Surf's up used to empty downtown Honolulu offices in the laid-back days of old. Winter, when the massive waves build for thousands of miles from the Aleutians and crash on the North Shore, still moves Hawaiian surfers, and increasing numbers of Australians, Brazilians, South Africans and Americans from all coasts into the narrow strip of promised surf along Highway 83. Sunset, Waimea, and the infamous, board-eating Banzai Pipeline chew up and spit out the wanna bees. Makaka, no longer lonely on the Waianae Coast pounds surfers into the reef. It's winter, wild and wonderful.
Surfing started more than 1,000 years ago as you can see on Big Island petroglyphs. Huge Hawaiian royals hoisted 100 to 150 foot koa wood boards and surfed straight in. The best spots, like Queen's Surf on Waikiki beach were kapu, or taboo, for the common folk. Today, local surfers impose a somewhat more relaxed rule on the biggest, most dangerous and demanding areas where those less than expert could hurt themselves or others. Strangers to the wave are that until they earn their spot, and polite suggestions to move on can escalate to stronger means if needed. Few argue with a 6 ' 7' 300 pound Hawaiian!
Waves propel, enchant, injure and even kill. Mainlanders who hear one of the many wave reports by wonder why locals head for North Shore beaches when waves are only 10 or 15 feet tall. They don't know that wave height is measured at offshore buoys, and the shore break is usually twice as high. 'Break' is the operative word here. Waves can break on a beach, on rocks or a coral reef. Boards and surfers break when they come apart and a Makaka wave that breaks on your head may feel like getting swatted with a two by four, and the backwash from waves can scrub tourists off a reef or a blow hole overlook.
Fortunately, beginners can now learn with soft boards and the help of soft-hearted beach boys to take it personally if you don't have fun and capture some good rides. Then too, there are other options. You can try a belly board and fins with a faster learning curve or go bare and body surf.
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