This is a lil video that shows some pristine wave sailing conditions: light and offshore wind, glassy waves.
When was this? April 23? Well, April wasn't that bad then...
Actually, if you just scroll down in this blog, you'll see that in the first half of April we had some good conditions with plenty wind and waves. The second half wasn't as good, just like this start of May.
No complains, as long as there's waves. And there have been waves. And there will be more waves. Sunday afternoon a winter size NW swell will start hitting and Monday it's going to be quite big. Double overhead kind of big...
4 23 09 light and offshore from giampaolo cammarota on Vimeo.
OK, time to reveal my summer plan.
Well, I don't need to tell you guys how much I like my life in Maui. Still, for me Maui in summer time is not as good as it is in the rest of the year.
Last June, I spent five days in Oahu. Check this post.
The day that I got back to Maui, I drove to the south shore (I was all pumped up after five days of awesome surfing). I pulled in the parking at Thousand Peaks around 10am and I didn't even get out of the car. It was one to two feet, crumbling, onshore, unsurfable. Gianfranco was still in Oahu and I rang him up:
"Gianfra', did the swell go down over there?"
"Not at all. It's still shoulder to head high and I got barreled twice this morning".
It was one of those moments. One of those moments in your life in which you take a decision and you know that you will do it, no matter what it takes.
I had a similar (actually way more intense and important) one 9 years ago when I decided to spend a sabbatical year in Maui... (yeah right! They're still waiting for me in Italy...).
That morning of last June, instead, I decided to spend the summer in Oahu. June and July, that's when I'm going.
The plan is simple: surf and sail as much as possible. And thanks to this blog, it's like you guys will come with me... aren't you excited? Oh well, I am...
As a side note: I already subrented my studio for July. Email me if you're interested in renting it in June.
Also, the room next to my studio is available now!
12 comments:
Which break? Looks mellow and nice...
Giampa'
too many things (and pretty difficult to write in english) to say you after this post, but I'll try..
1st: Oahu? aaaaaargh.. way excited (not like you, I suppose): I've always been attracted from that Island and especially NShore but Diamond Head too! I hope you'll pick up your Windsurfing gear with you!!! Please report that spot for us.
2nd what's the spot in the video? west coast? Kihei? and the sail? 5.0?
I really like this video: it's waaaay more impressive and amazing (to me) than "classic videos".
And it's even better with those conditions that remind me the real juice of windsurfing: catching a wave!..
thanks again for sharing that with us...
ciao Nico
Spot: it happened in the past that I've been given shit by some not-so-willing-to-share individuals for revealing names of spots that, even though far from being secret, aren't quite as known as Hookipa or Kanaha.
Being given shit is not my favorite thing in the world, so I won't name those kind of spots. Sorry about that, just be happy with the fact that I'm sharing the video.
BTW, sure it's nice, but it's deceiving mellow. Actually it's a pretty damn easy wave, but if you fuck up it can punish you.
Of course I will take some windsurfing gear with me in Oahu and of course I'll sail Diamond Head, and of course I'll report.
Hey, and if there will be an out of season NW swell, I may even jump in the water at Pipeline if it's not too big...
Ok, ok... let's not get too excited...
The sail was a 4.7 Superfreak Ultralight. The Ultralight material (most of the sail is made by a fabric like the ones of kites) is such an advantage in light wind that I don't need any bigger than that.
Oahu is going to be pretty light too but, as Pascal pointed out, the waves are from the southern hemisphere and -in average- have less power. So over there I'll take a 5.3 or 5.0 too.
Two months away from Maui - what are your chums going to do without you - be happy or sad?
Anne
Giampa - great video. And to think we were sailing the flat/choppy water of Kihei that day!
I think it's fair to not name that spot, though it seems obvious enough given the hi-rise condos and the conditions on that day. I've been a bit shy about xxxxxx due to the reputation for it being "sharky". In fact I believe a fatal bite happened there just a few years ago. Giampa - have you seen any big fish there?
This no wind thing is really crazy though the surfing has been fun. We're headed back to Oregon in a few days for the summer where the water is much colder but the wind has been blowing. See you in the fall!
Hey Giampaolo,
Great idea heading to Oahu, considering your wave addiction. I know the summer can be rough for you on waveless, windy as hell Maui! Hopefully you'll be back in time to play bass with us before I leave on Sept. 6th! And I will be anxious to read your posts and getting your take on the Oahu lifestyle. My guess though, you'll be back in two weeks if the waves don't deliver, the attitude there is so different than on Maui, far fewer people there share your interests. If you make the right friends and Pascal introduces you to the right people, all bets are off!
All the best,
Ely
Anne, a bit of both.
Jamin,
haven't seen any shark, but that means nothing. There's sharks. There's sharks in the whole Pacific ocean. But there's way more many cars on the highway and those are far more dangerous.
Ely, as long as there's waves, I have no problem at spending two months without exchanging a single word with a human being...
Off to morning surf!
So we come to Maui in June and you take off to Oahu? Is it something I said? :)
Jamin, You're worried about sharks and you're going to OREGON !! You are braver than me ! Unless you are planning on staying up river far enough !
Hi GP,
That room you have for rent - is it the one that my buddy John rented from you a few years back? He told me you kept him awake at night - the words 'ladies' and 'action' were also used in the same sentence. BTW Oly should be with you guys soon - when you see him tell him it's been going off here in Guernsey (not)!!!
Ah... the good old days!
Stoked that Oly and Renata are on their way. I like those guys a lot!
Doing what I have been promising myself to do for 15 years...Summer on Oahu, the best Hawaii has to offer.
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