surfing and wave sailing

Ho Mahn

As soon as I saw those pic's start to load I immediately thought...

Lanes on an epic/rare Kona wind day!

Fab shots Olaf.

Oh yeah and I'm with Jasonn on the chick pic's. Just...
Call me an old man but I'll be glad when the hip hugger fashion fades and the return to high cut bikinis comes back.

Sure younger people who (think) they grew up in the hip hugger fashion days find no appeal in the high cut fashions of the 90's. My niece says "that stuff was so ghey"

I don't find hip hugger fashion to be much different for me. I think hip hugger swim suits and chicks showing their 'muffin top' jeans off is kind'a wierd. Why a gal wants to negatively enhance their figure with those 'shower curtains is beyond me. But then I am kind'a crusty around the edges.

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Not surfing or sailing, but...
I got to belay a Hot, young climbing guide friend of mine day fore' yesterday. It was very exciting, he put up a single pitch route at Moderate Mecca in Red Rock. It is solid .11 perhaps .11+ and very serious, definately 'R' possible 'RX' he didn't fall so who knows about the 'X' in the rating. However I did make the joke after his lead, "Want me to just shake the rope and clean the pitch?"
The crux was about 12' out off of two crappy (equalized) C3's below that was a small brassy. If he blew it on the crux it may have been very serious.

He named it 'Not so Moderate' ;)

So Joe was on a roll and I took him around the corner and up the wash to a route of mine I put up on aid. He got on it late in the day so we just reconned the gear placements and moves. He will surely send it. He figures it will go at around .12 b/c (way over my limit to climb cleanly)

I climbed it a few years back (on aid) in a down pour rain. The climb is so steep that even though it's about 60' tall the drip line was about 10 or more feet out from the base.

FA, 'Save it for a Rainy Day'

So God willing and all parties schedules jive, next Monday Joseph Smith will probably cruise it and get the first free ascent, redpoint. I'll belay as my baby gets set/sent free and Cosmiccragsman says he will be in town and offered to be the photog.

Wooot!

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Olaf I am looking forward to you coming for a visit ;)

trundlebum,great picture it looks steep! Good luck with your new route.Please post images when you get them.

Jason we need a TR when you get a moment Dude.

Hayne,It looks like you guys in Charleston have it going on!Great pic of the "buckets o spray"! I have a really good friend that I would love to visit if I ever get the chance. I will give you a shout if that ever happens.

We finally got a reprieve from all that surfing and light trades moved in for a delightful light air, logo high,wave sailing, expression session with just a hand full of my pals. We sailed till almost dark and everyone that went out had a big grin on their face.
The waves were so clean that I could have paddled as well. We have some more trade winds in the forecast but the swell is predicted to be epic at the same time with a vigorous W N/W push heading for us.

Yesterday it was back to paddling. I checked The Hookipa, Lanes, and Kuau corridor and it was just bigger than I was looking for. I went to Kanaha and found it to be well over head but very manageable and soo clean. I was told that the morning sesh was extremely crowded but by the time I got there It had thinned out and the guys that were still out were tired so I picked off a bunch of long, juicy right hinders.
The line up filled up again after I was out for about two hours and it got hard to a wave without two guys dropping in on you. I was getting cold and tired anyway.

I took a couple of photos when I was a Hookipa so I’m gonna post them.
Jimmy Hepp was out at Jaws yesterday and a lot of guys were towing into some biguns.
Marcio Freire and his pal Danilo Couto were paddling in again so if I can find the images I think that I post those also.

I checked the surf earlier and the swell had dropped considerably it looked really good but my shoulders are so sore that I am going to do chores for a while before I paddle out later today.

Hookipa

Hookipa

Hookipa

Marcio paddling into Jaws yesterday. Photo Jimmy Hepp
Danilo Couto Photo: Jimmy Hepp

Marcio and Danilo Photo: Jimmy Hepp

This guy towed into a respectable right hander. Photo: Jimmy Hepp

youtube.com/watch?v=qu_yhxE…

youtube.com/watch?v=DakIREc…

please stay tuned I think I shot some good stuff @ jaws 2day!
I been paddling a lot and I got a sore sholder.
If I just listen to the whispers maybe you won't have to hear the screem's! Game on!

youtube.com/watch?v=7BOhDaJ…

this is for real! this was shot at Jaws today!

