Watch: Bodyboarders Charge Mutant Waimea Bay Shorebreak

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated Dec 2, 2025 8:54 PM ET

Waimea Bay holds a sacred, singular role in the world of surfing.

First and foremost, it’s where modern big-wave surfing began, with Greg “da Bull” Noll riding waves there in late 1950s; second, it’s home to the world’s most prestigious big-wave surfing competition, the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, which kicks off on December 5th for the 2025/26 season; not to mention, the Bay plays host to a number of novelty monstrosities, like the massive river wave and the notorious shorebreak.

Speaking of the latter, very few tempt the shorebreak when the waves are big and nasty. It’s hands-down one of the heaviest, mutant, below sea level, sand-bottomed washing machines in the world. But bodyboarders, on the other hand, they love that stuff.

As you’ve probably seen and heard by now, since Thanksgiving, the North Shore of Oahu has been on a season-opener swell bender. But unless you’re Bruce Irons on his way to winning the 2004 Eddie, riding a wave all the way from the outside to the inside closeout death section, or Jamie O’Brien sending it for da boys (and the YouTube clicks), most folks are staying far, far away from the Waimea Bay shorebreak.

Bodyboarders, though, that’s another story.

In the clip above, a handful of prone wave-riders tackle the monstrosity that is the Waimea Bay inside shorepound. Specifically, take a look at the ride – if you can even call it that – just before the one-minute mark. There’s about four waves, all jumbled up into one freak of nature, and a brave soul attempts to take off on it. The result? Annihilation.

Here’s the caption on the clip for a little more context:

“Waimea Bay was thumping today with a powerful long-period northwest swell pushing straight into the shorebreak. Clean morning conditions and favorable winds set up some of the heaviest wedges and sand-sucking pits of the season.

“The bodyboard crew went all-in — big rides, long hold-downs, deep barrels, and some violent closeouts when the sets detonated on the sand. Pure North Shore chaos and glory.”

Chaos and glory – yep, that about sums up the inside at Waimea when it’s big.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: