Big waves off The Point in Seaside require the kind of respect only experienced surfers can give them. About a dozen surfers, most of them locals, cruised the waves at this venerable surfing spot on a recent Sunday.

The spot is cherished by locals and sought after by some of the worlds best surfers. The Point is the where the Pacific Ocean meets Tillamook Head. It starts about 3/4 of a mile from the parking lot at the south end of Seaside and extends around the corner of the head, where some of the biggest waves on the West Coast roll in and crash on a beach full of boulders.

It was amazing out there today, said Josh, a surfer from Washington. Josh didnt want to give his last name or his city. Sometimes there is a little bit of localism here, he said. Ive seen it in other great spots too. Its understandable, but some of us just want to share the water, to get a taste, you know. Were willing to give the local guys the break.

A point break is a surf zone where the waves start to break in front of a headland or point and wrap into a bay or cove as they continue to break. Point breaks often have very large waves that give surfers long rides because the waves wrap themselves around the break.

To surf The Point takes a high level of skill, said Seaside teacher and longtime surfer Pete Cochran. You have to be in shape, have the right equipment, and have experience. Twenty years ago I surfed The Point; I was one of the main guys out there. Old men like me stick to The Cove now.

The Cove is the area where the Seaside beach runs into Tillamook Head.

Cochran has been surfing for 40 years. During that time he has broken his collar bone, dislocated his shoulder, as well as had other minor injuries. He says that The Point is particularly dangerous because getting in and out of the water is tricky. While surfers at most local beaches have the option of entering and exiting the water from the sand, surfers at The Point must negotiate slippery boulders.

Cochran said he sympathizes with local surfers who want to keep The Point to themselves.

Because of localism you can catch a lot of wrath in a hurry, he said. It is like a favorite fishing hole. If a stranger comes and casts his line into your hole, youre going to be upset. Visitors should cut the locals some slack and move in behind them. Sometimes people come in with their fancy new equipment and think that they own the place, but they dont.

Seaside and Cannon Beach have several surf shops that cater both to locals and to visitors. Cochran said that the kooks and grommets, as new surfers are called, are usually steered to Indian Beach, The Cove or Short Sands beach south of Cannon Beach. Indian Beach has a garbage wave, he said. It is a free-for-all.

Surfing involves a pecking order with the older, more experienced surfers usually getting the first choice of the best waves. But there are a lot of other factors involved, too. Sometimes younger surfers do not respect surfing etiquette, and sometimes the condition of the waves determines the order of the surf.

It has a lot to do with the organization and order of the waves, said Cochran. If a wave is real organized, then there is the question of who should get the wave. The best person should get the wave, though the locals should command a little respect too. There are lots of waves available as leftovers for the rest of the surfers.

Cochran said that when people get hurt or run into other surfers, its often because they dont respect the unwritten rules of surfing.

In his years of surfing, Cochran has seen many incredible sights. He has surfed with harbor porpoises and sea lions, and has even surfed over the top of a grey whale that came into The Cove to feed on herring.

The whale had really bad breath, he said.

Surfing sites on the Web call The Point in Seaside one of the best places to surf in the country or even the world. While local surfers command the respect they are due, the area is not off limits to the public. Its incredible power and beauty can be enjoyed by all, whether from the beach or the water.