Most of the time when you go to the beach: you swim around the shore and maybe swim into the impact zone, where the waves break above your head, and enjoy your time in the sand with your family. Not knowing the waves that break miles off the shore…
Many reef breaks can be found many, many miles off the shore. They can hold some of the most powerful waves, most beautiful sea life and coral reefs. Even here in California we have breaks such as Ventura Overhead Solimar Reef. Places like Mentawai Fiji and Tahiti can have amazing waves that you can’t even see from the beach.
But why would anyone want to go to these beaches or waves miles offshore? Well most people going out are surfers who want to chase the feeling of getting barreled. For non-surfers, a barrel is when the wave goes over the surfer’s head and there is a pocket for the surfer to ride in, a feeling and view you can’t catch anywhere else.
The reef breaks tend to break miles off the shore and catch more swells, which can cause some amazing barrels.
Whenever a swell hits, you will find surfers going over to these remote islands or far offshore waves. Some of the most world class waves are found on these reefs such as Teahupo’o, Cloudbreak, and Lances Rights.
So maybe next time you’re at the beach swimming around, stop and think about the waves that could be breaking beyond the shore.