windswell

Another day of fun wavesailing at Hookipa. The windswell held, even though not quite as big as yesterday, but still... it's summer time in Maui, I'll take it!

First photo of the day is Michi that must have had a big sail, since he was going pretty high in his backloops.


Philippe didn't go as high, but he took a foot off... not easy.


Now I understand the whole concept behind the Crossfire... it's to help the photographers! This is Jace.


Notoriously, Jake spends summer time in the Gorge. Unless there's waves at Hookipa, I guess... mmm, how does that work?


Luke got this sail from his multi-sponsored brother Levi and tried to take all the stickers off. "They just wouldn't come off, so I decided to spray paint it"...


Andres got in the water a bit late, but still in time for a few rolls.


Anatol trying to destroy his rig.


Griffin had to do some extra work today because I forgot my cell phone home. I'll reward him with a photo.


Aerials were difficult today because the wind was a bit onshore. But Pascal is a master in that department.


I love this photo. A windsurfers does a radical jump while a couple of standuppers enjoy their downwinder. It's a big ocean and there's room and fun for everybody.


What did I just say? Let me take that back...
This is the result of an INTENTIONAL collision.
No matter what happened before, shit like that should not happen. We're out there to have fun, not to fight!
Oh, forgot... we're human beings...


Here's the Mokapu point buoy reading as of Tuesday afternoon.


The windswell is still up, but the wind is supposed to get lighter. Maybe one more day? We'll see...

Desperate Times Lead to ... Cracker Barrel

Junior Devil and I were separated at birth. I mean, who else would call me at 7am to go get biscuits? Junior, I am so glad you are in my life. Look at this dismal picture of the pier this morning. No surf lessons, and I don't have to be to work until 2pm (as the new bakery chef, no less, at the Hot Shot bakery). You'd think there would at least be a little surf. Oh, no! There will not be waves until you have something you absolutely HAVE to do. The irony of life itself. So, off we go to Cracker Barrel!

Summer Flat Spell Blues ... Go Ride A Bike!

Ugh. Now we are in it. Me thinks it's gonna be flat for awhile. Yesterday, Andy and I paddled out at the pier. All we really did was sit there and talk about his Costa Rica trip. Karen said she was walking Jake and saw me get a decent little right, but it felt like we weren't surfing at all. But, it was good, actually, to get out there in the water and just hang with Andy. We have fun no matter what. We made plans to hit the point on the next swell. Oh, when will that ever be? I saw a little swirl action above Puerto Rico this afternoon on the infrared satellite loop, and gasped aloud in the silence of the Flagler College library. Oh, I have it bad. So, this morning when I checked it, it looked so sad. So I decided to jump on the bike and ride up A1A. Sorry to tell my biking pals, but biking is no where near as good as surfing, no matter what I previously might have said. It's fun taking corners fast, and dodging cars and outracing dogs and things for the adrenalin rush, but nothing comes close to seeing that green wall stack up in front of you, just waiting for something to happen. Road-biking is a good substitute, though, so that's what I got today. Afterwards, me and the Junior Devil headed to Crossovers for some bodyboard action and Surf Ace charging. Sean Lennon was out there and said Hi! He was teaching some autistic kids to bodyboard. Good on ya, Sean! Then I saw Poncho in the parking lot, carrying an old Bob Rohmann Proshapes under his arm. Classic! I wonder how ol' Rohmann is doing these days. Quiksilver Mogul!

the goold old days when I used to jump

I feel like doing a lil' update here, otherwise I would give wrong information out...
As soon as I wrote "boring and flat conditions here", a sw swell hit at just over 2 feet 18 seconds at the Lanai buoy and the windswell went up to 8 feet 8 seconds at the Mokapu buoy... good, I'll have to write that more often!!

I heard the south shore was surfable, but I sailed Hookipa instead. It was a lot of fun with sets up to shoulder high. Wind extremely up and down with the squalls. That's when you need a floaty wave board... I had some really good rides on some glassy ones towards the end...
Tomorrow the windswell should be a notch bigger, so I think I'll choose wave sailing again (and save some gas)...
Aloha.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boring windy and flat conditions here.

After a good start of the summer season, the south swells don't seem to be able anymore to get over the threshold of two feet at the buoy (that's a Maui threshold, Oahu is fun with that size...).
So not much to ride on the south shore and absolutely no wave sailing on the north shore.
Sure, if you're into jumps, you'll find a little ramp here and there. Here's Andres in a few backloops. I took the photos at Hookipa from inside the car... didn't even feel like stepping out.




