The Hawaiian chain of islands, made up of six main islands plus two smaller ones, stretches for more than 1,500 miles through the heart of the Pacific Ocean. It is a place of idyllic beauty. But it is also a land of volcanic fury, raging mountaintop blizzards, dangerous rockslides, monster waves, and even tsunamis.

Kilauea, on the Big Island of Hawaii, provides the most dramatic display of volcanic power. The volcano’s newest cone, Pu`u `O`o regularly spews molten rock and its steady flow of lava in the past two decades has added more than 500 acres to the island.

High above the sea at nearly 14,000 feet is Mauna Kea, which rises above 40 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere, making for ideal stargazing. The summit of Mauna Kea is usually barren and dry, but in the winter the crest experiences blizzards with winds that whip up to 70 miles an hour.

When a blizzard rages on Mauna Kea, chances are good that down at sea level, it’s pouring. Torrential storms are common and can be very destructive. On Oahu, one community found itself in peril after tons of rock rolled down from the hills above. A veil of steel mesh was used to contain the hillside. It will keep the rocks in check for now, but erosion is an inevitable part of the natural order.

On the north shore of Maui waves that originate as far away as Siberia sometimes rise to as much as 70 feet as they break here, earning both the waves and the beach the nickname “Jaws.” Monster waves like these are seen rarely, but lifeguards are vigilant in their efforts to spot them because they can swallow a person in an instant. Still, surfers come from all over the world for a single ride on these shores that may last less than half a minute.

Far deadlier than the waves at Jaws are tsunamis. These fast-moving walls of water are triggered by earthquakes or landslides and have killed more people in Hawaii than any other natural disasters.

NATURE’s Violent Hawaii reveals a tropical paradise shaped by the most brutal forces of the natural world.

To order a copy of Violent Hawaii, please visit the NATURE Shop.

Content for Violent Hawaii was originally posted January 9, 2005.

Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Ken Bradshaw started surfing at the age of 13 at Surfside Beach, Texas. Searching for better waves than those found in the Lone Star state, Ken moved to California in 1969 and by 1972 was ready to attempt the big waves of Hawaii’s Sunset Beach. Ken mastered big-wave surfing on Oahu’s North Shore, not only at Sunset, but also at the legendary Waimea Bay. Through the late 1970s and early 1980s, he gained nicknames like Ken Kong, The Shaw of Sunset, and Planet Crusher. His first of many big victories in professional surfing was the ABC’s Wide World of Sports Duke Kahanamoku Surfing Classic in December, 1982.

On January 28, 1998, Ken rode the biggest wave ever surfed — a colossal 85-footer — on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, at an outer reef known as Outside Log Cabins. He also rode another 20 waves between 40 and 65 feet to solidify this date as a historic one in surfing. In December 2001, NATURE Online spoke to Ken about big-wave surfing, including his record-breaking ride.

Most people would see a 25-foot wave and run in the other direction. What is it about surfers that make them want to ride big waves?

Well, not all surfers are big-wave surfers. Those who are have a certain passion and a deep desire to challenge themselves by surfing waves of that magnitude.

January 28th, 1998 was an important day in the history of surfing. Can you share with us what that was like?

That day represents the culmination of 25 years of desire and observation. For three years prior to 1998, we had been experiencing increasingly large swells. So over a period of time, we kept learning how to surf better on bigger waves and by 1998, we were ready for the challenge of a 40-foot wave. On Super Bowl Sunday — the Sunday before Wednesday, January 28 — we got really big 35-foot waves. We still had not seen a 40-footer, but knew that the swell would come. Then something happened that’s only happened 10 times or so since I’ve been in Hawaii, and that is that Waimea Beach closed out — that is to say, waves spanning the half-mile wide beach started breaking all at once, which means that they’re just massive.

Ken Bradshaw

In the show you talk a little about your relationship with the ocean. What is it about the water that’s so gratifying?

The ocean represents balance in my life. I get frustrated with the daily struggle of my “real life” out of the water, and being in the water in the surfer world is the antidote to that.

