Welcome to Hawaii's North Shore, home to the Banzai Pipeline, one of the most famous surf breaks in the world.
Before 1961, Banzai Beach--or Ehukai Beach to native Hawaiians--was just another immaculate beach on the North Shore of Oahu. In December of that year, Phil Edwards rode the first wave there, and filmmaker Bruce Brown captured it on camera. That day was first in the legendary story of the Banzai Pipeline--often referred to as "Pipeline" or simply "Pipe"--one of the most renowned surfing spots in the world.
Over the last few decades, Pipe has remained as the premiere wave on the planet. Every year, Pipe hosts the final contest on the World Surf League circuit, the Billabong Pipe Masters. This event is considered the crown jewel of surf contests. Legendary surfers that have won the Pipe Masters include Kelly Slater, Andy Irons, Gerry Lopez, Michael Ho and Shaun Tomson.
Why is it called "Pipeline"?
The Banzai Pipeline lies above a shallow but cavernous chain of underwater reefs. As waves rush toward the reef, large air bubbles rise from the caverns toward the water's surface, creating enormous and picturesque barrel-like waves.
When Bruce Brown captured the first ride of people surfing Pipeline, he and Phil Edwards were joined by Mike Diffenderfer, a surfboard shaper. Diffenderfer observed that the waves looked like the massive concrete pipes he had seen in a nearby construction project--which is how Pipeline got its name.
How big are the waves?
Most of the waves at Pipeline reach a peak height of at least 12 feet, but 25- and 30-foot waves are not uncommon during large winter swells. The height of waves increases the further out they break. Viewers of the live Pipeline surf cam may notice waves breaking far out to sea. These waves are often nicknamed "cloud breaks" and are breaking on the "third reef" at Pipe.
Is Pipeline dangerous?
Surfing Pipeline is incredibly challenging as the wave is known as one of the world's heaviest and deadliest. The waves themselves are extremely fast and powerful, and the shallow, rocky reefs they break over can be lethal to surfers who have fallen off their boards. In fact, it's common for one or two surfers to lose their lives at Pipe each winter.
Do a lot of people surf there?
Surfers come from all over the world to surf Pipeline. In November and December, the world's best surfers descend on the North Shore for the Vans Triple Crown and Billabong Pipe Masters competitions. During these months, the lineup is extremely crowded and hazardous. There is a strict pecking order and all surfers must respect the locals.
When is the best time to surf at Pipeline?
The best time to surf Pipeline is in the winter. From November through February, long-period ground swells from the North Pacific inundate Oahu, providing consistently ideal waves for surfing. On a good day, there can be over 100 people competing for the perfect position in the tiny takeoff spot.
