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Spot: Sunset Beach, HI
The Wave
There are many facets to this diamond. Describing them from closest to shore:
Val’s Reef is a short, shifty right peak close to the beach that has long been a breeding ground for some of Hawaii’s best surfers, introducing them to the chaos theory that waits outside.
The Bowl is a slab of reef between the outside peak and the channel which pops up, shifts, opens, shuts, barrels and closes out, almost all at the same time. On a big north swell, you pays your money and you takes your chances. It disappears on a west swell.
The West Peak is what makes Sunset junkies like Allen Sarlo commute from California. The reef attracts west and northwest swells and focuses them into a huge, offshore peak that breaks from six feet to 18 feet. Surfers can go left on the West Peak, but the right is the raison d’etre.
Sunset Point is a smaller wave that breaks off the east side of the point. Good up to about six feet, Sunset Point, like the rest of Sunset is shifty and unpredictable but sometimes will reward you with a screaming drop and barrel.
The North Wall is an area of shifting walls between the West Peak and Backyards. This area starts breaking after eight feet and is the big equalizer, because it’s a total crapshoot where those waves are going to unload.
Backyards is another 300-yard stretch of shifting peak to the north of Sunset Beach. This is where Laird and Darrick Doerner and Buzzy Kerbox and friends began experimenting with tow surfing.
Best Swell, Size and Direction
Sunset is perfectly situated to soak up any burp or blast from the north, northwest and west. The character of the wave changed dramatically with swell direction. West is generally the best, because it makes the West Peak do the thing. As the swell moves to the northwest and the north, it turns Sunset into a series of connecting walls from way out at Backyards, all the way to the channel – you hope
Surrounding Spots
Sunset is one of the Big Three spots in the Seven Mile Miracle of the North Shore, along with Pipeline and Waimea Bay. Just across the channel to the west is Kammieland, and then down the beach is Monster Mush, Rocky Point, Gas Chambers, Turkey Bay, Pupukea, Ehukai Beach Park and Pipeline.
Going the other way, Backyards is a separate spot from Sunset and a place where the overflow crowd goes for some peace and quiet. When Backyards is big, crowds are the least of your worries. And beyond Backyards are small wave spots Freddie Land and Velzyland, and outer reef tow spots like Phantoms.
Difficulty Level
High, from two feet to 20. When Sunset is moving and grooving, this place is Triple Black Diamond and takes many years of experience to read and figure out. Sit and watch a big day and you will see that this is a place where age and treachery usually wins over youth and beauty.
Localism Factor
High. Sam George once caused a controversy when he said Sunset Beach was just a big version of T Street. But Sunset is also kind of like Malibu, in that it’s so beautiful it drives surfers crazy with wave lust. Although the shifty nature of the wave disperses the crowd and acts as an equalizer, the place is still very crowded with surfers who have been there for decades and wild-eyed first timers Fresh Off the Plane. Localism is a factor at Sunset Beach and throughout Hawaii. Do something wrong to the wrong guy and you will get a ticket – slapped upside your head. So behave yourself.
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