Peahi (Jaws)

Peahi (Jaws):When severe storms occur in the Pacific, the resulting swell sends giant waves crashing onto the north shore of Maui. The waves are so intense that the spot has become known to surfers across the world as 'Jaws.' The waves of Jaws can reach up to 21m (70ft). The wave speed and wave length decrease in shallow water, therefore the energy per unit area of the wave has to increase, so the wave height increases.When the wave crest becomes too steep, it becomes unstable, curling forward and breaking. This usually happens when the height of the wave becomes about the same size as the local water depth.