Big wave (The wedge California, east end of Balboa Peninsula in New port beach)

The Wedge is a world-famous surfing and body surfing 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.
 

Between the Balboa Pier and the Wedge, waves are referred to as a shore or beach break. When the crest of the wave comes crashing down, regardless of its size, it lands in water no more than 1 to 2 feet 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," , 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.