I don't do jumps anymore (maybe some table top attempts, once in a while), because my body can't take them... too old and beat up. But I used to!
Look what I found going through some really old photos that I scanned last time I went back home...




The first one should be Barbados, the second one Tenerife, no idea of the year.
I got so many old shots, I should make a post with them...

PS. Just received from a SF bay sailor called Sergey an idea for a GoPro mount that I'm happy to share. Here's how it looks in action.

Last Day of Surf Camp

We lost Nicholas to a cold, and the only students left standing, literally, were Julia and McKenzie. Kenan was just too afraid of the "big waves" to try anything but his trusty bodyboard, and Isabel shyly stood up to cheers on one wave, and that was all she needed to be happy. It just takes one wave, after all. Karen and I cheered McKenzie and Julia into so many waves today. McKenzie was exhausted, but never gave up. She ate it on wave after wave so much that I thought she would surely give up. We finally figured out that she was too focused on just standing straight up, like the Statue of Liberty, rather than bending her knees. Once this was established, it became a lot easier. We all are learning from this experience. But, nothing was as entertaining, or as satisfying, as watching Julia. She kept up her boundless enthusiasm, never tiring, and ended up actually turning and riding the open face frontside, to the delight of those on the beach as well as her instructors. She said she was going to try it backside, and I said, "Oh, no, Julia. No one can go backside without many, many days of practice." Oh, that one worked. On the very next wave, she went backside just to spite me. We were all cracking up, and when I looked up on the beach, everyone was cheering and clapping for her. She deservedly won the bottle of 100% grape juice for most improved player. Tee hee. That's a wrap! We got our paychecks, and a promise to call for another group that is coming into town soon. Gulp. Hope it's not when the swells come in from that tropical system coming off Africa...

Surf Boot Camp

Yesterday was the second day of our so-called "surf camp," and for the most part, it was good fun for students and teachers alike. After our lecture on weather, and how you should never, I repeat, never, enter the water when you hear the sound of thunder, what did we hear? Thunder. Karen and I looked at each other, smiled sheepishly, and did what any rookie surf instructors would do. We passed the buck to the moms. We let them decide when it was okay to let their kids go out into the water. So, we all sat on the beach awhile, the kids digging in the sand, until one mom said, "I think it's okay, I mean, the storm seems like it's moving away." So, Julia was a hoot, just like yesterday, screaming THAT WAS AWESOME, no matter how well she did or how hard she face-planted. Nicholas was catching wave after wave and learning to turn, and McKenzie was getting the hang of it, her timing steadily improving with every wave. Isabel was still pretending she wasn't afraid, and finally stood up when prompted by the guilt she would feel if she didn't get at least one shot for her mom who has done and sacrificed so very much for her. Keenan provided the comic relief with his detailed and lengthy explanations of any topic that came up. Today was a break from that class, so Junior Devil and I went to Vilano for a refresher course. I took the bodyboard, since the reports were saying it was flat to half a foot. Well, again, surprises often come when you least expect them. I ended up catching some fun ones on the bodyboard, even managing some 360's, after I gave Junior some more pointers. There were some pretty decent little peelers out there. Right away I wished I had my surfboard. But, I was here to help Junior, and that I did. She did better than she ever has, thanks in part to my lecture on fear. I could see it as I rode a wave beside her. Her face was a mask of... unjoy. I was laughing, and she was looking so ...serious. It's all about having FUN, I said. She had every possible scenario in her head about what could go wrong. What if I fall off, hit my head and am paralyzed? Sorry, but that is not happening, I said. You fall shallow, you've been falling for over a year now, and you are not paralyzed! What if .... Noooooo! Nothing is going to happen. And, to prove it to her, I pushed her into the biggest close-out and watched her slide off and her board fly into the air, and she came up ... laughing.. SEE? I said, you are not paralyzed. Then she said, well, I'm okay, and that was the biggest wipeout of the day, and I'm ... okay. So, she charged back out there and started getting up again so much that I was hooting my head off. Oh, these Pisces and their irrational fears that make life so much more ... fun.

Everyone Out of the Pool and into the Surf!

