Aloha Oe

I decided to take one for the team today and video record instead of surf. I also wanted to video record a session of my cousin before he leaves tomorrow. It was fun having him as a surf partner. More than anything, it was just great having him around; I always feel a little closer to home when one of my relatives from Hawaii comes to visit.

Aloha oe, brah. See you in the summer.

Gee, That's Swell

There was a nice little swell this afternoon. There were even a few overhead sets that came through. It was a nice little surprise since I wasn't expecting anything over waist high today.

On the Inside

As a result of a 4.79 ft high tide this morning, the waves were pretty soft on the outside, but at the same time, there were some nice corners to work with. Despite the nice lengthy waves breaking on the outside, I found my niche on the inside - where the waves were still fun, but a lot more consistent.

Good, Better, Best

First, the good news: Mother Nature didn't pound me with a double-overhead set in retaliation for the negative surf comment I made on my 3-21-09 blog entry (today was the first time I surfed since that day). Second, the better news: I got a free bodyboarding magazine and DVD from a local surf shop. Lastly, the best news: I had a fun session with a couple of fellow Hawaiians.


One of the Hawaiians



The other Hawaiian








Free DVD

Spectator Session

I took my cousin to one of the local breaks this afternoon so that he could catch a sesh. After realizing that the winds were still pretty strong, I decided to skip a surf sesh and be a spectator instead.

It Can Only Get Better

News flash: Better waves on the horizon! At least I hope. I haven't checked the surf forecast yet, but after being a first-hand witness of today's slop (sorry for being so cynical, Mother Nature; please don't pound me with a double-overhead set in retaliation for my negative comment), I don't think the waves can get much worse. Here's to better surf soon.

Flipper in da house!

Family Session

One of my cousins from Hawaii came to visit me while he's on spring break vacation. We caught a session this morning. Unfortunately, the waves weren't that good. However, after being couped up in Colorado without surfing for the past three months, I'm sure my cousin was happy just to get wet... I know I was, and it's only been three days since my last surf session.

My cousin Garet on the knee at dawn

A Couple of Sales

I received an email from Alternative Surf as well as from Toobs announcing their respective sales. Both sales knock 10% off of anything that you order from their websites. The coupon code for Alternative Surf is "ASANNIV09", and the coupon code for Toobs is "springsale". Hmm... I might have to pick-up that new board I was thinking about.

Solo Session

I was the only one out on the north side of the pier today. I would have been stoked having all the waves to myself if the conditions were just a little better. The waves had potential, but the conditions just killed it.

Costly Session

I wasted two hours and half a tank of gas spot-checking this morning. By the time I found a decent spot to surf, I only had about an hour and a half to surf. By that time, I was pretty bummed that I had wasted so much time and gas just trying to find a spot. However, half way through my sesh, I got pitted in a nice little barrel. Was wasting two hours and half a tank of gas worth that nice little barrel? You betcha! Next time, though, I'll just have to be more efficient at spot-checking!


Shore slappers at one of the spots I checked. Ugh!



I thought this would be the best spot of all the spots I checked. Oh well.

Primer Session

I got home from work this afternoon, changed my clothes, turned on the television, and was just about to call it a day, when I suddenly remembered that I had eaten a whole box of Girl Scout cookies at work. I had to redeem myself! So, even though I knew beforehand that the surf was small and the wind was kicking, I decided to catch a session to burn off all those Samoas cookies I ate.

I had a fun session; if anything, it served as a prep session for tomorrow. Word is a south swell will be hitting select spots tomorrow.

Old Stomping Grounds

I came across a few pictures (be sure to check out the pics on page two, too) of my old stomping grounds in Hawaii. These pictures bring back a lot of memories. When the waves get like that, there's usually an eerie feeling in the air. You see, when waves get like that, that usually means there's a storm brewing nearby. Imagine surfing big waves, under ominous dark clouds in cold river-runoff water, all the while battling a gnarly current. Pretty heavy stuff.

I could sure use some of those waves now. Then again, maybe not. I'm so out of shape, it's not even funny (I start huffing and puffing just trying to paddle through one foot mush at my local spot). And even if I did make it out to the line-up unscathed, I'd probably be too uncoordinated to actually take advantage of the size and power of these waves. After all, 60 extra pounds and an 11-year hiatus from bodyboarding has had the uncanny ability to turn my 360s into 180s and make my rollos look like unorthodox floaters.

Saturday Session

I had my customary Saturday session this morning. The waves weren't good, but I had a fun sesh anyway. When the MB locals get together, there's always some kind of entertainment taking place, whether it's hilarious one-liner jokes, sound effects, or, in today's episode, a busted lip.

The Stoke Equation

(Decent waves + fair conditions) - heavy crowds = stoke