Surfing Waves

I think I'm going to be taking a trip out to Oahu in mid to late december to surf. I know the idea is Hawaii is huge in the winter, but I'd like to hear from somebody that's actually surfed there, preferably in the december time zone. Is it consistent? What kind of size? What kind of breaks?

Thanks.


pura vida

north shore is the only shore with big waves in the winter. south shore only gets big in late summer/fall. south shore should be flat most of the time youre here with the odd chance of a small swell.

I will be on the north shore. Sorry, should have mentioned that. So tell me about these waves...

they could do a very efficient job of breaking you into bits if ur in the wrong place at the wrong time. thats about all i know.

They hold the Eddie in January (if the surfs up past 25ft).

http://www.aloha.com/~lifeguards/waimea.html

"Waimea Bay Beach Park is home of the largest, dangerous, most spectacular, ridable surf in the world. When the surf's up, often to thirty plus feet, even just the inshore break can be big - sometimes even as high as twelve feet. There's also a strong rip current running out at the center of the bay that can be treacherous"

....

i have surfed it in the winter on its 10-12 ft days. around 6-10 hawaiian scale, between late december and march it ranges from the odd and rare 2-4 to 30ft. heres what I think: youre going to die.

even if its only 4-6, the currents are strong and the waves are fast. i can tell just by you asking thst question youre a novice surfer, you wont be able to surf most days, or even go in the water. i would suggest staying in town and travelling up there just to watch.

ok, stud. I'm glad you're trying to assume what type of surfer you think I am, but what you say can only be taken as a joke. By me asking about a wave I've never ridden you automatically assume I'm a bad surfer? Come on, dude. Use your head and shut your mouth.

SilverShark78 wrote:ok, stud. I'm glad you're trying to assume what type of surfer you think I am, but what you say can only be taken as a joke. By me asking about a wave I've never ridden you automatically assume I'm a bad surfer? Come on, dude. Use your head and shut your mouth.

no need, no need......

i think he is trying to stop you from wasting a trip all the way to Hawaii

i mean, you have to be some kind of Laird (the hero) Hamilton to ride 30ft stuff.....

so whats the biggest surf you've ridden

Mate, if you have to ask about the North shore in winter you probably havnt been around surfing long enough to ride there.

Its the birthplace of big wave surfing, its big wave season.

So your either (relatively) inexperienced or quite ignorant about surfing & its history.

Experienced surfers spend decades watching Waimea bay in winter and one of the first two who tried , died.

North Shore is overrated IMO. If you've got a few months experience of surfing somewhere else, you'll be fine

Just remember to not shut your eyes when you pull in......

i thought knowledge of the size and power of the north shore was common and universal, even to non-surfers.

not surfing the north shore when its big in the winter makes me a good surfer, not a bad surfer. means i have respect for the ocean. professional surfers die up there every year, sometimes in waves as small as 4-8.

idiots come here to learn to surf or to ride the big waves because they think theyre pro all the time. they waste their money and get their asses kicked by locals. ive never seen someone die before. let me know when youre gonna surf, i want to watch.

RJD wrote:Mate, if you have to ask about the North shore in winter you probably havnt been around surfing long enough to ride there.

Bit like the old "if you have to ask how much it costs you probably can't afford it"

If North Shore is too big, why don't you try Mavericks in America? I hear thats WAY safer!

Well it's big, fast, powerful and breaks over a ridiculously shallow lava reef.

Sure you can go there and surf it, but each and every time you wipeout it could be your last. If you're lucky and you dont hit the bottom, then you'll probably get sucked around a few hundred times and drown.

Having said all that, there are a few places you could go, like Rocky's and GC's but to surf the North Shore and not die, you need to be fairly good and confident with bigger waves.

Dec wrote:
Having said all that, there are a few places you could go, like Rocky's and GC's but to surf the North Shore and not die, you need to be fairly good and confident with bigger waves.

SilverShark78 I think that is the question that needs to be asked. How good are you really? Then ask where a good break for you would be. hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf was just trying to give you the bottom line. He aint a bad guy ya just have to be around here and get to understand where he is coming from.

Heck if I asked where to go and surf in Hawaii and told hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf that I am a rank amature and want waves from knee to chest high. He would tell me to stay on the east coast and have fun.

alright, alright. I've been a firm believer that wherever you surf you can't truly know the wave until you've dropped in on it. You could try to picture what a double overhead south swell in Costa Rica feels like, but you won't know that type of wave until you feel it. That's all I was getting at. SURE, I've heard of the type of power the North Shore delivers. And I'm sure as hell not going to surf waimea. Just wanted some input from somebody who's surfed it, to somebody who hasn't (me). Doesn't mean I can't handle myself in big surf. And I'm not going to try and prove myself to anybody. Call me crazy but that's not what surfing is about...

I think the point being made SilverShark78 is that the conditions described would be no good for someone like me - a complete beginer. SURE I dont actually KNOW that I couldnt surf it until i tried.....it's pretty likely though so I'd save myself the airfare by following their advice.

Assumptions were only made because the information wasnt provided to begin with.

If you are confident of your abilty - have fun and let us know how you get on.

justloafing wrote:

Dec wrote:
Having said all that, there are a few places you could go, like Rocky's and GC's but to surf the North Shore and not die, you need to be fairly good and confident with bigger waves.

SilverShark78 I think that is the question that needs to be asked. How good are you really? Then ask where a good break for you would be. hawaiiSUCKSexceptsurf was just trying to give you the bottom line. He aint a bad guy ya just have to be around here and get to understand where he is coming from. :wink:

thank you sir.

east shore is a sloppy mess though so id suggest surfing the south.

SilverShark78 wrote:alright, alright. I've been a firm believer that wherever you surf you can't truly know the wave until you've dropped in on it. You could try to picture what a double overhead south swell in Costa Rica feels like, but you won't know that type of wave until you feel it. That's all I was getting at. SURE, I've heard of the type of power the North Shore delivers. And I'm sure as hell not going to surf waimea. Just wanted some input from somebody who's surfed it, to somebody who hasn't (me). Doesn't mean I can't handle myself in big surf. And I'm not going to try and prove myself to anybody. Call me crazy but that's not what surfing is about...

this is true to a certain extent, but you have to have either alot of skill and riding experience of HUGE waves, gonads the size of large meteorites, or a death wish to be able to tackle the power that the north shore delivers

if you possess any of the above, then yeah, grab yourself a flight to Hawaii and ride one of those bad boys.

yeah man the entire north shore is dangerous that time of year.