on Sunday, Oct. 3,2010. Hundreds of Californians joined surfing priests and religious leaders from multiple faiths Sunday to honor the ocean and protest coastal pollution. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) #

A surfer rides a wave as a low pressure system creates large swell on the east coast of Australia at Bronte Beach on September 18, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. Swells of around 3 meters occurred off the coast of Sydney, causing hazardous conditions along parts of the East Coast. A new record was set off of Tasmania on September 16 with one wave reaching 18.4 meters, a new national record. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) #

Justine Dupont of France, carves into a wave during the U.S. Open of Surfing on Monday, Aug. 2, 2010, in Huntington Beach, California. (AP Photo/Adam Lau) #

Surfers ride waves in the water off of the Montauk lighthouse on September 3, 2010 in Montauk, New York. Much of the East Coast was preparing for Hurricane Earl, a category 2 storm with sustained winds of 105 miles per hour that passed by with little effect in September. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) #

Along the coast near Scituate, Massachusetts, a surfer rides a wave in the early morning on September 4th, 2010. (Boston Globe/David L Ryan) #

Belly boarders run into the surf at Chapel Porth in the first warm-up heat of the 2010 championship on September 5, 2010 in Cornwall, England. Over a hundred belly board surfers of all ages and all on traditional wooden belly boards, gathered for the annual belly board world championship charity event organized for the National Trust and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The event was started in 2002 as a celebration of how surfing began in Britain more than a century ago. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) #

Belly boarders in the over-60s heat pose on Chapel Porth beach for a photo ahead of the first heat in the 2010 championship on September 5, 2010 in Newquay, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) #

A longboard surfer from the Association of Surfing Professionals Relentless Boardmasters 5 Star Event surfs on Fistral beach on August 5, 2010 in Newquay, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) #

Luke Munro of Australia rides a wave during his Round 2 heat in the Quiksiilber Pro surfing competition Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010, in Hossegor, France. (AP Photo/ASP, Kelly Cestari) #

Surfer Kekoa Bacalso paddles through the pier as he competes in his heat during the US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach, California on August 4, 2010. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) #

Jeremy Flores of France placed second behind heat winner Bobby Martinez of the United States at the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay surfing championships on Thursday, July 15, 2010 in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa. (AP Photo/ASP International, Kirstin Scholtz) #

A surfer jumps into the Isar river with his board on July 28, 2010 in Munich, Germany. After heavy rainfall the Isar river carries plenty of water and forms a stationary wave. (Miguel Villagran/Getty Images) #

A windsurfer competes during the Cold Hawaii PWA World Cup, a gathering 48 of the best windsurfers in the world, on September 15, 2010, in Klitmoeller, North-western Denmark. (HENNING BAGGER/AFP/Getty Images) #

Joel Tudor rides the nose in the Pacifico Nose Riding Invitational semi final during the Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing on August 7, 2010 in Huntington Beach, California. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images) #

A surf dog prepares to ride a wave to the beach during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 19, 2010. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) #

Surfer dog Abbie - an Australian Kelpie cross - rides to the beach during the annual Surf City Surf Dog competition at Huntington Beach in California on September 19, 2010. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) #

Cory Lopez executes an off the lip maneuver during the Hurley U.S. Open of Surfing on August 7, 2010 in Huntington Beach, California. (Jeff Gross/Getty Images) #

United States' Courtney Conlogue, the defending champion, exits the beach after being knocked out of the this year's U.S. Open of Surfing contest Monday, Aug. 2, 2010, in Huntington Beach, California. (AP Photo/Adam Lau) #

Antonio Bortoletto from South Africa competes in the Association of Surfing Professionals Relentless Boardmasters 5 Star Event on Fistral beach on August 5, 2010 in Newquay, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) #

Surfer Daniel McGillis rides a wave in rough surf off Belmar, New Jersey on Friday, Sept. 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Mel Evans) #

Surfers brave high winds and rain to speed on the waves of lake Ammersee near Herrsching, southern Germany, on Monday, Aug. 30, 2010. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) #

Justine Dupont, 18, placed equal 3rd for the second consecutive time at the Roxy ASP Women's World Longboard Surfing Championships in La Cote des Basques, Biarritz, France on Sunday, July 11, 2010. (AP Photo/ASP International) #

A surfer hangs onto his board while trying to paddle out in rough surf churned up by distant Hurricane Earl on September 3, 2010 in Montauk, New York. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images) #

Adriano De Souza of Brazil competes in the Billabong Pro Tahiti on Monday, Aug. 30, 2010, at Teahupo'o, Tahiti, winning his round 1 heat. De Souza defeated Timmy Reyes and Roy Powers. (AP Photo/ASP International, Kirstin Scholtz) #

A surfer waits for waves in the sea near Arpoador beach in Rio de Janeiro August 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Sergio Moraes) #

Meghan Fink, 14, rides a wave while Will Skudin shouts instruction and encouragement from the back of the board in Long Beach, New York on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010. Fink is a camper at Camp Abilities, a sports camp for visually impaired or blind children. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) #

Vincent Duvignac from France competes in the Association of Surfing Professionals Relentless Boardmasters 5 Star Event on Fistral beach on August 5, 2010 in Newquay, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) #

A surfer rides a wave along Indian Beach Friday, July 30, 2010, at Ecola State Park, near Cannon Beach, Oregon. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) #

The Minneapolis skyline rises in the background as Chase Hazen of Discovery Bay, California, practices in the surf division during the World Wakesurfing Championships on the Mississippi River as part of the part of the Aquatennial Festival, Thursday, July 22, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wakesurfers start with the aid of a tow rope which they release from and surf a boat's wake. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) #

Francisca Santos of Portugal surfs during the women's heats at the U.S. Open of Surfing on Monday, Aug. 2, 2010, in Huntington Beach, California. (AP Photo/Adam Lau) #

Surfers ride the waves on the Ice channel in the English Garden in Munich, southern Germany, on Thursday, July 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) #

Evan Geiselman of the US does an aerial as he competes beside the pier during the men's third round heats of the US Open of Surfing at Huntington Beach, California on August 5, 2010. (MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images) #

Andy Irons of Hawaii places 9th overall at the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay Saturday, July 17, 2010. (AP Photo/ASP, Kirston Scholtz) #

A surfer enters the waters off Long Beach, New York on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010. (AP Photo/David Goldman) #