BEACH & SEA FLOOR GUIDE // North Shore · Ehukai BeachExpert Only / Heavy Reef Barrel

Banzai Pipeline & Backdoor · Oahu — Reef Mechanics, Channels & Wind Shadow

Early-season WNW (310°) swells clear sand off the first reef while ENE trade winds hold the barrel lip open.

TAKEOFF CAUTION: STEEP DROP OVER SHALLOW BOTTOM. WATCH YOUR DEPTH ON WIPEOUTS.

Expert Only / Heavy Reef Barrel · Max 6.5m

Swell: 1.5m – 4.5m

SWELL WINDOW

WNW / NW (305° – 330°)

Angle: 305° – 330°

WIND SHADOW & SHELTER

E / ENE (Alísios Havaianos Sopram 100% Offshore) (Offshore)

Trade Wind & Orographic Shelter

SUBSTRATE & DEPTH

Shallow Cavernous Coral & Lava Reef with Sand Channel

Cavernous Left Barrel (Pipeline) & Fast Right (Backdoor) over Shallow Reef

SWELL CAPTURE (BLUE) & WIND SHADOW (EMERALD) COMPASS

Swell: 334° (NNW) · Wind: 70° (ENE)

HYDROGRAPHIC REFRACTION, TAKEOFF & EXIT CHANNEL PROFILE

Beach & Reef Bottom Profile

Wave Dynamics (Reef Break): Long-period groundswell trains (12s+) undergo immediate refraction upon contacting the submarine volcanic shelf, concentrating 745 kJ of wave energy onto the takeoff bowl while peeling cleanly. The adjacent entry channel drains water smoothly without dragging surfers into the impact zone.

1. GOLDEN ENTRY & EXIT PROTOCOL

Enter and exit through the sandy channel just west toward Pupukea, watching for the lateral rip pulling east toward Off The Wall.

Max High Tide: {tide}m: 2.10m•Min Low Tide: {tide}m: 0.40m

2. LOCAL WATER HAZARDS