This morning began the first day of the Nancy and Karen Surf Camp. We had five kids to teach the basics of surfing to, ages five to twelve. Yikes. We loaded up the boards in Karen's Surf and Sand riddled Volvo, and headed off to Sea Colony, where the rich folk live. We were supposed to meet at the "Pool House" at nine. At nine, the pool gates were locked, red tape wrapped around them, with a sign that read, "Pool closed." There was something about a shock treatment, whatever that meant. We would find out soon enough. The kids showed up, with three moms in tow, minutes later, and we learned why the pool was closed. It seemed that someone used the pool for a toilet the day before, and one of our students found the specimen. He was swimming along and surfaced, smiling, showing everyone the rock he had found in the pool. "THAT"S NOT A ROCK!" someone screamed. And, that is how the pool was closed for shock treatment. So, off we trundled, down the boardwalk, to the beach. The kids listened to our lecture about everything from sharks to trash on the beach, and then we hit the water. Right away we could see that Nicholas, McKenzie, and Julia were our star pupils. They were the oldest, and also had the biggest boards. Isabel wanted the smaller foam board because she felt she could manage it, but it was not helping her to get to her feet. Our five year old was the most stubborn and outspoken of the lot, with his own ideas about everything. I had seen this before. Give him time, I said. His mom said he was like his dad. It's all about control, she smiled. In the end we had so much fun. Julia was hysterical, and was fearless, ending with a dance on the board as she surfed along. She asked me to show her my "moves," so I took the board and paddled out to catch one, riding it in right next to her, smiling. Nicholas was beaming. His mom told me he had tried all last summer, and had not gotten to his feet. Today he was doing it, and with style! McKenzie, his sister, was getting to her feet instantly. They all seemed happy in the end. And, that's what it is all about, folks. Let's hear it for FUN. Same time, same place tomorrow, kids. Practice those pop-ups!

To the Point!

While the horrifying scene in this bottom photograph was being played out at the pier, I was far down the beach getting the longest tube ride of my life that was similar to the top photo taken yesterday at the Point. I never would have believed it could happen on a marginal day of leftover swell, but thanks to Bruce and Karen for letting me borrow the beach cruiser and the luck of a canceled surf lesson and, well, it happened. Karen didn't want to make the trek down to the point for her least favorite type waves that crash hard close to shore, so I ended up going alone. Bob wanted to go, but it was his birthday, and a beach day had already been arranged by those closest to him. I could hear it in his voice when I told him I was going. He knew I was going to score. I'm sure it wasn't as good as yesterday, from the looks of the photos, but it was the best surf I have had since that Saturday when Bertha was around. Riding that beach cruiser down to the point shows me why people seem so amazed when you say you only did 30 miles on the roadbike. That was the first time I have been on a beach cruiser for any length of time, and that 5 miles or however far it was down there and back was an endurance run. Riding that thing with deflated tires at high tide was a feat in itself. But, as I rode, I could see the waves might just do their thing and make it all worth it. When I got there, no one was even out yet at 9am. I knew I was a little early. The tide wouldn't be high until 10:47am. I took my time getting ready, but then DANG, look at that right peeling off! I got out there and caught a few, checking my watch, knowing it was just going to get better and better. I surfed alone for about half an hour before I saw two guys ride up on bikes with boards. They paddled out to the north of me, and slowly edged their way closer. The west wind was grooming the waves to perfection. Then, at 10:03am (I had just checked my watch), this wall presented itself before me, the biggest set wave yet, and I was in perfect position. It was almost too easy. I hardly even paddled for it. It just came to me. I almost thought I might miss it because all I had to do was pop my board, as I heard them whistle and hoot, and I thought for sure that it all would psyche me out enough to miss it. But, it picked me up as it jacked up, and when I stood, I was right in the pocket, slightly crouching inside it, watching this wall just ledge up in front of me. I starting pumping, it was peeling perfectly, fast and clean and open, and I hit the lip and cut all the way around, dropping back into the pocket for a little cover up before I stepped off into shallow water. WHAT WAS THAT? That wave was worth the whole bike ride to get there, I said to myself, smiling. I thought I wouldn't get another wave like that, but little did I know what was coming. I had a long paddle back out after that one, and I watched as one of the guys caught a good right, pulled in, and almost made it out. Then I noticed a boat coming closer. More people. Two guys jumped off the boat and paddled into the line-up, but there was enough for everyone. It was so great to be back in waves that broke fast and hollow again! Then it happened. I saw this nice one over to the right, and I paddled furiously to get in position. I took off a tad late, and I thought, as I pulled into the tube, "I won't make it." I was looking out, could see someone looking down the line into it at me, and I thought, just go for it, pull up high and stay in it for as long as you can. Well, I did, and I could feel the hollow vortex swirling all around me, and... I kept going... and going. I just held my line by instinct and nearly started laughing because it just kept going. It was almost ridiculous how long it felt like I was in there. And then ... I came out! I couldn't believe it. Where is Dave with the camera when you need him? No one will believe me...

the road to La Perouse will close August 1st... for two years!!!!

