Everything You Always Wanted to Know but Were Afraid to Ask

It’s time that I faced a blogging reality. The only thing that I really have left to write about is surfing. I’m troubled by this fact because I feel reasonably certain that my readers have no interest in the subject whatsoever. But I figure I might as well just go with it. If you get bored there are a number of other interesting blogs you may want to check out listed to the right.

I’ve been interested in surfing for a few years now, but recent developments have prompted even greater enthusiasm. First the surf on the North Shore of Kauai, which I call home, underwent its annual transformation from flat to awesome. Like Puff frolicking in a land called Hanalei so do I revel in the return of good surfing conditions. And I have a winter and spring of more surf to look forward to. Second, my skill level has increased making it possible for me to surf more and get more out of it. Lastly, and most significantly, I have taken up short boarding.

Up until recently I have surfed long boards exclusively. I owned a 9’6” and an 8’-0”. But recently I have added two more boards to my quiver: a 7’4” single fin and a 7’-6” tri-fin. I’m not going to try to explain how important a change that is. Suffice to say I can now “shred.”

Today the surf forecast predicted a large swell would hit The North Shore tonight creating waves up to 34 feet high. However, there was no sign of those kind of monsters when I hit the water at about 5:15. I surfed Middles in Hanalei Bay. Conditions were glassy (meaning there was no wind) with long waits between waist to chest high sets. The 200-yard paddle from shore was bliss but I had brought the wrong board. In my expectation of bigger waves I chose my 7’-4” when I would have been better off with one of my long boards. There were 10-15 long boarders and a couple of stand up paddlers for company so I set up inside of the crowd and waited around for some nice waves that they might miss.

As it got darker the crowed thinned and I finally I was the only one left trying to feel when a wave came since it was becoming so hard to see. Overall, a very mellow and enjoyable session. I’m considering dawn patrol tomorrow.