Hawaii, The North Shore. (pics)

Waimea Bay

One of your first stops on the highway is Waimea Bay. Although it first may appear just another state beach park, it is far from it. The Bay is host to some of the largest surfing waves in the world; and until the recent rash of tow in surfers took over, this bay was considered the largest rideable waves. It is the annual site of 30+ foot waves and a rip tide that kills.

For Hawaii surfers and surfers world wide, Waimea is still considered a right of passage. It comes with a price however. During the winter, the intensity of the currents and waves are so high, many people have been swept away from the shoreline.

A commemorative plaque is located on the beach. It pays a tribute to lifeguard Eddie Aikua (Eddie would go), credited for saving thousands of lives in the Bay. He died on his final rescue attempt, likely the most famous lifeguard rescue attempt ever (see below). Waimea is the most dangerous lifeguarding job on earth.

this just in, franck is an asshat

Eddie would Go.

After driving up about 10 minutes from Waimea, we parked in front of an Elementary school. It is quite ironic, the school which represents a place of order sits across from the most famous, the most chaotic, surfing break in the world.

Pipeline.


The Pipeline is actually located on Banzai Beach. The beach is poorly maintained as most of Hawaii?s money is devoted to Waikiki for tourist purposes, leaving the beach eroded from the rip-tide intensity. There is a trash can located immediately upon your entry into Ezukai Beach (the beach located just 20 yards off Pipeline). On it, a bumper sticker:



Eddie would Tow is now a big wave contest held in Hawaii, however it has a much deeper history to locals of the North Shore.

In 1978, Eddie was part of a crew that set out on a canoe ride that came under a ravaging storm. In an effort to save lives, he took his surf board and attempted a 20 mile paddle across the bay. The canoe was eventually found by a helicopter, overturned in the ocean, all passengers saved. The news reel of the passengers getting out of the chopper on the nearest island was broadcast live. Eddie?s body was not found.

The saying ?Eddie would Go? refers to surfers that fear dropping in on a North Shore wave.

After walking through the park, expectations become raised. You begin to realize you are walking a same path that many great photographers and surfers alike have walked. And just before you hit the sand, you are reminded that for some, it was there last walk.



The last Pipeline victim was photographer Jon Mozo. The Pipeline was not large that day.

When you first see this historic site, without a pushing swell, it is nothing special. It is sand meeting ocean at a steep incline. It is erosion. It is lack of state funding. It is everything you can?t see, including the three most famous coral and lava reefs on planet earth.

So let me explain The Pipeline for those that might not understand it. The Pipeline is a break that takes a west swell, usually the result of winter storms in Alaska. These swells end up in places such as California and cause enlarged waves to break once they hit the shallow basins of the shorelines. However, just off Banzai beach, three distinct reefs are located underwater and they are extremely shallow. When the swells hit these reefs, and if they are powerful, the third outlying reef stands the wave up and it forms a huge ?pipe? formation and tubes over. Beneath it, the reef shallows out at about 5 foot or less. If you make a mistake, you end up in the reef, and in even worse cases, underneath it. The wave typically stands up anywhere from 12 to 25 feet.

It was discovered ages ago, but first ridden by a Californian in the 60s. It is all about timing, if you miss your drop zone, you end up in the reef and your life span goes from 30 to 50 more years to potentially 2 minutes pending how much water you can take inside your lungs.

To date, it is considered the best-shaped wave in the world as well as one of the most dangerous. Photographers and surfers worldwide visit it in the wintertime.



Pipeline

Man. I have seen a lot of photos from there, but you are truly showing that it is not all the perfect place that they try to say it is.

Surfing.

Just about 50 yards from Pipeline, the swells were pushing another portion of Sunset Beach. And it was near perfect. Photographers began lining up the beach making my 400mm look small. I got some good shots though. Unfortunately a knee injury prevented my surfing it, but I shall return I suppose.

The waves were not the only good thing about the surf.



















The Shrimp Trucks

As you continue up the highway, shrimp trucks line the roads. We stopped at Mackeys as we were told it was the best.

This was the best food I had in Hawaii.






The sun sets over Waikiki

cool, post some more pics!

btw, url to your blog?

It is all perspective. There are tons of resorts that make for better photography, but I am not so much into that I suppose.

great pics

Really great pics, this one would make a great wallpaper

Thanks man, I desaturated it because I shot it under aggressive light.

I am not much of a landscape photographer, I have a lot respect for those that can shoot it.

Nice pics

awesome pics cory. always like seeing your stuff.

