North Shore Oahu Surfing

Surfing Oahu's North Shore

If you’re an experienced surfer—or just want to watch others ride the waves—north shore Oahu is a required stop on your Hawaiian vacation. The island offers over 100 surf spots, so whether you’re a beginner or a pro, Oahu has a surf spot for you.
 
The North Shore Oahu breaks however—these are the surf spots where legends are made. When the winter swells set in, monster waves make the island’s north shore a mecca for world-class surfers. Most of these surf spots are only for the most experienced and extreme of surfers, but even if you don’t have the skills to hit these breaks, it’s well worth the trip just to watch the best of the best challenge themselves against massive walls of water.

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North Shore Oahu Surfing

North Shore Oahu Surf Size

While the international surfing community measures wave height from the trough to the peak, Hawaii takes a different approach. Wave measurements in Hawaii are approximately fifty percent of the front wave height, so a 5-foot wave on a Hawaiian surf report would be measures as ten feet anywhere else. Hawaiian wave heights are sometimes referred to as “measuring the back of the wave.”
 
Whether you’ve just started surfing or are ready to ride the monster waves of north shore Oahu, remember to respect the local surfers and abide by local lineup rules. If you’re not sure about the surf etiquette, ask around. Now grab your board and get out there—because Eddie would go.

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