In
winter, Waimea and other North Shore locations such as Pipeline
and Sunset Beach host a number of surfing contests because of
the large waves found here. These waves are created by winter
storms in the North Pacific, and their arrival on O'ahu's North
Shore are typically forecast accurately several days in advance.
In summer, Waimea typically has clear and calm water.
The surf break at Waimea Bay was significant in the development
of Big wave surfing. Larger surf at the bay went unridden for
years until November 7, 1957 [1] when a handful of surfers finally
paddled out and rode the giant waves that break off the northern
point of the bay. While the surf only breaks big several times
a year, Waimea was the most prestigious big wave surf break
in the world for decades. With the advent of tow-in surfing,
more and more big wave breaks have been discovered that are
far superior in quality than Waimea. However, the bay still
holds a significant place even in today's world of big wave
surfing.
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