In Hawaii, the Swell of 1983 produced the biggest waves since the fabled winter of 1969. Roads were closed and beachfront houses were flooded, but the damage was mild compared to California. Waimea Bay, then the world’s best-known big-wave break, had what is still regarded as its best season. «It wasn’t so much about sheer size as consistency,» the Surfer’s Journal wrote years later, marveling at how the surf had funneled into Waimea for up to three weeks at a time. «For the first time ever, big-wave riders actually got their fill.» Standout surfers included Ken Bradshaw, James Jones, Roger Erikson, Chris Lundy, and Charlie Walker.