We have had a magnificent west swell!
Although many of the guys on Maui chose to brave the conditions I for some reason haven’t jumped into the water yet.
I went out to Peahi “Jaws” yesterday and had a delightful time watching three great athletes (Robby Nash, Robby Swift, and Michi Schweiger) perform in one of the most prestigious arenas in the world and this is what my camera captured.
If you would like to see more images that I shot of this great day click on
rockerwaves.blogspot.com/20…

Jaws

Jaws

Jaws

Yesterday I had every intention of going out on the ocean but when I arrived at the launch at Kuau the setting just didn’t feel right so I did what many of my regular surf mates did and just enjoyed the show.
After all the paddling that I have done in the past month my right shoulder is sore. So that is part of my excuse. Also the fact that the waves were coming in at mast and a half in the sets and closing out for over a quarter of a mile.
A few of my friends did go out and every one made it back with no major mishaps that I know of. I took the opportunity to snap a few pictures.
Out of the entire day I only saw a few great wave rides. The guys were mostly just surviving out there. They were trying to stay out of the way of the big bombers and kicking out the back at every opportunity and doing their best to avoid the big close outs.
The conditions seem a bit more manageable today and if so I am hoping to get a sesh in.
It’s been wild at every sail/surf spot and lots of epic stories and images are floating around.
Due to the westerly fetch of this giant swell conditions at Kanaha were more manageable, so it was packed with all the pros windsurfers from Hookipa, local Kanaha windsurfers, vacationing windsurfers, pro kiters, vacationing kiters, as well as kooks of every variety all going for the same waves. What a mess!
I chose not to be part of the problem.
Heres a few photos that I shot at Kuau Yesterday.

Dale Cook

Tom Krebs I WOULD CALL THAT 20' WHITE WATER!

Nori's

dropping in

Here's a couple of images of my friend Buzzy Kerbox and his son Kody At Honolua Bay back in February 2009

Buzzy Kerbox

Kody Kerbox

Nice shots, keep'm coming !

Can you still drive out to the point at Honolua, is it still just cane along side the top?

That wave is so classic, that inside bowl swa weeeeet.

Olaf what's the name for outside Honolua? Out off the point.On medium, big days it's a break of it's own. But, on really big days it sometimes connects through to the inside.

trundlebum wrote: Can you still drive out to the point at Honolua, is it still just cane along side the top? That wave is so classic, that inside bowl swa weeeeet. Olaf what's the name for outside Honolua? Out off the point.On medium, big days it's a break of it's own. But, on really big days it sometimes connects through to the inside.

trundlebum,I haven't been over there in some time but yes the last time I was at the bay we drove right out on the point. What a place to hang. That's not true the last time I was at the bay we anchored my buddy's boat in the bay.
I have never surfed the bay on a substantial day. The crowds alone keep me away.
Even the small days are good at the bay. It's easily one of if not the best waves on Maui.

This swell has delivered some epic conditions!
I sat back and photographed my friends wave sail Jaws and then Kuau the next day.

Then it was time to suck it up and get back in the water.
The first of the past three days was nearly as big and we had plenty of those big close outs coming in.
I must admit I was a bit nervous and I played it smart and kicked out at the first sign of danger and still had my share of hazard.

At the end of my sesh the wind dropped off and I had to point and slog for a while to get to a position that would let me make a run for the Kuau channel.
I wanted to be in position to drop in on one of the makers and still cruse into the channel.

That wave manifested and I made the drop but realized that the wave was much bigger than I wanted.

I realized that if I made the top turn and dropped in again that I was committed to the whole wave.

That would put me below the channel and completely out of position to get back to the launch. I would be looking at about a half mile swim to a sketchy rocky landing somewhere down the coast.

After I made the bottom turn and climbed back to the top I kicked out at the top. Luckily the wave behind it was smaller and allowed me to get back outside.

I thought “PHEW!” that was close.

I started working my way to weather. I was determined to gain enough distance to give myself a chance to at least swim back to the launch.
I knew that if I fell there was no chance to re-water start so I was probably going to have to swim part of the way any way.

I made the ground that I was hoping for and let the next set pass before I went for the narrow gap.

I had just enough wind to slog with my front foot above the mast and back foot right behind the front straps.

I was able to use the surge of one of the smallish inside waves to push me closer to the narrow gap.

