North Shore (O`ahu)
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The North Shore of the
Oahu Oahu (, , sometimes written Oahu) is the third-largest and most populated island of the Hawaiian Islands and of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oahu's southeast coast. The island of Oahu and the uninhabited Northwe ...
is a coastal area between
Kaena Point Kaena or Kaena Point is the westernmost tip of the island of Oahu. In Hawaiian, ''kaena'' means "the heat". The area was named after a brother or cousin of Pele. The point is designated as a Natural Area Reserve. History According to ancie ...
and
Kahuku Kahuku () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. In the Hawaiian language, ''ka huku'' means "the projection", presumably a reference to Kahuku Point nearby, the northernmost point of land on the island of Oahu. As ...
. Its largest village is Haleiwa. This area is best known for its massive waves, attracting
big wave surfers Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * ''Big'', a 2023 Taiwanese children's film starring Van Fan and Chie Tanaka * ''Big!'', a Discovery ...
from all around the world.


Surfing

The northern hemisphere winter months on the North Shore see a concentration of
surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...
activity, taking advantage of swells originating in the stormy North Pacific. Notable surfing spots include
Waimea Bay Waimea Bay is located in Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oʻahu in the Hawaiian Islands at the mouth of the Waimea River. Waimea Valley extends east of Waimea Bay. means "reddish water" in Hawaiian. History On February 27, 1779, Captain ...
and Sunset Beach.
Banzai Pipeline The Banzai Pipeline, or simply Pipeline or Pipe, is a surf reef break located in Hawaii, off Ehukai Beach Park in Pupukea on O'ahu's North Shore. A reef break is an area in the ocean where waves start to break once they reach the shallows of ...
, located at Ehukai Beach, is the most famous surfing spot on the North Shore and is consistently ranked one of the top surf spots in the world. It is a prime spot for competitions due to its close proximity to the beach, giving spectators, judges, and photographers a great view. The North Shore is considered to be the surfing mecca of the world. Every December, the area hosts three competitions, which make up the
Triple Crown of Surfing The Triple Crown of Surfing is a specialty series of professional surfing events that have been held annually since 1983 on the North Shore of Oahu, a coastline whose winter swells can reach in height. The Triple Crown was founded by former ...
. The three men's competitions are the Hawaiian Pro, the
O'Neill World Cup of Surfing The O'Neill World Cup of Surfing is a prestigious event in professional surfing held annually at Pūpūkea (Sunset Beach) on Oahu in Hawaii. The event attracts hundreds of elite surfers from around the world, and is known for its huge waves. It i ...
, and the
Billabong Pipeline Masters The Pipe Pro is an event in surfing held annually at Banzai Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii. It was established in 1971 and has been sponsored by Yeti Coolers, who have a three year partnership in place, which began in 2023. The event attracts the top ...
. The Pipe Masters was founded in 1971 and is regarded as the sport's top surfing contest. The three women's competitions are the Hawaiian Pro, the Roxy Pro Sunset, and the
Billabong Pro The World Surf League (WSL) is the governing body for professional surfers and is dedicated to showcasing the world's best talent in a variety of progressive formats. The WSL was originally known as International Professional Surfing (IPS), fou ...
on the neighboring island of
Maui Maui (; Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ) is the second largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2). It is the List of islands of the United States by area, 17th-largest in the United States. Maui is one of ...
.
Waimea Bay Waimea Bay is located in Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oʻahu in the Hawaiian Islands at the mouth of the Waimea River. Waimea Valley extends east of Waimea Bay. means "reddish water" in Hawaiian. History On February 27, 1779, Captain ...
hosts the Quiksilver Big Wave Invitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau. This is an exclusive competition that participants must be invited to. The competition has a scheduled window of dates each winter, however the competition has a minimum requirement of consistent, waves. Therefore, the competition is not held every year. Although the North Shore is known for its large winter surf, there are a number of surf schools that teach a beginner the basics of surfing in coves that are protected from the larger waves.


