Oahu’s North Shore is one of the most famous stretches of sand in the world. The Seven Mile Miracle is your prototypical island paradise, featuring some of the most beautiful scenery the entire planet has to offer. Oh, and the waves are pretty much the best in the world as well. It’s hard to find a combination more killer than that.
Not only is it the birthplace of surfing, but it’s the all-encompassing gathering point for this sport to this day, still, as well. The North Shore is just as much an actual location on a map as it is a place where both aspiring and established pros go to make their name or solidify their legacy.
But it’s not all paradise. The waves are mean, the locals are meaner, and the shallow lava-rock reefs will put you on the next flight home if you’re not careful. Navigating the island can be tricky. Thankfully, 805 Authentico Conner Coffin has spent almost every winter of his life on the North Shore. Whether as a competitor, or just another tourist enjoying the scenery, he’s made enough pilgrimages to the North Shore to know the ins and outs of every inch of sand. We’re stoked to have him as our guide as we explore all the premier waves of the North Shore in Spot Check, a series that highlights some waves that have made (or broken) professional surfing careers. You can watch our rundowns on Pipeline, Sunset Beach, and Haleiwa below now.
Pipeline
Banzai Pipeline, Pipeline, or just Pipe. It doesn’t matter what you call it, because you know the wave already. Conner breaks down one of the most photographed, filmed, and surfed waves in the world in this episode of Spot Check.
Sunset Beach
There’s more to the story of surfing Sunset Beach than the thrill of getting a proper barrel off the Inside Bowl or taking an infamous West Peak set on the head. One of surfing’s biggest and most unruly playing fields is highlighted in this episode of Spot Check.
Haleiwa
Welcome to one of the North Shore’s biggest playgrounds. Perhaps the most high-performance friendly wave on the Seven-Mile Miracle, Haleiwa is where most Oahu kids paddle into their first wave and seasoned pros go to try out new boards. Conner gives us the rundown on Oahu’s premier training grounds in our final episode.