Wedge

The Wedge is a world-famous surfing and bodysurfing spot located at the extreme east end of the Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach, California. During a south swell of a particular size and direction, the Wedge can produce huge waves as spectacular and intimidating as any in Hawaii, Tahiti, or Australia. The wedge can produce waves up to 30 feet high.

When conditions are just right, and the waves approach the shore at the proper angle (south swells), an approaching wave will reflect off the jetty creating a second wave. The reflected wave meets up with the following wave of the set and forms a peak. Because of this effect, waves at the wedge are often several feet larger than waves at other south-facing beaches in Newport on any given day.

When the crest of the wave comes crashing down, regardless of its size, it lands in water no more than 1 to 2 feet (0.30 to 0.61 m) deep, and it will sometimes land directly on to the sand. This condition causes uninformed and inexperienced swimmers to be at extreme risk of a spinal cord injury. If a person is to "go over the falls," (fall with the water in the crest of the wave), he will commonly strike his head on the sand below the shallow water. Shore break waves are much thicker and stronger for their size than waves that break farther out. Their thickness increases the force in which they strike the ground. Lower Newport sees many spinal cord injury victims every summer who often end up as quadriplegics.