Television and film

Due to its natural environment, proximity to
Honolulu Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
, and large waves, the North Shore is a popular area for filming. The
documentary film A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction Film, motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". The American author and ...
''Bustin' Down the Door'' (2008) chronicles the rise of professional
surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...
in the early 1970s. The
Fox Network Fox Broadcasting Company, LLC (commonly known as Fox; stylized in all caps) is an American commercial broadcast television network serving as the flagship property of Fox Corporation and operated through Fox Entertainment. Fox is based at Fo ...
TV show '' North Shore'' was filmed there.
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
's '' Lost'' was filmed almost entirely on O'ahu, with much of it filmed on the North Shore, including in the area of Turtle Bay. The North Shore was also the setting for the movies '' Ride the Wild Surf'' (1964), '' North Shore'' (1987), ''
Blue Crush ''Blue Crush'' is a 2002 American sports film directed by John Stockwell, written by Stockwell and Lizzy Weiss, and based on Susan Orlean's 1998 '' Outside'' magazine article "Life's Swell". It stars Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez, San ...
'' (2002), '' The Big Bounce'' (2004), and ''
Forgetting Sarah Marshall ''Forgetting Sarah Marshall'' is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller (in his feature directorial debut) and starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Russell Brand. The film, which was written by Segel a ...
'' (2008), as well as being fictionalized for the animated film '' Surf's Up''. Since December 2015 Hale'iwa and Pupukea have been the setting for the popular German reality TV show ''Die Reimanns'' portraying the life of the Reimann family on their lush estate in Sunset Hills.


Accommodation

The North Shore only houses one large commercial hotel, the
Turtle Bay Resort Turtles are reptiles of the order (biology), order Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Crypt ...
, which also has two world-class
golf Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various Golf club, clubs to hit a Golf ball, ball into a series of holes on a golf course, course in as few strokes as possible. Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standa ...
courses designed by
Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer (September 10, 1929 – September 25, 2016) was an American professional golfer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most charismatic players in the sport's history. Since embarking on a professional career in ...
and
George Fazio George Fazio (November 12, 1912 – June 6, 1986) was an American professional golfer and a golf course architect. Life and career Fazio, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was a respected player in the mid-twentieth century and competed in sev ...
. Other accommodations are available in privately run condos, house rentals, and a
youth hostel A hostel is a form of low-cost, short-term shared sociable lodging where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed in a dormitory sleeping 4–20 people, with shared use of a lounge and usually a kitchen. Rooms can be private or shared - mixe ...
.


Activities

While the North Shore is most famous for its
surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...
, there are a number of other popular activities on the North Shore including
hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...
,
scuba diving Scuba diving is a Diving mode, mode of underwater diving whereby divers use Scuba set, breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface breathing gas supply, and therefore has a limited but variable endurance. The word ''scub ...
, shark cage diving, surfing lessons,
snorkeling Snorkeling (American and British English spelling differences#Doubled in British English, British and Commonwealth English spelling: snorkelling) is the practice of human swimming, swimming face down on or through a body of water while breathing ...
,
food trucks A food truck is a large motorized vehicle (such as a van or multi-stop truck) or trailer equipped to store, transport, cook, prepare, serve and/or sell food. Some food trucks, such as ice cream trucks, sell frozen or prepackaged food, but ...
,
foilboard A foilboard, also known as a hydrofoil board or foil surfboard, is a type of board used in water sports; it is distinct from surfboards in that it has a hydrofoil rather than fins mounted underneath. This hydrofoil design allows the surfboard and ...
,
shopping Shopping is an activity in which a customer browses the available goods or services presented by one or more retailers with the potential intent to purchase a suitable selection of them. A Retail#Shopper profiles, typology of shopper types ha ...
,
shave ice Shave ice or Hawaiian shave ice is an ice-based dessert made by shaving a block of ice and flavoring it with syrup and other sweet ingredients. On Hawai‘i Island, it is also referred to as "ice shave". In contrast, a snow cone, a similar Ame ...
,
dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal in the cetacean clade Odontoceti (toothed whale). Dolphins belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontopori ...
tours, etc.


