Hawai‘i’s Seven-Mile Miracle

The Stories Behind the North Shore’s World-Class Surf Breaks

In the April 1989 edition of SURFER magazine, the article “Seven-Mile Miracle: SURFER Magazine’s Pictorial Encyclopedia of North Shore Surf Spots” introduced “Seven-Mile Miracle” to the surfing world as an alternate name for O‘ahu’s legendary North Shore. In 2025 Hawai‘i surf historian John R. K. Clark contacted Matt Warshaw, the magazine’s managing editor, who recalled that he had “assigned, edited, and titled” the article—confirming it was Warshaw who coined the phrase “Seven Mile Miracle.” Now, author Clark uses that article as the starting point for an in-depth look at the histories of the North Shore’s world-class surf breaks—Hale‘iwa, Waimea, Pipeline, and Sunset—and the fascinating stories behind 15 other surf spots in Hawai‘i’s Seven-Mile Miracle.   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John R. K. Clark is the author of 14 books about Island beaches, surf breaks and shoreline place names, including Hawai‘i’s Best Beaches; Hawaiian Surfing: Traditions from the Past; Hawaii’s Secret Beaches; and Clarence “Mac” Maki: Pioneer Surf Photographer. Born and raised in Hawai‘i, he is a former City & County of Honolulu lifeguard and a 33-year veteran of the Honolulu Fire Department, who retired as the department’s deputy fire chief in 2005.

Softcover; 104 pages

Author: John R. K. Clark

Release date: August 2026