Summertime is nigh in Southern California, and that means all eyes (well, surfing eyes) are on the usual south swell suspects. Spots like The Wedge in Newport Beach, CA.
And with opening day at the Wedge going down over the weekend, Hawaiian tube surfer and YouTuber Jamie O’Brien made his annual pilgrimage to the freakish lefthand shorebreak wave. Check out the highlights, including “chaos and carnage,” below.
“The Wedge is firing [right now],” says Jamie in the video. “We’re making it in and out of barrels. This is what it’s all about. It’s solid six-foot Wedge. It’s no joke, but still kind of small. I wish it was 40 feet today.”
In classic J.O.B. fashion, he rode a bright pink soft-top during the session. Arguably, a soft-top is the perfect choice of craft for a spot like the Wedge. That way, when you fall – which you inevitable will at the Wedge – there’s less chance of breaking your board, or your board breaking you.
On why he keeps coming back to the Wedge each year, J.O.B. commented:
“This wave is so different and so unique. The reason why I like it is because it’s actually a difficult wave to ride. You have to make a lot of weird adjustments. For me, from a technicality standpoint, it’s a really fun wave to ride.”
And the season is just getting started.
The Wedge Stats/Info
Wave Type: Lefthand tube/shorebreak
Season: Spring – Fall
Skill Level: Experts only
Best Board to Ride: Shortboard, soft-top, skimboard, bodyboard, no board (bodysurf)
Ideal Swell Direction: SW, SSW, S, SSE
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