Floods and beach erosion

The surf during the winter months regularly cause flooding along the North Shore, which may lead to temporary closure of
Kamehameha Highway Kamehameha Highway is one of the main highways serving suburban and rural O‘ahu in the U.S. state of Hawai‘i. Informally known as Kam Highway, it begins at Hawaii Route 92, Nimitz Highway near Pearl Harbor and Hickam Air Force Base in Honolu ...
,
erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as Surface runoff, water flow or wind) that removes soil, Rock (geology), rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust#Crust, Earth's crust and then sediment transport, tran ...
of some beaches, and take a toll on oceanfront homes. North Shore is known for its extreme high surf in the winter season, starting around early November and possibly lasting to as long as June or July. Waves around this time are around 16 feet on average as measured from top to bottom of the waves' "face" -- the side of the wave that faces the shore. However, during the peak of the season, these waves can rise to around 45 to even 60 feet in size. Because of this extreme size and power that occurs every winter,
coastal erosion Coastal erosion is the loss or displacement of land, or the long-term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the action of Wind wave, waves, Ocean current, currents, tides, wind-driven water, waterborne ice, or other impacts ...
increases and can pose a great threat to houses along the shoreline. Moreover, these intense swells also cause the tide to rise to unusually high levels, further contributing to coastal erosion and also leading to major flooding throughout the North Shore. These floods can disrupt coastal wetlands, putting important ecosystems in danger and threatening their habitat. It can also greatly damage business and economy in the North Shore, especially in Haleiwa, as it can damage shop interiors, merchandise, and force certain businesses to close. Although the majority of the North Shore’s coastal erosion is caused by the extreme surf during the winter season, there are many other factors that contribute to erosion such as
climate change Present-day climate change includes both global warming—the ongoing increase in Global surface temperature, global average temperature—and its wider effects on Earth's climate system. Climate variability and change, Climate change in ...
and
rising sea levels The sea level has been rising from the end of the last ice age, which was around 20,000 years ago. Between 1901 and 2018, the average sea level rose by , with an increase of per year since the 1970s. This was faster than the sea level had e ...
. Climate change, referring to a change in the usual weather patterns and temperatures, often results in rising sea levels because of thermal expansion in the water. As our ocean waters continue to get hotter due to climate change, it expands resulting in the rising sea levels. From 1950 to 2015, ocean temperatures rose by 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Because Earth's oceans are so massive, this is extremely significant. This change in temperature has led to more than 6 inches of sea level rise, causing on average a 233% increase in
tidal flooding Tidal flooding, also known as sunny day flooding or nuisance flooding, is the temporary inundation of low-lying areas, especially streets, during exceptionally high tide events, such as at full and new moons. The highest tides of the year may b ...
across the U.S. Higher seas amplify the effects of
storms A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm) ...
,
hurricanes A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system with a low-pressure area, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depending on its locat ...
, rainstorms, and high tide, increasing the significance of these events. However, the majority of this rise in sea level occurred in the last 20 years because the rate of sea level rise is accelerating, with levels rising about one inch every eight years, and that rate is expected to continue accelerating. As for Hawai’i specifically, the speed at which the sea levels are rising has increased, with levels rising as much as one inch every four years. Scientists expect sea levels to continue rising, forecasting that in the next twelve years, the sea level will rise by another six inches depending on how fast the ocean warms and the ice melts. This combination of a constant gradual rise in sea levels, climate change, extreme surf, susceptibility to storms, floods, hurricanes, and high tides causes a great level of coastal erosion that can put homeowners on the shoreline at extremely high risk. Moreover, this erosion can permanently change the beaches and surf breaks on the North Shore because of the severe amount of land lost.


Communities

* Haleiwa *
Kahuku Kahuku () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. In the Hawaiian language, ''ka huku'' means "the projection", presumably a reference to Kahuku Point nearby, the northernmost point of land on the island of Oahu. As ...
* Mokuleia * Pupukea * Waialua *
Waimea Bay Waimea Bay is located in Haleiwa on the North Shore of Oʻahu in the Hawaiian Islands at the mouth of the Waimea River. Waimea Valley extends east of Waimea Bay. means "reddish water" in Hawaiian. History On February 27, 1779, Captain ...


