Dollar caught a 61-foot wave last December at Cortes Bank -- a shallow island 100 miles west of San Diego and part of the Channel Islands.
Dollar, who is a regular at Mavericks, said he was scared, but once he started paddling, there was no turning back.
It's more difficult to catch big waves by paddling than with the help of jet skis.
It ended up being the biggest wave anyone in the world rode last year.
