Sitting to the north of Newport Harbor, pressed up against the jetty, breaks a wave that belongs in that second category: The Wedge. In fact, because The Wedge surfing has the potential for such large waves, you may find some of the most skilled bodysurfers in all of Newport Beach at the Wedge.
Otherwise, you'll end up in a hospital bed or a cemetery.Respect the locals, and wait for your turn. Even on medium-sized days, hundreds amateur and professional lensmen eager to capture the flashy wipeouts, and the perfect rides invade the surfing jewel of Newport Beach.There are many ways of enjoying this wave. Wedge, The Thick, punishing, highly specialized surf break adjacent to the west jetty of Newport Harbor, at the tip of Balboa peninsula in Orange County, California; ridden mostly by bodysurfers, bodyboarders, kneeboarders and skimboarders, although stand-up surfers have also made their mark. But make no mistakes: there are increased chances it will close out on top of you.If you're lucky, and when Mother Nature is on your side, you may end up claiming a successful barrel exit. The Wedge is a freak phenomenon in which incoming waves rebound off the local jetty and double in size before crashing violently onto the sand. "The Wedge is easily the heaviest wave in Southern California with hard sand and thick lips," Jeff Hubbard, world bodyboarding champion, once said.Although it is mainly a left-hand wave, you can also backdoor it on a finless craft like a bodyboard or a skimboard. We use cookies to help us improve, promote, and protect our services. But that not the norm.The Wedge explodes next to the Newport Harbor Jetty, and one mile east of the Balboa Pier. You've got to feel it, commit to it, and then take off as soon as possible.Two rules of thumb: avoid going right, and stay away from the jetty. Newport Beach's most famous surfing wave could be a deadly experience.This is not a standard surf spot; The Wedge creates thick lips that will unexpectedly toss you down the face of the liquid mountain and side waves that will push you laterally.If you're willing to give it a go, spend a few hours studying the breaking of the wave, and pay attention to the way riders tame it without getting beaten up.When you feel you're ready, paddle out and observe the behavior of the wave from the sidelines. This notorious wedgy surf spot mixes the main characteristics of a classic beach break, an unpredictable point break, and a pounding shore break.The Wedge is the natural result of a 2,000-foot granite boulder jetty built by the Army Corps of Engineers in the mid-1930s. Cloudbreak is a world-class wave that breaks in Tavarua, a 29-acre heart-shaped island located five miles off the western shore of Viti Levu, Fiji's main island. Be careful: subtle changes in the wind speed and direction, swell size and direction, and tide can turn the place into a nightmare.If you're a beginner, a weekend warrior, or a not-so-confident intermediate wave rider, do stay away from The Wedge.
Wait a few minutes or even a couple of hours.Not all waves are surfable, and not all waves break the same way. It was first ridden by bodysurfers in the late 1950s.During powerful ground swell days, The Wedge becomes the epicenter of the brave, and one of the busiest surfing centers in the region with dozens of experienced watermen in the water ready to show off and impress the crowd on the beach.The Wedge can also be seen as sadomasochistic activity center where thousands of bones, teeth, and ribs have been broken, and countless bruises, cuts, and other injuries have been sustained.You've got to be ready to tackle The Wedge on a big day. Year after year, wave riders of every craft imaginable flock here to challenge its waters for a shot at mutated, novelty glory. This wave is a mutant beast that provides towering peaks and vertical abysses, and can only be categorized as a hardcore surf break.The place produces brutal, and sometimes funny and entertaining moments for those who watch the show unfold from a comfortable outside position, or from behind a camera lens.Naturally, The Wedge became one of the most photographed and filmed surf spots on the planet. North OC Regional PM Report: Small mix of SSW and SSE swells as well as a touch of minor NW swell rolling in with waves mainly running knee-waist high, as focal points see better sets. Today, The Wedge is known for attracting surfers, bodyboarders, skimboarders, and bodysurfers, and they all know what to expect.During carnage days, only the youngest, the fittest, and the craziest names in town are willing to defy the massive A-frames on offer at The Wedge.In other words, it's the perfect place for war veterans and exhibitionists who think fear is nothing to fear. The Wedge is adrenaline in its purest form.