Surf: Easy to spot left lines hugging the fringe of reef on the east flank of Waikiki. Often looks uncrowded and seductive, thanks to handfuls of coral fingers, reaching out to grab the unwary, especially at lower tides. Environment: Not for the unskilled, unlike further up the reef where the coral shelf relents, creating a deeper, small swell spot called Old Mans, which gives you a hint about the mellow crowd on all craft. Surf: General: Publics is one of the most consistent and longest lefts in Town. It's a ways out, and the reef is pretty shallow, so any bit of swell can run along its uneven edge. Getting in and out can be a serious hassle, as those coral heads will pop up at the most inopportune times, and yes, they do hurt. High tide renders the waves a little mushy, though safer, while low tide can be racetracky with the occasional tube section, but the real threat is losing some skin on the reef. It's probably better to try it out first time on a high tide. Outside Castles, the infamous and fickle, big, steamrolling left, sits way outside and towards Diamond Head, comprising an outer reef that stretches all across the bay at Waikiki. Tides: Medium Size: Chest high-2X overhead Wind: Calm or offshore from NW to E, with NE straight offshore. Swell: Anything from the SE to SW, but usually from the S to SW. Bottom: Reef Paddling: Long paddles to and from beach, but not bad once you're out there. Spot Rating: Usually a mellow and user friendly wave, but gets good when a solid swell is running. Access: Easy. Park in Sans Souci State Recreational Park. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Always crowded when its waist high or bigger, but early bird gets the worm sometimes. Local Vibe: Varies. When it's marginal there are lots of smiles. When it starts really cranking it's locals only. Environment: Clean for the most part, but most of Hawaii's population lives on the South Shore of Oahu. Tons of people. Hazards: Shallow, live coral reef. Season: Summer. From around April through October.