I next found that I was in a different dilemma and that I was too far above the channel and I couldn’t bear off enough to go around the big rock at the mouth of the channel.

I made a dash through the rocks on the east side of the channel.

This is a sketchy maneuver at best and if I hit one of the rocks I was going to be in a very tight spot with the strength of the river like currents flowing through the rocks.

I made it through that tight spot with the entire peanut gallery assembled on the beach.

They were hooting and shakaing and stoked for me.

The next day was still good sized and the wind had dropped off by half a meter. We rode some great waves that day as well.

Yesterday was all time classic big wave/ wave sailing the angle of the swell and the angle of the wind worked to make Nori’s the best that it can be. It was providing smooth mast high down the line wave rides into a perfect channel without even the slightest hint of an impact zone. We probably won’t get conditions that good for some time to come.

It was the best sesh of the season in my opinion!

January 25th, 2011 6:51 AM : Surf Forecast

The action along our west-northwest and northwest facing shores should continue today, and the National Weather Service has issued a High Surf Advisory for select north and northwest shores on Maui, effective through 6pm this evening. Another round of similar surf is expected Wednesday and a larger and much needed northwest swell is expected late Friday or early Saturday. North and northwest facing shores should be in the 7-10+ foot

The strong trade winds took a break yesterday but we had advisory level waves so I paddled out a Nori’s
I was surfing alone and it was hard to figure the best take off spot.
I dropped in on a few bombs that closed out after a long clean drop.
By the time I finally figured out the best place to sit and I got some sweet right handers my shoulder was starting to ache and I figured that I would look for a nice left hander to take me closer to the launch.
Well it wasn’t long until I got what I was looking for.
I was sitting a little deep when this wave came out of nowhere and it was sporting a steep smooth left shoulder. I really didn’t have to paddle very hard for it at all. I held up for a big bottom turn and a nice hit near the lip and then a long glide to the end. I must admit I thought to myself,”I sure hope someone saw that wave ride”.
I figured since I was that close to the channel I would just paddle in.
The inside passage isn’t always the best plan since the rocks are just under the surface and the currents are very unpredictable in that area. But all went well and it was pretty easy.

I had been out there for about an hour and a half all by myself.

As I was paddling in two of my friends were paddling out and we exchange howdi’s.
When I got to the beach two more of my pals were getting ready to paddle out.
Then another showed and the two more and then a group of celebrities showed up. I’m not mentioning names but I you watch any movies you would recognize their names.
I sort of wished that I had put on a wet suit top and paddled back out and joined my bro's for a second sesh. But like I said, my shoulder was feeling a bit sore and I had already snaged some rides.
I changed and got my camera and beer. As usual my images are blurred due to my limited telephoto power.

I'm only posting a couple images here but if you want to check out the rest you can click on:
rockerwaves.blogspot.com/20…

Nori's

Nori's

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Russel Ord : "This is the photo of the wave that caused the incident at Mavericks. Why post it here and not sell it to the highest bidder - Well I am happy to give it away, it means nothing to me in financial terms at all if authorities can meet with Maverick surfers and work out an agreement regarding safety/rescue and in the future that same agreement prevents the loss of life in the ocean, its a done job. So any media outlet that wants the photo please ask its yours but all I ask is that my views are represented correctly."

Two days back was forecast to be very light wind and advisory level waves.

I thought to myself “oh no not another one of those good for nothing days that the wind as to strong to surf and not enough to wave sail”.
As walked down the access path I noticed that the waves were substantial and there were a few sailors out and they were barely moving.
I feared my initial feelings were true.
I walked across the rocks and took a seat on the log that we use for a bench.
I could sense extreme adrenaline from two of the guys that had just been out.
They were boasting of biggest wave ever ridden and epic conditions.
I ran back to my truck and quickly assembled my gear and ran back to the launch and rigged.

The wind was light but steady and I sailed right out to the impact zone where I was denied passage but I persevered and made it out on my second try.

It’s always tense making that first attempt at penetrating the white water when the ocean is big.
I need to make a couple reaches before committing to a set wave.

I sailed pretty far out to sea trying to calm my nerves and get my arms and balance under control.

After my first outside jibe I noticed something very special.
I was on a moving mound of water that was just developing beautifully the closer I got to shore.

