Surfing

[Walkoff Balk]

Re: Surfing

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/...awaiian-roots/

Can go surfing. Just no cut class.

[tutusue]

Re: Surfing

[...]as for wave size, when we were at Makaha , a wave came OVER THE BEACH up to the sidewalk, and I got SOAKED... this was during the winter.. keep a eye on the surf during the winter months when in Makaha!

Did that happen along the stretch of beach across from the Makaha Marketplace? I was at that stoplight in the lane closest to the sidewalk and saw a huge wave break on the beach and surge toward Farrington Hwy. There was a covered bus stop ahead of me and a small, older Filipino man standing on the curb, his back to the beach, ready to get on the bus that was stopped behind me. The surge hit a short rock wall and ricocheted up and over the bus stop and onto the highway, hitting my car. That poor man just stood there stunned...and completely drenched. I felt so bad for him. If one sees sand across the road when driving along Farrington during winter then one needs to be sure the car windows are up!!!

[islandguy]

Re: Surfing

See:

http://www.surfnewsnetwork.com/

http://www.surfguidehawaii.com/


http://www.hasasurf.org/

http://gohawaii.about.com/od/surfing..._in_Hawaii.htm

That should get you started... as for wave size, when we were at Makaha , a wave came OVER THE BEACH up to the sidewalk, and I got SOAKED... this was during the winter.. keep a eye on the surf during the winter months when in Makaha!

[ItsGoTime!]

Re: Surfing

I'm at White Plains a couple mornings a week-- especially when it's 4-6 feet. I'm the ponytailed retired guy with the beat up 9'0" blue & white Keola Rapoza (of course with a noseguard and safety fins). Introduce yourself and I'll give you a lesson.

Hey Nords, thanks for the offer. I won't be on O'ahu until October at the earliest, but if I ever see you, I will definitely take you up on it.

In return, I can give teach you a little hockey, if you're interested.

[Nords]

Re: Surfing

You should be fine at White Plains Beach (Kalealoa, Ewa). Plenty of surf, plenty of room, lots of beginners. The more experienced surfers stay farther outside and well clear of the newbs. The water is very sandy and the sharks don't spend much time there.

As for gear, I did a little reading, and I was inclined to go with a (prefereably used) 8' mini-mal (I go about 5'10"). I don't want to go with an uber starter board cuz I don't want to keep upgrading my gear, and my understanding is that a mini-mal is suitable for both the beginner and experienced surfer. Is this true?

Well, upgrading is part of the fun/challenge, but if you're under 200 pounds then you can probably get up on an eight-foot board. But a 9' will be easier, and a 10' easier still.

An hour's lesson from a buddy or a teacher is best, but another great reference is Doug Werner's "Longboarder's Start-up" or his other book, "Surfer's Start-up".

I'm at White Plains a couple mornings a week-- especially when it's 4-6 feet. I'm the ponytailed retired guy with the beat up 9'0" blue & white Keola Rapoza (of course with a noseguard and safety fins). Introduce yourself and I'll give you a lesson.

[ItsGoTime!]

Re: Surfing

Thanks, DKP, fpr the link to the surfing bible. I have read it, will re-read it, and read it once again before I do anything that closely resembles surfing. I am a big believer in good sportsmanship, and the unwritten (I guess in this case it's well written) code of conduct and etiquette. I need to get into better shape, and while I used to be a strong swimmer, it was some time ago, and the ocean is a bit intimidating. My initial plan was to get a board and learn how to paddle around for a while. After all, you gotta learn how to walk, before you can run. I am patient with learning and personal development, so I'm going to take it slow, at least until I can find a newbie surfing buddy or two.

As for gear, I did a little reading, and I was inclined to go with a (prefereably used) 8' mini-mal (I go about 5'10"). I don't want to go with an uber starter board cuz I don't want to keep upgrading my gear, and my understanding is that a mini-mal is suitable for both the beginner and experienced surfer. Is this true?

[Peshkwe]

Re: Surfing

Read what Lee Cataluna wrote at this link in today's Advertiser, including:

"A new "reality" series shot in Hawai'i mixes real footage of lifeguards doing their usual duties with jazzed-up voice-over descriptions. "Beach Patrol: Honolulu" portrays every case of swallowed water, every reef scrape and every kid who floats too close to the breakwater as a terrifying brush with death."
(...)
"The creators of "Beach Patrol: Honolulu," which is airing at various times this month on Court TV, may have realized at some point that, thankfully, nothing too extreme happens on an average day at the beach, but they were bound and determined not to let that get in the way of telling an exciting tale of near-disaster for beachgoers. It's not exactly fiction, but it's exaggerated, hyped, over-the-top to the point of being laughable. It makes the real work of the Ocean Safety personnel seem trivial and small."

I've watched the show, and yeah the voice over style and hyper editing is a bit over the top. I like watching for the little stuff they put in, like the UH students snipping off the jellyfish tentacles for research....but then I'm a science and medical type geek.

There was one episode that aired recently that really annoyed me...the one where the little girl got her ankle messed up and there was no adult around, just her 12 year old brother. The kids were dropped off by granny, and mommy couldn't get out of her own way to deal with it...WTF??

Anyone know if there's a real life time limit to when the cops/child services get called in when there's a situation like that? The editing made it seem like the kid was there quite awhile before an adult family member was willing to be located...but in all actuality it could have been only 5-15 minutes real time skewed to hours in TV time.

Still...The lifeguards aren't your personal babysitter. They ain't mindreaders either, they can't mind meld with you to let you know where your kid is at. What if the kid got snatched instead of hurt, the lifeguards might never have know they were there alone.

