When you think Hawaii you probably envisage pipe 8-10 or Waimea Bay monsters…thinking it’s smokin’ here most of the time. Well late season (now) it’s actually quite fickle. We’ve had a week of howling trades…which is quasi offshore to sideshore but when it’s 30 knots+ most waves are torn to shreds unless breaking very close to shore on one of the many sandbars (e.g. Ehukai).
From what I’ve learnt, Pipe doesn’t work a great deal at this time of year. Nov, Dec, Jan suit pipe better. However there is always something to ride around there…it’s just breaks closer to shore and doesn’t really barrel. The tourists flock to Pipe…by the bus load, and it kinda reminds me of Bondi on a hot summery day. People everywhere. The standard of surfing is very very high. You can tell most guys surf every day, in minimum head high peaky shorey’s if the main breaks aren’t working.
Waimea is a sleeping giant – it seems to break very little but when it does it is special. Last week we saw it break triple head high and today it’s completely dead flat and super clear, ideal for a few underwater shots. So hard to believe the EDDIE ran here only a few months ago in front of 25,000 people and 40-50 foot waves (face). Hurricane Bob, reckons you couldn’t park closer than Haleiwa and had to walk 1 hr on the final day of competition. (the car park only holds about 40 cars – good luck snaggin’ one of those)
The good thing about late season is plenty of waves don’t have the crowd… even during Easter.
Hope you’re getting waves back home. Bondi looks small but offshore this morning…take the fat board. (2ft?)
Later, uge
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Another tough day at the office Uge!
When the trades are blowing, try over at Makaha on the leeward side. Don’t take anything valuable and stick a couple of surf shop stickers on the rental car. Lovely chilled rights off the point in front of the hotel, some of the heaviest locals though.
Another day of amazing inspiration!