Why are larger waves so much harder to surf? Is it because it’s difficult to catch up to the speed of the wave?

Before the advent of tow-in surfing, in which surfers have the benefit of the aid of a personal watercraft helping them catch waves, we couldn’t match the speed of these big waves. This “unridden realm,” as we called it, was unsurfable — we didn’t even talk about the possibility of riding these enormous waves in the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s, we began to talk about it and figure out how it might be done, and in the 1990s we actually began to do it. What made it even possible to talk about was the development of stand-up personal watercraft in the mid-’80s. These weren’t very powerful, but when the true personal watercraft came — the sit-down kind — this was really the event that allowed us to surf the kind of waves we had only dreamed and talked about before.

You began tow-in surfing in 1995. Was there initial resistance to this new kind of surfing?

Yes, there was. But once photos were published for the first time in a surfing magazine showing tow-in surfing, it became more valid. Personally, when I first started doing a few tow-ins, I discovered that the boards we were using — 10 and a half and 11 feet long — were really slow and big and clumsy. So we started to use shorter boards — first 9 feet, then, the next year, 1993, some used a 7-foot, 2-inch-long board. It changed our whole perception of how to surf big waves; instead of merely riding the waves, we could turn and go much faster.

Can you describe what happens to your body and mind when you wipe out?

To get beat up by a wave, survive it, and get up to do it again in the space of 15 minutes is as much about physical conditioning as it is about mental toughness. There’s no way a lay person could ever understand what it feels like, but if I were to describe it I would say that it feels like getting hit by a car, a soft car, and then spun around in a washing machine. This all happens in complete darkness, so that once you stop spinning you’re presented with the challenge of finding your equilibrium and figuring out which way is up. Not to mention the pressure change: You can be pushed from the water’s surface 50 feet down in less than a second, which is a pressure change of two atmospheres. If you survive the pounding of one wave, you can be hit by a second one in less than 20 seconds, and then a third can pull you down into what we call a “triple hold.” Getting held underneath the water by three waves is probably the maximum that a person can take and still survive. I’ve only known two people who successfully negotiated a triple hold. After that, you’re out of luck.

Is surfing a sport that the “Average Joe” can do? How many years does it take until one can surf the North Shore?

Not really. It takes about 10 to 15 years for a regular surfer to become proficient enough for true big-wave surfing. It doesn’t just happen overnight, but it is a gradual process of starting with small waves, then trying to surf in Hawaii, first at Sunset Beach and then moving up the ladder to Waimea, and then, finally, the outer reefs. You’ll find that most big-wave surfers are in their late 20s or early 30s; younger surfers just aren’t experienced enough to ride the big waves.

United States Geological Survey
The USGS provides scientific information to help describe and understand the Earth, minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters, and manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources.

NOAA (National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration)
The goal of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is to predict changes in the Earth’s environment, and to conserve and wisely manage the nation’s coastal and marine resources.

Savage Seas
PBS Web companion to a series detailing the immense power and inner workings of the Earth’s oceans.

Weather Patterns
This section of the Crystalinks Web site provides straightforward definitions of meteorology, jet streams, tidal waves, and other weather conditions.

Weather by the Moon
Read about how the weather is controlled by the moon, and how long-range weather predictions are made using mathematics.

Oceans Alive!
A comprehensive site about the Earth’s oceans. The “Oceans in Motion” section includes information on how waves are created by wind and explores the role of the moon in creating ocean tides.

Tsunami Research Program
Comprehensive Web site from the Pacific Marine Environment Laboratory dedicated to researching tsunamis. The site features information on tsunami warning systems, forecasting, modeling, and tsunami mapping efforts.

Tsunami!
An interactive online resource providing general information about tsunami generation. Also included are topics on some of the greatest tsunamis, various warning systems, and how those who live in coastal regions can protect themselves from this natural disaster.

Pacific Tsunami Museum
Incorporated in 1994, Hawaii’s Pacific Tsunami Museum’s Web site provides readers with current scientific information and testimonials from survivors of tsunami disasters. There are also photographs, informational programs, and a section on frequently asked questions about tsunamis.