...when Michelle told me I couldn't believe it.

But here is the news. It looks pretty damn official.
I'm not sure what kind of land natural resources these guys are talking about (it's all lava rocks over there), but if the problem is that the great number of snorkelers and kayakers are damaging the reef, then just forbid that... for god's sake!

Starting August 1st one of the best waves in Maui will not be accessible anymore.


Nothing pisses me off more than laws that prevent people from surfing.

PS. FYI: it's sunday night and I have a flu and a fever. I don't think we will play at the Cafe Marc Aurel tomorrow...

PPS. Just received an email from photographer Ray Mangan. Happy to puiblish the content:

Sometimes it is easy to forget how spoiled we are living on Maui. Hop in a car, and within 15 minutes you can be at any number of world class windsurfing beaches, but what we are forgetting is that sometimes the journey can be just as a rewarding as the destination.
Specially if you're doing the journey with Ashley, I add...


While it might be hard to "go on a windsurf trip," without leaving the island, we sure did try. After 45 minutes of driving, and an hour of hiking, we arrived to our destination, and though the conditions weren't what most of us would call "epic" we made the most of it and thats what counts.

Here's the photos.

More Surf Lessons...

Christobal has formed off South Carolina, but you would never know it. It sure isn't a re-play of Bertha. I can't even tell if there is any north to the little lines that are filtering in, but at least there is something to ride. And, big plus, the water is warm again! If only we had this 81 degree water last weekend... Checked Crossovers early, but it looked so weak and like it needed more size, especially to break with the tide as high as it was already. One guy was out, and caught a pretty good left, but it just wasn't inspiring enough. I went to the pier where there were already about five guys out. I paddled out to catch what I could before even more arrived. It seemed pretty boring at first, but got better. Right before Karen paddled out, I caught the best right I would get all day, one that peeled off perfectly with me sitting in the pocket. I should have just paddled in after that, as nothing ever came close. I surfed until it was time for the 10am surf lesson with Alex and Cecil. Cecil was a hoot. He wanted to wear his goggles because the saltwater bothered his eyes last time. But soon he decided he didn't need them, and was standing up crucifix style and weaving through the summer crowds like a bowling ball. I was laughing so much and high-fiving them today. Cecil is a natural. One little girl even told him he was "awesome!" Their moms were sitting up on the beach on towels hooting and clapping. Cecil said his mom was going to buy him a surfboard today. When I came up on the beach after the lesson, she wanted to know about boards, what to get for him, so I knew it was true. Lucky kid! Imagine, starting surfing at five years old...

fun windswell + Charles' article

9 feet 8 seconds from around 50-60 degress at the Mokapu point bouy... now, that's a good windswell!
Too bad it's going to go down quickly (just like the wind speed) during the weekend, but it should pick up again around wednesday.

And that's how Hookipa looked like today. Thanks to Harry Wievel for these shots of me and Diony. I don't have to say who's who, since you guys can easily recognize my clearly superior wave riding style...








Let me thank another photographer and point out an article of Charles Oreve (don't miss the beauty section of his website): a nice memory of a fun day surfing small waves with Jeff.
You can find it at pag. 64-65 of the online magazine Corduroy Lines.
Famous Maui bloggist... I guess I should give up the idea of being known as a famous Maui playboy...

Oh, almost forgot!!! Harry sent me also this one. It's a spectacular italian ass in vacation in Maui...
My reply to his email was:"trust me: if they were all like that, I would have never left!"


Other stuff.
Here's a couple of links of interesting nature photos from La Repubblica:
- a shark saved after having half swallowed a human built rod
- a leopard attacking and killing a crocodile

Lastly (and in this case leastly too), looks like my music friends Corinne, Tony and I are going to play a couple of songs to Ryan's open mike at the Cafe Marc Aurel on Market St. in Wailuku this Monday the 21st.
Don't come for us, 'cause we suck... but do come for Ryan and his drummer: they're pretty good and they open the mike at 7pm sharp.
If you fancy a sandwich, they have a good one called "The italian grinder"...

Back to Desperation Sessions...