My first instinct was to kick out and settle in a bit before dropping in on a wave that size but it was just to perfect so I went for it.
I was a bit early and that proved to be a good move and I stayed far enough in front of the peak that it was easy to navigate all the way to the right channel.

I made my inside jibe and pumped my sail and stepped into the non planning 'sweet' spot on the board.

As I headed back out to sea I was just hooting and filled with the adrenalized euphoria of a man that has just ridden one of the best waves of his life.

This proved to be only one of many waves that were that were of that caliber (size and quality)!
I sailed mast and a half perfectly smooth waves with good friends with a lot of aloha until near dark.

That’s when the wind dropped off to near calm.
There was just enough of a breeze to slog to weather.

I was way below the channel.

I also noticed that every one but two other sailors had made it in already.

I thought to myself Not this again, WHY, do I consistently make this same mistake? Here I am again, out in big waves with barely enough wind to move, desperately trying to get in position to make it through a very technical channel in the rocks!".

I actually made good progress and was soon in the position I needed to be in.

I waited for the right wave to come.

I wanted one that I could make the drop, go up and hit the lip,and then point using the power of the white water all the way to the big rock east of the mouth of the channel.

All was going well until I was hit by a small rouge piece of chop that knocked me out of balance and I fell.

I was in exactly WRONG place!

The current in this spot outside the rock is famous for trapping tired sailors. It has a whorl pool effect that‘s nearly impossible to break loose from.

I didn’t have to spend much time in that impossible caldron because the only thing worse than being caught in the swirling eddy is being picked up by one of the large incoming pulses and washed directly on to the large jagged rock.
That is exactly what happened I didn’t even have time to say “OH SHIT !”,it happened that fast.

The surge was large and powerful enough that it washed me and my gear completely over the large rock and into the rocks on the other side.

I tumbled in some sort of controlled whirl, I lightly pushed away from the razor sharp edges.

There is one benefit to the situation that I just described and that is after you make it over all those obstacles there is a direct flow of current all the way to the rocky beach!

I was so stoked to be back on land and not even a scratch on me or my gear!

My buddy Tom fell in the same place and he got trapped in that whirl pool. He was exhausted from the long big wave session. He tried to break loose for about ten minutes and then signaled for help. My buddy Dean put on his swim fins and swam out and helped Tom break free of the current.

What a day!

that day! Notice the tip of a 14' mast.

http://rockerwaves.blogspot.com/2011/01/kuau-m-art-project.html

youtube.com/watch?v=pWB_QuK…
Jake, Levi, Kieth and friends went to the Marshall Islands over the holidays and here's a clip from there trip.

youtube.com/watch?v=23Fd59l…
THE TOUR IS ON !!

As you probably realize by all the posting that I do here in the other sports section of MP forums that
I’m a bona fide “Surf Junky”.

This season has found me unemployed and the surfing and wave sailing on this island has been off the hook! That equals a lot of time on the water.

I wave sailed at my favorite spot last Saturday.
Sunday I surfed head and a half glassy lefts at Kanaha until almost dark.
There had been a solid week of mast high and better wave sailing conditions preceded by a month solid of windless surfing nearly every day.

After that last day of surfing I felt a little strange and then something hit me that I can’t describe but it just floored me. There were no symptoms for this “crummy state that I was in” that I could medicate. I just wanted to hide from the world.

EXHAUSTION! Is the only thing that I can attribute this to.
I was wondering if I had a limit and I think that I found it.

I missed out on some good wave sailing sessions this week but I think only one of them was a Great session.

I went to the beach every day and just hung out with no ambition or intention of getting in the water.
I shot some photos but I’m not pleased with any of them but I will post a few just for the heck of it.

When I went to Kuau yesterday afternoon and the conditions looked great so I rigged and went out. I got one logo high wave and thought about how silly I was to be out sailing waves at one of the most demanding spots anywhere and not feeling on my game. So I went in after that one wave.
I could just imagine how I would have felt if the wind had shut off. I don’t know if I could have swam in from the reef through big pounding surf and then negotiate those rocks on the inside

After a week of rest I am hoping to be back in the game.

Yesterday was the last day of trade wind for what looks like a week, so, it’s back to paddling into waves on my surf board.

Kanaha

He's still "Fast Fred" Haywood!

David Ezzy and his new team rider Kevin Pritchard

Mike Siopes at Kuau

eaking over