Sandy Beach, Hawaii facts for kids
Sandy Beach, also called "Sandy's", is a famous beach in Hawaii. Hawaiians know it as Wāwāmalu. You can find it on the southeastern coast of Oʻahu island.
Sandy Beach is super popular for bodyboarding and bodysurfing. It has powerful waves that break close to the shore. These waves often form perfect "barrels" or tubes, which are exciting to ride. However, these strong waves can be very dangerous. They break over shallow sand and lava rocks. Because of this, it's important to be very careful when swimming or surfing here. Strong rip currents can also pull you out to sea. Always pay attention to ocean conditions and any warnings.
The beach park is located between Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve on its west side and Makapuʻu Point to its east. It sits along the Kalanianaʻole Highway.
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Exploring Sandy Beach Waves
Sandy Beach has a unique shape. This creates several different surf spots along its 2,500-foot length. This is different from other Oahu beaches like Makapuʻu Beach Park or Waiamea Bay. At those spots, waves usually break in many places.
Different Surf Spots
- Full-Point: This spot is at the eastern end of the beach park. It's an offshore reef break. This means the waves break over a coral reef further from the shore. It's a good spot for board surfers.
- Half-Point: Moving west, you'll find Half-Point. This is also an offshore reef break. It's closer to the shore than Full-Point. The waves here break over a shallow reef. This makes them more powerful and dangerous. They form short, hollow tube-ride waves. Half-Point waves can break both left and right. The right-breaking waves end in a channel. The left-breaking waves go towards the shore break.
The Birthplace of Bodyboarding
A famous water sports expert named Mike Stewart says something cool about Sandy Beach. He believes it's where modern bodyboarding really began. This beach helped shape how bodyboarding is done today.
A Name Change Idea
In October 2014, a city council member named Stanley Chang had an idea. He suggested changing the name of Sandy Beach to "President Barack Obama Sandy Beach Park." Barack Obama was a former president of the United States. He was born in Hawaii. However, many people did not like this idea. Because of the public's opinion, the plans to change the name were stopped.
