15th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
The Wedge

The Wedge--the biggest wave in Southern California. The Wedge--a manmade mistake, a manmade phenomenon. Every summer, south-facing swell from Mexico travels up the coast and gets channeled into Newport Beach's most famous wave, The Wedge. The man-made jetty amplifies the swell and creates a surfing spectacle popular to surfers and spectators alike. On the biggest swell of the year, a surfer tames the beast and escapes the brutal wipeout that all surfers at The Wedge risk. Welcome to the gladiator pit of California surfing.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 06.2015
Date Uploaded: 11.2017
Photo Location: Newport Beach, California, United States of America
Camera: NIKON D3000
Copyright: © Tim Guiteras