TOP: Building the 1918 West Jetty. BELOW: Pre-1997 Corner Bowl.

Meet You Inside the Green Room Bodysurfer and author. One morning a man from Los Angeles dressed in white robes walked barefoot into The Wedge during a major swell...and was never seen again. According to “The Encyclopedia of Surfing,” only the Pipeline and Sandy Beach in Hawaii have produced as many injuries and deaths. For those who surf the massive hollow tubes of Mother Wedge, it’s worth it. Many famous names have bodysurfed the Wedge, including Mickey Munoz, Mike Stewart, Terry Wade, Mel Thoman, J.T. Nichols, Matt Larson, Tom “Cashbox” Kennedy and Aaron Piersol. Others not as famous—Rob, Sean, Marty, Potato—have made Wedge body surfing an obsession as much as a sport. It’s the West Newport Jetty that creates the classic rebound “wedge” wave during summer south swells. The West Jetty has been built and rebuilt four times: in 1916- 1918, 1927-29, 1934-36 and again in 1996-97. With each jetty rebuild the waves changed. Today the famous Wedge peak remains, but its once-great corner bowl has vanished to the sea. Continued...

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