With the Hawaiian swell season just weeks away, we can ready ourselves for another crazy season on the North Shore.
With nowhere more crazy than the ‘Jewel in the Crown’, namely Pipeline.
With surfers from around the globe flocking to pack themselves into crazy tubes over the shallowest, sketchiest reef, leading to crowds of up to 150+ on any given day.
It’s safe to say that things at Pipe can get dangerous and chaotic…
…but, amongst the chaos there is an order, a pecking order, the closest thing to a civilised queue you can get in a crowd of 150+ testosterone filled men.
A list of Pipeline specialists, that have earned their place in the lineup.
Let's take a closer look.
WHAT IS A PECKING ORDER IN SURFING?
If you ask the Oxford Dictionary you’ll get this answer:
“A pecking order is a hierarchy of status seen among members of a group of people or animals, originally as observed among hens.”
And this sums it up perfectly.
Just as in the animal world there is a status game, creating order out of chaos, the same thing exists in surfing.
Put simply, the higher your status at a certain break, the closer to the front of the queue you can sit.
...which means you get to cherry pick the waves you want.
But this status isn’t something you just get, it must be earned.
HOW TO EARN STATUS AT PIPE
Gaining status and earning your stripes at Pipeline is not easy, nor quick, and likely impossible for most of us regular surfers.
For us, we’ll be cast away from the peak having to settle for mere scraps for life.
But if you’re good enough, are brave enough, and really want to cement a spot in the lineup here’s what you’re going to have to do:
BE HAWAIIAN
With 95% of all the surfers in the Pipeline hierarchy list either coming from, or living in Hawaii, it's safe to say that being Hawaiian helps.
Not essential, but definitely a plus.
BE A BIT MENTAL
To earn a spot in the pecking order you’ve got to be willing to go on the biggest, scariest waves out there - repeatedly.
Pulling back on waves you should have gone is a cowardly act, something that won’t go un-missed, kissing goodbye to any respect you’ll have in the lineup.
BE REALLY GOOD
It’s no good being a hell-man, throwing yourself over the ledge of a 10ft first reef double up, if you don’t have the skills to make it.
If you want to earn a spot in the Pipeline hierarchy, you’ve got to be one of the best out there, not just the bravest.
PUT IN THE TIME
Earning your stripes at Pipe doesn’t mean coming there for one season, snagging a decent wave, and that’s it.
Not even close.
Try maybe ten to fifteen FULL seasons, where you’re out there every single time it breaks, and then get back to me.
BE RESPECTFUL
If you want to earn your way into the Pipeline hierarchy, you’ve got to lead with respect.
You’ve got to know who the OG’s are in the lineup, who has priority over who, which waves you’re allowed to catch, and importantly which waves you’re not.
Respect the locals, respect the wave, respect the rules.
In the words of shaper John Pyzel, "...if you think it's your wave out at Pipe, it's not".
PIPELINE HIERARCHY LIST, & HOW IT WORKS
Ok, like I said earlier in this post there is an order to the chaos, and it goes as follows:
TIER ONE: OLD OG PIPELINE LEGENDS
These are the guys that have grown up on the North Shore, and dedicated their lives to the wave.
They’ve put in more time out there than anyone else, and they’re known and respected by everyone.
These OG’s have their spot right on the peak at Pipeline & Backdoor.
Their pack - which consists of around 20 people - will share and rotate waves, fully understanding who’s next in line, and sharing the bigger set waves between them.
List of famous surfers in this group:
TIER TWO: PIPELINE SPECIALISTS
Sitting just underneath the Pipeline OG’s you’ll find the current generation of Pipeline devotees.
These will be your guys that have grown up on these shores (or been coming to Hawaii for 20+ years), dedicating every winter season to charging this wave.
List of surfers in this group:
TIER THREE: YOUNG UP AND COMERS
Local talent that have been making a name for themselves, earning their stripes year upon year, putting the time in out in the line up.
These guys have some way to go before moving up into the next tier, regardless they command a respect in the lineup, and have earned their place.
Surfers in this group:
TIER FOUR: THE SHIT SHOW
This is where everyone else gets to fight amongst themselves.
100+ surfers all fighting for scraps, oftentimes waiting hours to catch a single wave.
This group includes kooks, good surfers, and travelling pro’s from around the world, even guys on the WCT - all scratching to snag a wave.
Hectic!
List of surfers in this group:
HOW IS THE HIERARCHY POLICED?
Good question.
Well, usually by violence - especially back in the day (a group known as the Wolf Pack)
Step out of line and you can expect things to escalate rapidly, with bust ups on the beach a regular occurrence. More back in the day when things were a bit more gnarly, but still a reality for anyone that steps out of line.
What exactly does stepping out of line look like?
Put simply, be respectful and understand the rules of the lineup.
Know your place, and surf accordingly.
WRAPPING IT UP
From the outside looking in it looks like a mob of angry dudes trying to police the lineup for their own greed.
A dictatorial approach, with rules enforced by fear and violence - greedily taking all the spoils for themselves.
Now those things are all bad in my book, but, Pipeline is a different beast.
Here’s why:
It’s dangerous as hell: This wave has claimed more lives than any other. Surfing here when it's big is no joke.
It’s the most crowded lineup in the world: With such a crowded lineup, and so many people hassling for so few waves, an order must be present to maintain safety.
Locals vs Tourists: For eight months of the year the North Shore is surfed almost exclusively by its locals, then for four frenetic months the entire surfing world descends upon its shores, swarming every lineup on its coast.
The locals here surf it everyday (not just in the winter), and as such deserve their waves when it gets good.
So in short, is it a good thing, if you ask me, yes it is.
It rewards the people that have dedicated their lives to surfing the wave, and it maintains a level of safety and order for everyone else.
ROWAN CLIFFORD
Rowan is the co-founder of Surf Hub.
