BANZAI PIPELINE – Famous, iconic, legendary, but surely dangerous. Located on Oahu’s north shore where waves in the winter months can reach an upward of 20 feet (6 meters) high. A place that’s always perfect for riding or watching the waves.
This area of Oahu is home to the Pipeline Masters Surf Contest that is attended by the best and bravest surfesrs from all over the world. Currently the Billabong Pipe Masters is running at Pipline for the next few weeks in December. I was lucky enough to have been there on opening day where the swells were high and have been dubbed among the largest waves at Pipeline during the competition. The event is the final stop on the 2011 ASP World Title Series, and the third jewel of the Vans Triple Crown.
The north shore of Oahu is part of a volcanic crater that’s mostly submerged in the ocean, but part of it makes up the northern section of island. What is created on the north shore is a shallow reef that almost immediately drops to very deep water. This deep drop creates prime conditions, especially during the winter months where heavy swells push up onto the shallow reef, creating some of the best picture-perfect waves that form gorgeous rideable barrels that pro-surfers dream about.
The surf can rise quickly going from 2 feet to 25 feet high during the course of a day. In Waimea Bay on the north shore of Oahu near Pipeline, the waves have been cranking up to 50 feet or higher in recent winters. Swell after swell of waves trashes the shore with such intensity you can feel your heart thump as it cashes on land.
On the day I went, the waves have been between 16 to 22 feet, with occasional larger sets. Although it is not possible to predict exactly when high swells will come-in at Pipeline, it will surely happen some time on several occurrences between the months of November and December. But these brave surfers are not the only one who come out when these big waves hit the island. Spectators, like myself, also come out and try to go as close to the water as possible. Often times, however, people get wet as they underestimate the power of the waves and how far they’ll get on shore.
Please take note that hundreds of surf boards are broken each year on the shallow reef, along with injuries and sometimes even the unthinkable. These are dangerous waves! DO NOT attempt them unless you are an excellent swimmer and have advanced experience on a body board or surf board. The Hawaiian waters may be beautiful, but take it from someone who grew up here, these waters are not forgiving.
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RT @sichree23: Ah, the winter waves are all but gone >> “Pipeline: Oahu’s North Shore” #Beach #Hawaii #Oahu http://t.co/2E9p9zVdFv via…
Those waves are raging! It will definitely bring out the best and worst on the surfers riding it. Thanks for posting the photos! Those waves really look so intimidating.
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Personally, I couldn’t even attempt to ride one, especially since I grew up around them and know what they are capbale of. There is definately an element of bravery and crazy to anyone attempting to ride one. Luckily though, they make for great photos. Glad you liked them!
Mother nature at its best. Great stuff
Mother Nature is inspiring: Powerful and Beautiful
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There is no way you will find me even standing on the beach that close to such waves. There i have said it…im chicken.
Its probably not a good idea to stand too close in case you do get washed away
You’d have to be a pretty good swimmer to make it back safely if the waves ever pull you in. Thanks for stopping by, Robert!
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My sister and her family were just there over Thanksgiving – stayed at a home on the North Shore. I asked her about the waves, but she said they hadn’t occured yet. Lucky you for catching them!
Hope your sister enjoyed the islands. You do have to be lucky to see the high swells. But they are always there every winter. Happy belated birthday, by the way, and Merry Christmas!
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Awesome photos! We visited this same spot in December a couple years ago and the waves were INSANE! I swear the ground shook when they broke. You captured them really well!
Those were the exact words I was looking for to describe the intensity of these wave – the ground did shake! They come every winter to the island, you just have to be lucky. And I’m so glad you guys got a chance to see them, too!
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Wow! There’s no way I’m brave enough to go in water like that!
When they’re that big, I stay away, too; water is quite powerful.
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I love Oahu but wouldn’t go anywhere near this water.
And that would be the smart thing to do. Most people under estimate just how powerful the waves can be. Until it’s too late.
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Oh, wow! That is exciting. I probably would just be a spectator, too. Especially since they even have a sign that said no swimming. I’ve only seen waves this high once … in Asia during typhoon season while I was in a boat. It was not fun watching those waves. Water is truly one of the most powerful elements of the world.
