Overview
Makaha Point is a very consistent right-hand point that breaks over dead coral, and it is really four distinct breaks in one: the Point, the Bowl, the Blowhole and the Inside Reef. That variety is a big part of the appeal, since there is usually a wave on offer for whoever paddles out.
When It Works
The point draws swell from southwest through north (SW-N), with a west (W) swell the best match, and it works across a huge range, from 0.9 m / 3 ft to 7.6 m / 25 ft. Below about 10 ft (3 m) there is something for everyone: inside rollers for the groms, a nice left off the middle peak for goofyfooters, long wrapping walls for longboarders and short, sharp barrels for shredders.
Push over 10 ft (3 m) and these epic rights turn into a serious challenge. On a solid northwest swell the point serves up a committed, heart-stopping drop, then a full-bore race ahead of or under the axing lip toward the Bowl, which can slam shut like a cement mixer. With some luck it links and reforms all the way to shore, though backwash is worth watching. Getting caught inside over the reef can be a shallow, skin-threatening experience.
Wind and Tide
Look for a northeast (NE) offshore wind. It can break through low, mid and high tide, but higher water is preferred and a rising tide is generally the better call.
Local Tips
This is an expert-level wave, and the lineup gets very busy when it is on. Makaha is home to tight-knit Hawaiian families who live and play here, so visitors should show plenty of respect in and out of the water. The break pulls the whole community together, with canoe, tandem, stand-up, bodysurfing and longboards over 10 feet all sharing the water. It also holds a place in surfing history: on 4 December 1969, Greg Noll took off on a 30 ft (10 m) Makaha monster, considered the largest swell ever recorded.
Access
Facilities are well sorted, with restrooms, showers, a lifeguard, a surf school and a surf shop. For parking, there is a car park with free parking alongside paid, metered and roadside options.
