15th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest The American Experience
Banzai Pipeline the world's deadliest wave.

When a wave rolls through the North Shore O'ahu, a giant air bubble soars up from the caverns and through the reefs, creating gorgeous wave crests that have become world-famous. The most popular of these wave systems is the very first one most surfers see: A swell that rolls from left to right, reaching peak heights of at least 12 feet, called simply “The Pipeline.”

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 01.2017
Date Uploaded: 11.2017
Photo Location: Sunset Beach Park, Hawaii, United States of America
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Copyright: © Francois Aspesberro