The Wedge is not a wave -- it's a 20-foot-plus meat grinde
r dreamed up by the devil himself. It heaves, bends and pul
verizes in ways that good little waves aren't supposed to a
ct. The first time you swim or paddle out on a solid day, a
typical thought might be, "Dang, is my chiropractor covere
d in my medical plan?"



The Wedge is a combination of two waves that merge togethe
r, thrusting into a titanic slingshot that breaks with enou
gh pounds per square inch to send Stone Cold Steve Austin t
o the mat. It takes a south swell only, refracting the swel
l energy off the jetty and creating a sideways wave that sl
ings across the beach and mates with the next wave in the s
et. The result is what locals fittingly call a "humping eff
ect," where the set waves jack, expand and release in unima
ginable ways.



The key to a good Wedge wave is the right swell interval.
If the interval is just right, the side wave will hit the m
ain swell at the perfect moment, causing it to "wedge." Too
short or too long an interval and the side wave will miss
hitting the main peak. It's not uncommon to see skimboarder
s, spongers and bodysurfers catching the side wave before i
t collides, resulting in ozone-depleting aerials, monstrous
tubes and insane wipeouts.



Although the Wedge is perhaps the best-known bodysurfing s
pot in the world, in recent years there's been an influx of
stand-up surfers. What was once a novelty for guys like Da
nny Kwock back in the '80s is now serious business for pros
like Strider Wasilewski, the Hobgood twins and a long list
of other challengers. Part of the reason for the influx of
hard goods is that the media -- both surf and mainstream -
- have been persistent in recording all the action. Every s
ummer, there's guaranteed to be a center spread of some hap
less fool getting launched or a front-page shot on the Los
Angeles Times of the Wedge at its nastiest. Despite the inc
reased presence of fiberglass and foam, an alternative wave
is best suited to an alternative approach, which is why bo
dysurfers still rule the place. In fact, they literally rul
e the place -- thanks to a serious lobbying effort by the l
ocal skull-cap crew, throughout the summer, no boards of an
y kind are allowed in the water except in the early morning
and late evening. So if you're feeling suicidal, or just w
ant to watch stand-up surfers and bodyboarders play demolit
ion derby at one of the most breathtaking natural spectacle
s in Southern California, it's best to show up in the morni
ng or late afternoon.

Best tide: deadly at all tides

Best swell direction: S, SW

Best size: 6 to 20 feet

Best wind: E, NE


Perfect-o-meter: 9 (1=Lake Erie; 10=Jeffreys Bay)

Bottom: sand

Ability level: advanced to psychotic

Bring your: camera and beach chair; or swim fins, Speedos
and insurance card

Best season summer

Access: free street parking, but if it's pumping, plan to
walk

Crowd factor: moderate

Local vibe: quietly thuggish

Bicep burn: 2 (1=knee-high Waikiki; 10=triple-overhead Oce
an Beach)

Poo patrol: 10, if you include your own (1=clean; 10=turds
in the lineup)

Shark danger: 1 (1=none; 10=bring an iron cage

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