A wave that breaks along a headland or point of land, peeling consistently in one direction. Point breaks produce long, rideable waves.

How it works

Point breaks are the holy grail for many surfers. When swell wraps around a headland or point of land, the wave peels along the contour of the coastline, creating a long, consistent wall that you can ride for hundreds of meters.

The wave breaks in one direction — either left or right — and the ride can last a minute or more on a good day. Famous point breaks include Snapper Rocks (Gold Coast), J-Bay (South Africa), Rincon (California), and Chicama (Peru — the longest wave in the world).

Because the bottom contour of a point break doesn't change, these waves are incredibly predictable. The downside is that good point breaks attract crowds — everyone wants the long ride.

Example usage

"The point was working perfectly — caught a wave that ran for 300 meters along the headland."

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