Weather and Wave Books

Bryant, Edward A. TSUNAMI: THE UNDERRATED HAZARD. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001.

Berger, Melvin and Gilda Berger. WHAT MAKES AN OCEAN WAVE?: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT OCEANS AND OCEAN LIFE. New York: Scholastic, 2001.

Daschew, Dave and Linda Daschew. SURVIVING THE STORM: COASTAL AND OFFSHORE TACTICS. Oakview: Beowulf, Inc., 1999.

Glantz, Michael H. CURRENTS OF CHANGE: EL NINO’S IMPACT ON CLIMATE AND SOCIETY. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1996.

Godschalk, David R., Timothy Beatley, and David Brower. CATASTROPHIC COASTAL STORMS: HAZARD MITGATION AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT. Durham: Duke University Press, 1988.

Reiter, Elmar E. JET STREAMS: HOW DO THEY AFFECT OUR WEATHER?. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., 1967.

Streiber, Whitley and Art Bell. THE COMING GLOBAL SUPERSTORM. New York: Pocket Books, 2000.

Turner, Thomas P. WEATHER PATTERNS AND PHENOMENA. Columbus: McGraw, Hill Professional, 1999.

Upgren, Arthur and Jurgen Stock. WEATHER: HOW IT WORKS AND WHY IT MATTERS. Boulder: Perseus Books Group, 2000.

Williams, Jack. THE WEATHER BOOK. New York: Random House, Inc., 1997.

Surfing Web Sites

Waimea.com
From Waimea Bay, home of the largest and most spectacular surf in the world, this site by surfers offers a glimpse into the world of adventure that awaits those who venture to this popular surfing mecca.

Ken Bradshaw
Official Web site of Ken Bradshaw, the man who rode the biggest wave in history, estimated to be in excess of 85 feet.

Maverickssurf.com
Located in Half Moon Bay, California, this Web site spotlights the sport of big-wave surfing, and features great photos of surfers in action. It also provides history and information about the fourth annual Quiksilver/Mavericks big-wave surf contest.

Big Wave Surfing Hitches a Ride
Article detailing the controversial practice of “tow-in surfing,” from OUTSIDE MAGAZINE.

Extreme: Surfing
Site features information about and clips from the IMAX movie filmed in Ohahu during the Condition Black of January 28, 1998.

Surfermag.com
An all-inclusive Web site featuring forecasts, spectacular still photos, video clips, and a news section on the world of surfing.

Stormsurf
For the die-hard surfer and novices alike, the Stormsurf Web site specializes in information on big-wave surf forecasts and links to global marine weather sources.

Women Surfers
Article on the oft-overlooked presence and accomplishments of women in the sport of surfing, from Coast News.

Surfing Books

Cariou, Patrick and Matt Warshaw. SURFERS CITY: PowerHouse Cultural Entertainment, Inc., 1997.

Cralle, Tervor. THE SURFIN’ARY: A DICTIONARY OF SURFING TERMS AND SURFSPEAK. Berkley: Ten Speed Press, 2000.

George, Sam (editor). THE PERFECT DAY: 40 YEARS OF SURFER MAGAZINE. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, LLC, 2001.

Long, John and Hai Van Sponholz (editors). THE BIG DROP!: CLASSIC BIG WAVE SURFING STORIES. Guilford: Falcon Publishing, Inc., 1999.

Thornlely, Mark and Charles Tuttle, Inc. SURFING AUSTRALIA: A GUIDE TO THE WORLD’S TOP SURFING DESTINATION. Boston: Charles E. Tuttle, Inc., 1999.

Warshaw, Matt. MAVERICKS: THE STORY OF BIG-WAVE SURFING. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, LLC, 2000.

Werner, Doug. LONGBOARDER’S START-UP: A GUIDE TO LONGBOARD SURFING. Chula Vista: Tracks Publishing, 1996.

Werner, Doug. SURFER’S START UP: A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO SURFING. Chula Vista: Tracks Publishing, 1999.