Notable residents

* Owl Chapman, surfer and surfboard shaper * Darrick Doerner, surfer * Jim Evans, artist *
John John Florence John "John John" Alexander Florence (born October 18, 1992) is an American professional surfing, surfer. He is considered one of the most dominant Banzai Pipeline, pipe surfers of his era and won back-to-back world titles on the 2016 World Surf ...
, professional surfer *
Brian Grazer Brian Thomas Grazer (born July 12, 1951) is an American film and television producer. He founded Imagine Entertainment in 1986 with Ron Howard. The films they produced have grossed over $15 billion. Grazer was personally nominated for four Acad ...
,
Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
-winning film and television producer * Bruce Irons, professional surfer * Jack Johnson,
folk rock Folk rock is a fusion genre of rock music with heavy influences from pop, English and American folk music. It arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music re ...
singer-songwriter *
Samuel Kamakau Samuel Mānaiakalani Kamakau (October 29, 1815 – September 5, 1876) was a Hawaiian historian and scholar. His work appeared in local newspapers and was later compiled into books, becoming an invaluable resource on the Hawaiian people, Hawaiian ...
, historian * Stanley Kennedy Sr., founder of
Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian Airlines, Inc. ( ) is a commercial U.S. airline headquartered in Honolulu, and a subsidiary of the Alaska Air Group. It is the largest operator of commercial flights to and from the island state of Hawaiʻi, and the tenth largest ...
* Jamie O'Brien, professional surfer *
Frederick Patacchia Fredrick Patacchia Jr. (born December 15, 1981) is an American professional surfer. He retired from the World Surf League after a perfect 10 at the Hurley Pro at Lower Trestles on September 9, 2015. Patacchia was raised on the North Shore of Oa ...
, professional surfer *
Makua Rothman Makuakai (Makua) Rothman (born June 17, 1984) is an American big wave rider, professional surfer and musician. On February 28, 2015, he was crowned the 2015 Big Wave World Champion in the World Surf League's (WSL) first sanctioned Big Wave Worl ...
, professional surfer *
Arto Saari Arto Saari (born November 9, 1981) is a Finnish retired professional skateboarder and photographer. Early life Saari was born in Seinäjoki, Finland. His mother was supportive of his skateboarding and his first skateboard was a Vision Gator mo ...
, professional
skateboarder Skateboarding is an action sport that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry job, and a method of transportation. Originating in the United Stat ...
and
photographer A photographer (the Greek φῶς (''phos''), meaning "light", and γραφή (''graphê''), meaning "drawing, writing", together meaning "drawing with light") is a person who uses a camera to make photographs. Duties and types of photograp ...
*
Paul Theroux Paul Edward Theroux ( ; born April 10, 1941) is an American novelist and travel writer who has written numerous books, including the travelogue '' The Great Railway Bazaar'' (1975). Some of his works of fiction have been adapted as feature films ...
, American travel writer and novelist * Butch Van Artsdalen, surfer * Carol Philips, Bodyboarder *
Tamayo Perry Tamayo Perry (April 15, 1975 – June 23, 2024) was an American professional surfer, lifeguard and actor. He was a regular fixture on Oahu's Banzai Pipeline, one of the world's most notable reef surf breaks, and was considered as one of the most ...
, surfer, lifeguard and actor


References


External links


Oahu Surf Conditions, Radar, and Forecasts


William Finnegan from ''
Outside Outside or Outsides may refer to: * Wilderness Books and magazines * ''Outside'', a book by Marguerite Duras * ''Outside'' (magazine), an outdoors magazine Film, theatre and TV * Outside TV (formerly RSN Television), a television network * '' ...
'' magazine gives a detailed insight into the professional surfing world on the North Shore of Oahu.
Oahu North Shore Chamber of Commerce

"The Drive-By Coast."
''
Hana Hou! ''Hana Hou!'' is an American bi-monthly English language inflight magazine. It is published for Hawaiian Airlines by Honolulu-based NMG Network. ''Hana Hou!'' (which means '' encore!'' in the Hawaiian language Hawaiian (', ) is a critical ...
'' Vol. 10, No. 2 (April/May 2007 issue; 7 pages). Article by Curt Sanburn, photographs by Dana Edmunds. {{coord, 21.6197, N, 158.0856, W, source:wikidata, display=title Geography of Oahu Surfing locations in Hawaii