When I heard the bouys were three feet at eleven seconds last night, I decided I was getting up early and checking Matanzas. Tide would be high at 7:30am, so with a little luck, I could catch the rogue remnants of Bertha and no one would even have noticed the slight bump up until it was too late. This was when I again realized that I am obsessed, and there needs to be an organization like AA for people like me who can't imagine life without surfing. I got to the parking lot, and when I saw Bob's car was missing, I knew it probably wasn't worth it. A guy was sprinting back to the parking lot from the overlook, and he was actually smiling at me like there might be waves. He was barefoot. He looked like a surfer. Hope springs eternal, and all that. When I got to the overlook, one shortboarder was running out to the break which looked marginal to me. Sure there were waves, but they were small and looked weak. He streaked across a pretty decent left, but I could see the sets were sparse. Gnats were everywhere, making it hard to stay and watch. The same guy I had just seen walking by came running along the boardwalk with his longboard. "Don't look too close," he smiled as he passed me, "I have to get to work!" I decided to let these guys have the spoils. I had all morning, and they probably had to get out of the water in an hour. I drove back to the pier. Good call. I caught it alone, and better than what I had seen back there. Rights were wedging near the pier, and they were a lot more fun than yesterday. Only drawback was the annoying fishermen. Their game seemed to be how close they could cast without actually hooking me. Why is it they can't stand on the other side of the pier? The drift was going south, unlike yesterday when this same question formed in my mind. It is as if they deliberately want to fish right where we want to surf. I turned around then, and saw Karen up on the beach, holding onto Jake, watching me, waving. I waved back. Then two guys paddled out, and I knew there was not enough for all of us. Karen came out after I left, and said by then it had gotten lumpy and that I had gotten the best of it...

Surf Lessons with Junior Devil!

This morning we had a retutorial of the surfing basics with Junior Devil, aka Amber. She has been giving it her all for some time now, and wanted another lesson from The Devil, aka Surfer Nancy (me). So, we met at the pier before the crowd hit, and brushed up on the basics. We discovered something right away. She has been too far back on the board. All she had to do was move up a little. I showed her how far the nose of her board should be above the water, and it was like magic. She was starting to get to her feet right away, I had to actually slow her down! Karen even brought her spare soft top for her to borrow. Junior's board has seen better days, and at one point the bottom layer started pulling away from the board making it appear that her board had a big tongue. Besides this adding comic relief, it just slowed her down, so I told her to go get Karen's spare and then she was catching wave after wave. A+ job today, Junior!

Just in ... more shots from Friday

Dave was shooting from the pier on Friday, and just sent these to me. Thanks, Dave!

the kingdom of the light offshore

I went over to Oahu for a few days to see a friend who was there for a surf contest. We surfed intensly every day at the Ala Moana breaks.
This is the view from the condo he rented (well actually from the fire exit... the condo wasn't quite as ocean front!).






The quality and size of the waves were so much better than Maui's south shore. I knew that already, but it was still a big surprise. It's the kingdom of the light offshore wind. I'm sure that when it blows over 25 it gets blown out over there too, but we got four perfect days in a row.






Surfing in front of the skyscrapers of a big city is weird. At first I didn't like it, "it would look better with some green hills" I thought. But then I had to admit that it had a special feel (and they must act as a wind shield too!).
Wait a moment, what's going on... that weird wave is coming from the beach!!!


Optical illusion... here's the lineup getting ready to duck dive... love this photo!


And when the sunset came for the first time...
Oh my god, what a trip. Believe it or not, even the skyscrapers change color at sunset and it gets increasingly surreal until it gets dark and... they turn the lights on! The almost full moon was out and we ended all evening sessions very, very late.





Even going left (that'll be east, away from the rising moon) was fine, because the face of the wave was reflecting the light of the town. Unreal.
If I lived over there I would surf mostly at night...

Despite the age, big belly and speedo, this guy had a great seventy's style...


Sure, it was crowded. Sure in the weekend it was very crowded. But no bad energy in the water. The level of the surfers was pretty high (I guess the beginners have plenty other breaks in front of Waikiki) and most of the times respectful of the priority rules. Plenty bikinis too.







Here's a few more pics.






Back in Maui I went to the south shore to check the waves. I looked at them and I didn't even go out... what a difference... what a difference!
Allright, let's see how long it takes me to get used again... no complaints, no problem, I'm still happy...

PS. Sorry for the consistently blue sky in the photos... annoying, uh?