I went to the North Shore in January last year. I saw a lot of the same kinds of things you are posting. I had a great time on the island and saw many beautiful beaches but Hawaii isn't paradise. It does have its share of problems.

Great shots Cory! Welcome back.

Great pics, can't wait to visit there.

very Nice pics and an excellent perspective.

Very kewl bro.

Awesome shots

There are tons of amazing landscape shots out there of Hawaii, but I really enjoy taking a bit of a dirrerent perspective. I love the diverse culture in every place I visit in the world.

It is beautiful all the same, it just depends on how you look at it.

I would live on The North Shore, surf every morning, photograph the big days, layout in the sun and eat those big shrimp every day

I hate you!! lol j/k

Awesome pics

awesome pics, and story to go with them.

It depends on what "perfect" is. There are locals in Hawaii who live homes constructed of old billboards (seriously) on land that we would pay millions to live on. Driving by you find yourself asking why they would live there and then again, why WOULDN'T they And damn, they all sure seem happy as hell. I had to wait 2 hours in Hilo for a gas delivery at the gas station and had the best chats with the locals there.

The Big Island is my favorite because of all the varied climates on it. In one day you can drive land that's nothing but dried lava, then into a rain forest, then stand in snow

Alaska is my favorite state, but Hawaii is my 2nd

Here is the url, but the blog is rather plain.

http://www.burningwavephoto.com

damn the food looks great.

Great pictures, looked like a blast

The pictures are awesome. Hawaii has that romantic feel to it; however not all is so pleasant on the big commerce island, Oahu. I know; I have lived there. It's a great place to visit, but ....

Let's see more pics!

Awesome pics dude

Great pictures.

great Photos Cory almost makes me feel like i was in Ohau again

Awesome pics

I can never understand why there arnt 200 million americans trying to live there.

If there was a place like that in the UK I would be there like a shot.

doooppppeee.... and pic's of sandy's?
(kinda the wrong season for north shore)

nice pics and story
thanks!

Cost for one and not all areas are habitable, i.e. there's no way to get water/electricity/phone. IIRC, they also have some laws regarding land ownership. Also high rises aren't allowed in some places. Where my parent's condo is, no building can be higher than the tallest tree.

We took the active volcano helicopter ride and they showed where squatter had taken up. they have pools next to their house to collect the rain water and just whatever else they can get at stores - there are no public utilties. And they had multimillion dollar views

Nice pics Cory, I have seen Pipe way huge and there is no way in hell I would surf it on the big days its insaine. Maverics is bigger but its not as shallow, I fear the reef Lasttime i was there Waimea was breaking and I ahd been to Hawaii many times and not seen it break, it was unreal, saw a guy in a barrel and he was so deep and it was so big. I swear you could have put a semi truck inside the barrel easy with anotehr 8-10 foot bove that. Only a few people in the world are willing to take that risk and I aint one of them also Went to Kaui north shore at tunnels and looked at it on a big big day and said no way no how brudda Love Hawaii I am gonna buy a house there some day prolly in Kailua Lanikai area near the Moks. Love it love it.

same thing I was thinking and it makes me really hungry now...

Boy am I glad Cory gave me some photography lessons. Dude your shots are always awesome!

Great pics as we have come to expect from you

I want to go back in the winter and rent a house up there. I really want to see both Pipe and Waimea going off, I can hardly imagine it.

Even when both places aren't breaking, the currents are rigorous! It gave me that nervous tingle in my stomach......

My biggest day was El Porto a few years back. It was 10 to 12+ foot on the faces. I got a few great rides but I will never forget thinking I was going to drown when I made a bad decision on a drop (I hesitated). Then I recall thinking "there is no way out but surfing it in!" So scarey man!

I am fine now with head highs.

The place I photographed the surfers in this thread, that was great conditions man. Just east of Pipe and a deeper reef. It was gorgeous. I wish my knee was better man

fantastic shots...!i personally like this one..

Cool pics ... looks like you had a great time.

I love those waves! Nice pictures of course.

Thanks!

I love desaturating certain shots.

I like the surfing pics

Very nice pics Cory. It looks peaceful. I don't like all the extre "paradise" looking photos I usually see of Hawaii. They look too sanatized.

Thanks, I am really not good at landscape photography anyways, so I am better off leaving it alone (or not posting too many of mine)

I would rather get subjects and write exerts about them. I love the cultures that exist (in all cases) outside of the percieved "paradise."

Your vacation looks like it was much more fun than Cabo.

You got more attention by not being in Cabo. The boys missed you.

Pictures are very good.

damn great pics looks like a blast!

Thanks...