financial, social and political center. Its main port city and Hawaii's capital, Honolulu, the "Sheltered Haven," has always been of strategic importance both as a commercial and military destination because of the commodious size of its two beautiful harbors, Pearl Harbor and Honolulu Harbor.
Indeed, while Oahu is not the largest Hawaiian island, none of the Outer Islands is as developed as it is, and no other Hawaiian city approaches Honolulu in importance. This is probably why some 85 percent of Hawaii's population live on Oahu, and why most business and decision-making takes place in this so-called "Crossroads of The Pacific."
Not surprisingly, Oahu is equally important when it comes to surfing in Hawaii. While reasonably good surf can be found on all the Hawaiian islands, for some odd reason—perhaps as the result of a its special geological features—Oahu has also always been the prime gathering place for surfers in Hawaii.
The island of Oahu is without doubt the most surf-rich place in the Hawaiian chain (and perhaps in the world). It has the largest number and finest selection of summertime breaks in Hawaii (the Ala Moana Bowl and Number Threes are prime examples), and its North Shore beaches constitute what is arguably the finest single stretch of good surfing beaches in the world, with such spectacular surfing spots as Sunset Point, The Banzai Pipeline and Waimea Bay, to mention but a few.
And while Oahu is not a big island in terms of size, it is very Big Time when it comes to surf. It is the greatest surfing destination on the planet, whether you are a novice surfer or an accomplished waveriding veteran of North Shore winters past.
Oahu's "Town and Country" wave menu features the entire surfing enchilada—from smooth and shallow reef rollers that majestically fan into famous Waikiki Beach (perfect for beginners and experienced surfers) to pounding, body-whomping beach breaks (that fiercely snap, crackle and pop) to the most prestigious big-wave and tuberiding spots known to surfing man and woman.
Yes, it's all here, surf-sniffers, but for now—and for the sake of proper introductions—it is time for us to hele on (move forward) into the heart of this book, a magical mystery tour of Oahu that will attempt to familiarize you with the waves of the sleepy but roaring North Shore ("The Country"), the more urbane South Shore ("The Town"), the dry, wild and savage West Side (from Ewa to Makaha and on to Yokohama), and, finally, Oahu's verdant, windy and wet Windward Side. Aloha, brah! Time to move on, enjoy, and hopefully surf your butt off!
—Leonard and Lorca Lueras
Oahu is truly the gathering place, as you can see from this shot of a beachboy gathering in the heart of Waikiki. Photo: Brett Uprichard
A hilltop view of the Sunset Beach Arena on a good and not-too-crowded day. Photo: Art Brewer
Watch in awe as Ross Clark-Jones and Arnold Dowling take the plunge on a big Waimea beast. Photo: Jason Childs
Once you're in the Pipe, there's no turning back, even if it means annihilation. Chris Strother confronts a moment of truth. Photos: Jason Childs
OAHU
The North Shore
Surfing's Proving Grounds
Winter, between October and April
Easy, the main Kamehameha Highway runs parallel to most of the coastline
Mostly reef, but also some sand-bottomed breaks
Big-wave boards, a springsuit and a very serious go-for-it attitude
Crowds, locals, punishing surf and dangerous surf breaks
Drowning, kissing the reef and harsh poundings in the water
Pipeline, Sunset and Waimea; the surf experience
On Hawaii's North Shore, waves are not measured in terms of linear feet, but in increments of fear.
—A popular early '60s comment by a surf filmmaker
Surfers come to the North Shore scared. If you "no scared", it usually means you're not pushing your surfing anymore, at least not in large surf—and that's fine . . . If you are still charging, chances are that you came to Hawaii with some healthy fear, because you know you're going to be putting yourself into some challenging situations.
—Pete Johnson in Transworld Surf magazine, December 1999
Every now and then, we would hear reports through the grapevine of big-wave riders on the North Shore drowning, and for the first time I began to understand why so many of the great California surfers never gave the North Shore a try, or if they did, they came back home and never tried it again.
—Former California surfing champion and artist Mike Doyle in his memoir Morning Glass
Yes, a lot has been said about the North Shore, a stretch of coast often referred to as "the seven-mile miracle." Surf publications rave about this coastline rich in baby sand shells, and there isn't much that hasn't already been said or written about it. I mean, people even write long and effusive poems about the place.
Whatever its poetic or popular mystique, one thing is for certain: the North Shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu is, without reservation, the most famous and revered place in the rarefied world of surfing. It is a Mecca to surfers worldwide. This has to do with the fact that the North Shore is home to some of the best, heaviest, most monstrous and challenging surf in the world, and also with the caliber of surfing exhibited there by both Hawaiian and visiting surfers. What these mad watermen do there is of a performance level rarely seen in other parts of the world. For all True Believers, no other place on Earth captures the essence of being a surfer as well as the North Shore. If there was ever a place that surfing is immediately identified with, then the North Shore of Oahu is truly it.
Between the winter months of October and April, Oahu's North Shore experiences an annual bombardment of waves and an invasion of pros, schmos, and bros all intent on tapping into prime North Shore surf. Many are there to simply savor the experience of watching a flawless 10- to 12-foot seething Pipeline being gutted by the world's best. Others watch in awe as towering walls of water at 20-feet plus smash into Waimea Bay.
While some people are content to just be spectators and to study the small-wave maestros offering sneak previews of the next era of performance surfing, others are not. Out in the water are packs of seemingly deranged nutcases
