Huge waves: have you seen or surfed them?

[bigfan]

Huge waves: have you seen or surfed them? The big wave season is coming soon to the North Shore in Hawai`i (late Nov-Dec) and I was wondering if anyone who reads this board has ever seen any of these waves when they are breaking or even attempted to surf them. If you have stories to tell or pictures to post please do!

[IdahoBoy]

Ok, I know a thing or two about big waves.

Unless you're a stud surfer, don't surf them when they're big. Big being > 5' to 6' faces. You can get a feel for the wave heights to avoid at this website: hawaiibeachsafety.org/about/matrix.asp

Hawaiian waves claim 2-5 good surfers every year and around 15 to 20-more victims from being overwhelmed in big waves. An additional ~30-people a year drown in calm, but still very powerful waters.


However, I encourage seeing them. Big waves rock your world, even from far away.

[pedro el leon]

You didn't put Nelscott Reef in Oregon in the poll, every year has the best surfers there. Some of the fastest waves in the world.

I've been to events at Mavericks, Nelscott and Pipeline

[bunnywailer]

WTF - Kahuku?

You can't surf Ghost Trees anymore - personal watercraft have been banned in Monterey Bay, and you sure as %*$# can't paddle into that wave.

For the record, not every wave listed here is considered huge by surfing standards. Huge would be tow-in size.

[bunnywailer]

For the record I have surfed 2 of the waves listed, seen all of the rest of them except Chopes, Cortes Bank, and the weird ones you listed.

[Barefoot In Kailua]

Oct 6, 2010 1:43:02 GMT -5 @bunnywailer said:

For the record I have surfed 2 of the waves listed

Eh, babooze, Val's reef doesn't count. Neither does the sandbar at Ehukai.

[bigfan]

Oct 6, 2010 1:43:02 GMT -5 @bunnywailer said:

For the record I have surfed 2 of the waves listed, seen all of the rest of them except Chopes, Cortes Bank, and the weird ones you listed.

The weird ones I listed come from an interview I read about Laird Hamilton.

[azvb]

I am a confirmed sit-under-an-umbrella-on-the-beach person. The ocean scares me, but I love the sounds, smells, etc.

My kids played in the water at Sunset Beach during the summer and the under currents were very strong - can't imagine what they would be like during the winter. We watched waves on the North Shore at Christmas one year. Amazing, scary, incredible, but no way would I go near the water, especially this time of year.

[bigfan]

Oct 6, 2010 1:07:25 GMT -5 pedro el leon said:

You didn't put Nelscott Reef in Oregon in the poll, every year has the best surfers there. Some of the fastest waves in the world.

Thanks for the shout out...................... ;D

[blob]

Don't forget the huge waves created by GrandsonofBaloneyBob in his hot tub (after one of his EPIC burrito sessions at Freebirds).

[NET2]

I'm not good enough to surf any of these places but I've seen Maverick's, Ghost Tree, Sunset, Pipeline, Waimea, & Velzeyland (HI) on a big day. Also, the Outer Banks (NC) & Sebastian Inlet (FL) for the other east coast folks.

I've bodysurfed at Ocean City (NJ), Virginia Beach, the Outer Banks, Sandy Beach (HI), & on a small day at Sunset Beach (HI). Good fun!

[bunnywailer]

V-Land washes out when it's too big.

[mikegarrison]

Charlie don't surf.

[pineapple]

I've lived all my life on Oahu, which is synonomous with Honolulu. The North Shore is just ten miles away. With that info, people who know Oahu will know where I live. Waimea Bay, EHukai (Banzai Pipeline), Back Door, Sunset, Haleiwa, etc., are my backyard. I did something I don't think anybody else on this thread did, not even GSOBB or BiK: I shook the Duke's hand. I am not going to lie- I never surfed in my life. ;D