[Keanu]

Re: Surfing

There used to be...in the good ol' days!

The good ol' days are long past...Blame the producers of bogus surf movies like Blue Crush, and surf shows on networks such as MTV. Blame surf companies like Quiksilver that bank from all the interest that surf movies and surf shows have generated. When someone from Nebraska all of a sudden has an urged to "surf", something is wrong.

[tutusue]

Re: Surfing

There is no chivalry in a dog eat dog lineup.

There used to be...in the good ol' days!

[Keanu]

Re: Surfing

wow intense!


I always thought, "you can't beat women.........it's a crime"


I guess, all is fair in love and surf?

There is no chivalry in a dog eat dog lineup.

[TATTRAT]

Re: Surfing

wow intense!


I always thought, "you can't beat women.........it's a crime"


I guess, all is fair in love and surf?

[Keanu]

Re: Surfing

It gets REALLY ugly sometimes (I've seen women get punched out for giving attitude to guys who they cut off). In those cases, it was the womens' fault...but I would never go that far.

Reminds me of Johnny Boy Gomes punching Jodie Cooper in the face some years back on the North Shore..."If you act like a man, I'll treat you like a man."

[TATTRAT]

Re: Surfing

http://www.surfline.com/surfology/su...borl_index.cfm

Take EVERY PAGE OF THIS as if it were the Bible! I swear, I just surfed Walls yesterday, and it was a circus! If you don't, you put yourself and others in severe danger. You will most likely piss ALOT of people off as well (who may already be stressing b/c of life issues and not getting waves to begin with).

I cannot overstress the importance of 'The Bill of Rights and Lefts'. This applies to EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD, NOT JUST HAWAI'I.

Good luck...and make sure you have med insurance (I've a total of 215 stitches in my body at some time or another...not to mention broken bones, other lacerations, near drownings and near neck breakings), and if I didn't have good insurance, I'd be living on da beach. Snowboarding and wakeboarding should give you a nice advance on the balance part.

Also, do OCEAN swimming (like Miulang suggested)...which I know is obvious but some tend to forget that it is radically different than in pools. Spear diving is, to me, the best training (aside from running underwater on the ocean floor with big rocks...the big lagoon at Ko'olina has a few sitting underwater that people use if you are interested).

Kumu is good (cockaroach) to learn, but can get crowded on the weekends. Be cool with everyone and you'll get the same treatment.

Ewa is also good...but remember...everywhere there but White Plains (but sometimes even there) is a regular spot for shark watching (I saw a total of 8 in my last two sessions at Hau bush) Again, be calm and cool and you should get the same treatment from the real kama'aina (hammerheads, grays, some tigers). There hasn't been an attack there for a long time...so don't sweat it. Make the decision to take the risk before you go in the water, because if you do sweat it, they may come close to you.

Finally...don't expect a warm welcome from everybody...especially the better surfers...regardless of your ethnicity. We have seen exponential increases in crowds since Blue Crush came out, and many longtime waveriders are taking massive 'pay cuts' in the amounts of waves they are getting now, at spots that were just until recently, empty and secret (thanks alot wannasurf.com) It's changed from outer island style to Los Angeles style in my lifetime (and I'm only 25), needless to say, not everyone has adjusted to the congestion.

Call it greed or call it the natural effect of people not getting enough space/waves, but it is there. Be respectful, and there shouldn't be many problems...but remember, the spots (especially around O'ahu) aren't like church. It gets REALLY ugly sometimes (I've seen women get punched out for giving attitude to guys who they cut off). In those cases, it was the womens' fault...but I would never go that far.

Again, and again...

Never drop in. If you do...and get yelled at...good for you. If you get in someones way while they are shredding a wave and they yell at you...good for you (paddle in the channels and on the side of waves, NEVER straight out from where your last wave ended...even if that means making a big U turn parallel to the lineup and creating a longer paddle for you. Even pros do this). It would all be YOUR fault for being in the wrong place in the lineup...and you'd be contributing to chaos.

And again, good luck.

Best advice yet. E-Karma to you, D.

As for the link to SURFOLOGY, all those rules should be written/printed, and glassed in on the nose of all "First" boards for people. It would solve so many common issues in the lineup.

I am glad this thread was bumped. I am very much looking forward to getting in the water of HI. I have been wave riding for 22 years. It is my therapy, and cheaper then a shrink. It is a lifestyle that I can live with. I have however been a little concerned about the line up. I know that the local scene there is FAR different than any of that I have experienced, be it on the East Coast, Europe, or Central America. I am for sure going to be more of a spectator for a while 'till I learn the vibe and the way things are done in the HI Lineups.

If you learn to surf, you will more then likely be hooked for life, so be prepared.

[Vanguard]

Re: Surfing

hey i was just wondering how difficult it is to learn how to surf? I've never even been to the ocean so it would be all new to me.

I took my first lesson many years ago on the "Gold Coast" of Waikiki; I rode a small beginner wave my first lesson; not a big deal, but I remember how great it was. Just be patient, and you'll surf too

[Palolo Joe]

Re: Surfing

Sometimes the un-plasticated versions of stories are the best told.

Not in this case.

I've actually seen the show. There's nothing very exciting about box jellyfish stings and obese haole tourists getting caught in the shorebreak at Sandys.

The fact that you can't drink alcohol at Hawaii beaches also cuts down on the entertainment possibilities.

Oh, and Chicken Little? "Beach Patrol" isn't a new show. It's the new season that brings the program to Honolulu.