There’s Big, There’s Huge, and Then There’s Jaws!

About a mile from our house here on Maui—maybe a bit more than that—is one of the world’s most famous and most dangerous surfing spots. It’s commonly referred to as “Jaws”, but most locals here use the Hawaiian name: Peahi. That’s pronounced pay-AH-hee.
 

 Big waves almost always come from the north or northeast and, when when we get those big northeast swells rolling right into Jaws, about in the center of this view, they build into monsters supposedly because of the way the rocky bottom rises up under them.
 
Only the best of the best even try surfing Peahi when the big ones come rolling in. The few surfers who actually get in the water are towed on their boards out past the break by lifeguards astride powerful watercraft. Even that’s not possible when the really big stuff comes. That’s when the surfers and their boards are carried out beyond the crashing mountains of water by helicopter.
 
Meanwhile, spectators gather on the cliffs overlooking the action. There’s usually an ambulance there, too. Lest you think I exaggerate the dangers, here’s a photo that was taken a week or so ago.
 

 I know what you’re thinking and, yeah, you’re right: those guys are lo’lo’. That means “crazy”.