Yes, indeed water is powerful. Oh my – on a boat during a typhoon – that’s insanely crazy! Glad you lived to tell about it. Asia has some of the most dangerous typhoons I’ve heard of; whew for you
You did a great job of capturing these huge waves! I love love love that picture of the surfer catching air. That’s totally what I do every time I catch a wave. lol
What a thrill it must be for you catching air like that. I don’t think I could ever do that on a surf board. I just excited by simply riding a wave – that’s already an accomplishment for me.
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Oooh – powerful waves! I love watching surfers
They are so fun to watch and the bigger waves makes it all that much more interesting.
Those waves really do look massive. I enjoy snowboarding on black runs but I don’t know if I would ever attempt to surf on 22 foot waves.
I think one of the big difference between being on a surf board vs being on a snow board is that once you wipe out on the surf board, you have to deal with the heavy water – which is what’s most dangerous. The higher the waves, the heavier the water. That’s why I too don’t dare attempt them when they are that big – scary.
Wow! Those waters are intimidating. I wouldn’t dare dip a toe while pipe is on! It kind of reminds me of the movie Blue Crush…I was really into that movie when I was a teenager, haha!
I remembered that movie, too – they filmed it on Oahu and I was totally excited when it came out cause I got to see the island again, even if only on the big screen. But I too dare not go in those waters in the winter time. Too many almost incidences in my younger days.
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Wow, great shots! Have you seen the video of the dude surfing the 90-foot wave off the coast of Portugal (or maybe it was Spain)? That looked insane…
I only looked up the video after reading your comment. They say those were epic waves off the coast of Portugal – totally insane! I was scared for the surfer just watching him take it on, and it looks like cold waters, too. But what a thrill that was for him to conquer it. I’ve only seen waves in person as high as 40 feet.
Lovely shots, especially the closeup of the surfer.
Its always so fun to watch the surfers; they make it look so easy even though its so difficult, especially these waves
You caught them so well!
Oh, and they’re so easy to capture … one right after another for a perfect photo.
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Great photo essay Sherry! You really captured the action
I wish I could really capture what I saw in person – its so much more intensified when you can hear and feel it, too!
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Wow such a collection of pictures! I would LOVE staring at those wave for hours!
Oh and the family dog and I starred at it for hours. We even got the our photo taken for the local newspaper. A truly crazy but fun day!
I don’t know much about surfing, I’m afraid – but wow, those photos are amazing. That first one… well, I’d keep a good distance between me and that wave.
To be sure I am afraid of those waves in Hawaii, too as I’ve been trashed so many times on shore. But as crazy as it sounds, the fear is probably what makes riding the wave that much more tempting. I indeed kept my distance during the days that these waves crashed on shore.
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Wow! The first one looks like a tsunami!
And I was already over ten feet high from beach-level. That’s probably at least a minimum of sixteen feet high wave. HUGE!
Those waves are huge! Love the shots of the surfers – I’m sure they were loving the intensity.
And they were! I heard that these waves were the best ones in the history of the competition. Nice that it happened on opening day.
I never tire of pictures of the ocean! Those colors are magical and beautiful. And wow — how exciting those last photos are!!! Surfers are really so amazing to watch. The third-to-last photo is WILD!
I love the ocean, even without the waves. I could spend all day starring at the shades of blue, green, and white. The surfers makes the ocean totally more interesting. Another reason to love Hawaii.
Yowzers! Those are some HUGE waves!
There were so many more even bigger waves that I was too late to capture; totally an insane sight!
Awesome, I wish we had waves like that here !
Oh! I’m surprised that you don’t get more waves like these in Okinawa. Thought that’s where they have some really, really big waves
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Lovely crisp shots! I’ve been to Oahu and seen the waves, it’s a special place.
Oh, Oahu and its waves is truly a special place and I’m so glad you got to spend time on the island.
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I love the watching and the pictures – It is exciting to watch – love the energy of the ocean
The energy is so powerful that you can feel its intensity even just as a spectator; I love the ocean.
Too dangerous for me… I’d just stick to photographing from the shore!
Very interesting to read about, though.
All the best from Santiago…
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