Peter Mel is a professional surfer based in Santa Cruz, California.

While he is an accomplished all-around surfer who has competed in surfing contests all over the world, Peter is best-known as one of California's premier big-wave riders.

Peter achieved fame in the mid 1990s as among the first to ride Maverick's, California’s biggest wave. At Maverick’s on October 28, 1999, Peter rode the biggest wave ever ridden on the West Coast.

In addition to surfing at Maverick's, Peter likes to surf the big waves of Hawaii. Each winter, Peter competes in the Vans Triple Crown Of Surfing held on Oahu’s North Shore.

When he is not surfing, Peter shapes surf boards at Freeline Surf Shop, his family's Santa Cruz surf shop that his dad opened in 1969, the year Peter was born.