Surfing
Surfing
Everything you need to know about Waimea
It’s time to examine one of the most iconic (and terrifying) waves on the North Shore.
Reputation precedes
Half of the fear that comes with the whole Waimea package is the reputation that surrounds The Bay. Surfers have died there, surfers have been terribly injured there, and there have been some incredibly savage beatings as well as dramatic rescues. For those of us who have read all the articles over the years, the fear attrites after a while, and the excitement and attraction of having a go at one of the most exciting big-wave spots starts becoming less attractive. There is the legend of ‘the unridden realm’ and there are the legendary close-out sets that catch everyone. There is also the story of Australian professional surfers Gary Green and Bryce Ellis refusing to paddle out for a heat at Waimea in the prime of their careers, and of Ken Bradshaw swimming three full laps of the bay, trying his best to break through the shorebreak and get to the shoreline. It does little to settle the nerves
The shorebreak
Getting through the notorious Waimea Shorebreak is a full endevour in itself, and needs to considered thoroughly as part of an holistic approach to surfing The Bay. The shorebreak is going to be big if Waimea is breaking, it comes incredibly fast, and is hard to judge. The semblance of a key hole is situated on the eastern corner of the beach, right next to the rocks. The shoredump holds, holds, and then surges up the beach, leaving little room for error on a big day. The intracies of the paddle out are long and intracite, suffice to say that the entry through the shorebreak is all about confidence and timing. Watch the sets, make your move, move fast over the sand and paddle hard.
In The Zone
There is always a lot going on at backline on any solid day at Waimea. There is rarely enough waves for all big wave surfers presenet to be sated, so there is going to be jockeying, hussling, dropping in and burning. There are also going to be some split-secon decisions to be made that might go wrong, and there is a good chance of a few horrendous wipe-outs, rescues, and courage. It’s a vibe that has to be observed, felt and analysed beore paddling into the take-off zone. The locals, the real Hawaiian locals who surf The Bay because it is The Bay and not because they desperately want photos and applause, are the ones who wil be sitting calmly, regally, observing the horizon. They are the ones you want to watch. They will teach you the most.
The take-off
When first paddling out at Waimea you’ll soon realise that the wave actually throws some ridiculous barrels. If you think that Waimea is all about a big rhino chaser and a straight line speed-run to the channel then you’re not in the game. The wave barrels, you need to engage your rail when surfing, and you need to committ to the drop. The take off zone is relatively small, and if you’re on the shoulder you wont get a nudge in. so you need to be in the zone, and then when your wave comes it’s time to put head down, clear your thoughts, and focus on getting to the bottom. It has been done thousands of times over the years, so when the wave lurches, the bottom drops out and the ledge looks unsurmountable, that's when you need to dig in, paddle a few more fast strokeds, and committ to the wave of your life. Whether you make the wave and ride out into the channel, or get flung into the abyss of underwater Waimea Bay, you’ll need to committ to get an in, and everyone in the water will know how hard you actually went.
