Big Wave Profile - JAWS (Maui)

“Jaws” (Pe’ahi) is a beach on the island of Maui in Hawaii. It is known as Jaws due to the size and strength of the waves – apart from the actual visual referral to its jaws eating surfers -  reaching heights of 120ft and moving at 30mph. Jaws is also known as the home of a form of surfing called "tow-in surfing" in which the surfer is towed in by a jet ski and then released into the wave at high speeds.   

For the waves at Jaws to reach heights of up to 120 feet, a number of things need to occur. The only time that the ocean swells enough is in winter and this, paired with the fact that the waves come in around that time make for some gigantic waves. When compared to other big wave spots around the globe such as Mavericks and Cyclops, Jaws is famed for its "wave forming quality". The reef floor and rocks are shaped in a way that magnifies the wave’s uplifting energy and makes clear, left and right facing waves with great barrels.