Waimea Bay

Hallowed surf break located on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii; big-wave riding's main stage from the late 1950s to the early '90s. The Waimea season usually lasts from late fall to early spring, in response to swells produced by giant North Pacific storms. Waves begin to fringe on the Waimea reef at about 10 or 12 feet, but regulars don't think of it as "real" until it's 15 feet, and some won't b...