SURFING OAHU'S NORTH SHORE CATCH A WINTER WAVE

SURFING OAHU'S NORTH SHORE CATCH A WINTER WAVE

Author: Lance Tominaga

Each winter, O‘ahu’s rugged North Shore serves up some of the largest and imposing ocean waves on the planet. Giant, storm-generated swells make their long trek across the northern Pacific to batter reef breaks and the area’s shoreline. For many Island residents, this means only one thing: Surf’s up!The exact origin of surfing is unknown, but most historians believe that the Polynesians were already well versed in the sport by the time they migrated to the Hawaiian Islands some 2,000 years ago. Early Hawaiians called surfing "he‘e nalu," which literally translates to "wave sliding."

During this time, only high-ranking ali‘i had access to the best surf spots. King Kamehameha himself was said to be an avid and skilled surfer.Surfing really took off in the early 1900s. Riding boards made mostly from hewn redwood and balsa wood, early surfers risked their lives to take on these giant waves.Today, thanks to a number of modern innovations and inventions, the surfing population on the North Shore has exploded. Wave riders and spectators from around the world gather here from November to February, hoping catch that perfect wave.

Winter wave heights can get as high 20 feet, with faces up to 50 feet! This extreme surf is for experts only, and even then conditions are considered highly dangerous. World-renowned surf contests are held here from early November to late December. The Van's Triple Crown of Surfing, which includes the Van's Hawaiian Pro at Ali'i Beach Park in Hale'iwa; the Rip Curl Cup at Sunset Beach; and the XBox Gerry Lopez Pipeline Masters, brings together the world’s best professional surfers.

The Quiksilver Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, held at Waimea Bay, also takes place each winter. Although winter on the North Shore may not be the best time and place to learn how to surf, the summer months provide safer, saner conditions.Ask any surfer, and he (or she) will tell you that surfing is an exhilarating thrill, a natural high. "

I love the sensation of riding a wave and the feeling I have when I’m out on the ocean," says Hans Hedemann, a former pro surfer-turned-surfing instructor. "It’s also a challenge because every wave is different, and it’s up to me to make the most of each wave."