When it comes to surfing the best, the Banzai Pipeline is the ultimate destination for many surfers. This wave only allows the best of the best, which are usually those who have significant respect for the water. The reasoning for this? Banzai Pipe is also the most dangerous set of waves in the world.
When winter rolls around, surfers come from around the world to try their hand at surfing this monster of a wave set. It's been well-known for roughly 50 years and has had an equally prominent reputation. Waves such as this are referred to as "heavy waves" and Banzai is by far the heaviest - with hundreds of surfers ready to take it on, each only allowed one wave per person.
What Makes This Wave So Massive
Banzai has a unique advantage in that its break waves happen over a reef. It happens in Oahu on the north shore and the reef that follows the shoreline is extremely dangerous - it's full of sharp and jagged edges that run along shallow water. The cave-like nature of this reef is what gives Banzai pipe its unique shape, the "pipe" shape that so many surfers travel there for.
A hollow tube makes for the perfect surfing opportunity but also presents significant challenges for those who have never tamed a massive wave such as this. These reefs continue out to see in three consecutive sections, each helping to shape the flawless wave set that draws so much attention.
Its Unique Shape
Banzai Pipeline maintains its structure thanks to a unique airway under the surface. Since the reef gives way to several underwater caverns, this allows air to escape, causing bubbles that float to the surface. These bubbles make their way to the front of a wave just before it breaks, allowing the incoming waves to maintain their graceful, yet extremely powerful, shape prior to breaking.
The other problem with these reefs is that they contain lava spires, which make up for the jagged, rocky edges that can often injury surfers. When a surfer becomes stuck under a wave break such as this, it's not uncommon for them to tumble along with the current, making it easy for them to scrape and bounce along the reef bed.
This pipeline also has four distinct waves that surfers should be able to recognize before heading out into the surf. The North swell is the most powerful when looking on from the shore, giving what's called a high "turning point." The danger associated with these waves isn't limited to what lies beneath them - their height also plays a significant role. Reaching up to 12 feet, conquering a wave such as this, and making it out alive, is far from easy. Surfers have lost their lives in an attempt to ride a wave this tremendous, often underestimating the sheer force of Mother Nature. The conditions that affect a wave's size will all depend on the position the surfer takes as well as the time of day they're surfing.
Sadly, photographers have also been taken under by strong currents from these waves, as well. This goes to show how incredibly strong the pull of the water is in this area, as photographers won't need to wade too far in order to capture a surfer streamlining down a pipeline wave.