Why is the Wedge called the Wedge?
Its name says it all. This notorious wedgy surf spot mixes the main characteristics of a classic beach break, an unpredictable point break, and a pounding shore break. The Wedge is the natural result of a 2,000-foot granite boulder jetty built by the Army Corps of Engineers in the mid-1930s.
When was the Wedge built?
The Wedge is a fortunate accident of engineering, the result of a jetty, built in 1936, that extends 1,900 feet offshore from Newport Beach—a cosmic happenstance between nature and man’s will to control it.
How tall are the waves at the Wedge?
30 feet
During a south or south/southwest swell of the right size and aligned in the swell window, the Wedge can produce huge waves up to 30 feet (9.1 m) high.
How does the Wedge get so big?
The giant waves are a result of a 2,000-foot jetty that was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1930s. The purpose for its construction was to protect the Newport Harbor. The jetty forces one wave to crash back into another wave, which ultimately combines the forces of two waves into one.
What beach has the biggest waves in California?
Mavericks in Half Moon Bay definitely has the largest break in California. Waves at this specific location can be as high as 60 feet when conditions are perfect and 20-30 foot waves are common in winter. Unique underwater formations create this crazy wave which breaks both left and right.
How does the Newport Wedge form?
(1) The jetty: In the 1930s the Army Corps of Engineers made improvements to the rock jetty at the west side of Newport Harbor. Toss in the steep shore break and shallow water and you have a perfect recipe for some monster waves. This creates a wave, or wedge.
Why are the waves so big in Newport Beach?
The waves are a by-product of alterations to the rock jetty on the west side of the Newport Harbor entrance undertaken during the 1930s. During a south or south/southwest swell of the right size and aligned in the swell window, the Wedge can produce huge waves up to 30 feet (9.1 m) high.
