The Wedge (surfing)

The Wedge is a world-famous bodyboarding, surfing & bodysurfing spot located at the extreme south end of the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, California. When supplied with a south swell of the proper size and direction, it can produce huge waves as spectacular and intimidating as any in Hawaii, Tahiti, or Australia.

The waves are a by-product of improvements to the groin (rock jetty) on the north side of the Newport Harbor entrance undertaken during the 1930s. When conditions are just right and the waves approach the shore at the proper angle (south swells), an approaching wave will reflect off the groin creating a second wave. The reflected wave meets up with the following wave of the set and forms a peak. Because of this effect, waves at the wedge are often several feet larger than waves at other south facing beaches in Newport on any given day.

The Wedge only breaks big when intense Southern Hemisphere storms or large Tropical Depressions, and Hurricanes send their energy in the proper SSW direction, primarily during the summer months. It's unpredictable. "Thus it remains a kind of unspoiled inner sanctum of wave riding at its purest—and most challenging."

Dangerous, cautious respect

Between Balboa Pier and the Wedge waves are referred to as a shore or beach break. When the crest of the wave comes crashing down, regardless of its size, it lands in water no more than a foot or two deep, and it will sometimes land directly on to the sand. This condition causes uninformed and inexperienced swimmers to be at extreme risk of a spinal cord injury. If a person is to "go over the falls," (fall with the water in the crest of the wave), they will commonly strike their head on the sand below the shallow water. Shore break waves are much thicker and stronger for their size than waves that break farther out. Their thickness increases the force in which they strike the ground. Lower Newport sees many spinal cord injury victims every summer who often end up as paraplegics.

These conditions at the Wedge are only for a swimmer in peak physical condition, with ample amounts of ocean experience and proper equipment. Swim fins are a must!

Popular culture

Legendary surf music guitarist Dick Dale memorialized the Wedge in an eponymous 1963 instrumental piece, which is acknowledged as a classic of the genre and is included in his Greatest Hits. The Wedge also makes an appearance in Bruce Brown's "The Endless Summer". Hailed as the greatest surf movie ever made, it is often the first time people ever hear of"The Dirty Ol' Wedge".

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:apftxx80ldhe AllMusic.com page for the song "The Wedge"]
*Geolinks-US-streetscale|33.5934|-117.882

Video

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgiM-T1xRMM The Wedge Extreme]
* [http://www.15thstreetsurfshop.com/videos/wedge_427.htm Great surfing video footage, especially at the end]
* [http://www.surfline.com/video/vids/2002/sept/jsps/wedge_qt.cfm Very good surfing footage]
* [http://www.fullspeedtv.com/wedge/wedge_images/0018.mov Video of very long skim board ride]
* [http://www.fullspeedtv.com/wedge/wedge_images/0006.mov Video of another long skimboarding ride]
* [http://fullspeedtv.com/wedge/wedge.html Link to video clips from the Wedge film, "THUMP"]
* [http://www.jordanstallard.com/video/bodyboard05.avi Short video of backwash ride]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUNOLeJjLVE Matt Larson bodysurfing massive wedge]

Photographs

* [http://www.surfline.com/travel/surfmaps/us/orange_county/images/romo_wedge.jpgPhotograph 1 (Giant Surf)]
* [http://www.romanoskyphoto.com/2006/assets/images/wild_wild_wedge_header3.jpgPhotograph 2 (Wild, Wild Wedge Wipeout)]
* [http://www.oceanlight.com/spotlight.php?
]
* [http://www.romanoskyphoto.com/assets/images/3w44.jpgPhotograph 4 (Crowds gather to watch the big, pounding surf)]
* [http://promediasystems.org/temp/rick-seq3.jpgRick Ciaccio dropping into a classic Wedge peak]
* [http://www.oceanlight.com/lightbox.php?sesloc=The_Wedge,_Newport_Beach,_California Wedge Photos]