How a Tragic Death Created California’s Most Infamous Surf Spot (Video)

There aren’t many waves on this planet quite like The Wedge.

In surfing, the term “gladiator pit” is tossed around often – especially when it comes to heavy waves like Pipeline. That’s because, surfers are putting their lives on the line very close to shore, allowing spectators to cheer and jeer from a relatively safe distance.

But The Wedge is even closer than Pipe. It’s the ultimate shorebreak wave, with surfers, bodyboarders, and bodysurfers a stone’s throw away from the throngs of viewers onshore when the Newport Beach...