In California, (Santa Barbara mostly) we'd be sitting outside the kelp beds and, on occasion, you'd see something black break the surface out of the corner of your eye. It would only be a seal coming to the surface for a closer look but it would create the most amazing adrenaline rush.
If the seal numbers increased some of us would make our way to shore or find another spot. Most of the guys never cared. Every couple of years someone gets chomped in the Santa Cruz area because they didn't have enough sense to not surf in water filled with seals.
Hawaii has the most and best big wave sites in the country. However, Mavericks is a must see when the north swell is in. The water is ice cold, shallow with rocks and filled with sharks. A 10 foot swell will jack up to 25 feet without any warning. I never miss a chance to get down there when I'm on the west coast.
I've watched 'em at Mavericks and, yup, gorgeous waves, but, with the rocks, ya' gotta be crazy to ride 'em!
Hawaii spoiled me rotten. I entered the '62 Makaha Championships but didn't quite make it to the finals. Happy to have made it as far as I did tho'. 25ft waves that week!
North Shore (Haleiwa) almost drowned me several times - that 'pipeline' closes up fast!! It, was, however, a favorite.
We moved back to N.Cal , but the Monterey/Santa Cruz water temperature, even wet-suit clad, rather, ummm, cooled my passion for the sport. I'd become a warm-water kinda wimp!!