Mark Healey Scours Oahu’s Outer Reefs – Solo Scores XL, Potentially Unsurfed Tubing Left

With crowds at Pipeline regularly pushing triple digits, heading to Oahu’s premier breaks on a solid swell is a guaranteed exercise in surf starvation.

The 7-mile stretch between Haleiwa and Sunset may be one of the most wave-rich coastlines on earth, but it’s equally rich in surfers–locals and visitors alike–cruising the Kam Highway like apex predators, ready to pounce on any hint of swell.

But Healey isn’t interested in the obvious. Instead, the lifelong North Shore waterman opts for an outer reef mission—no safety crew, no tow partner, no jetski escape hatch. Just man, board, and GoPro, setting off into a rising swell with strong S/SW winds to see what’s out there.

“If a wave doesn’t get surfed, it’s usually for a reason,” he muses.

By the end of this clip, you’ll know if that theory holds up.