Loving this winter

I had a three sessions day and those are always something special...

None of them was epic by any means, but each one had its own flavor. It doesn't really matter how good it is, really... as long as you're out there catching waves, all is good. Well, at least for me.
I'll do my session report (for sure not the most popular feature of this blog...) later, let's start with the photo of the day. Actually the two photos of the day.

This one is yesterday's sunset. Unreal.


And this one is Morgan, bottom turning on a double mast one. He's fifteen and even though I don't know him well, he gives me the idea to be a really nice kid. That usually means really nice parenting.


I was out there sailing half an hour before these photos were taken. What the hell was I thinking?!?!!
Mark.


Morgan.


Mark about to hang on real tight.


Kai K.


Jazz is not a pro sailor. Nonetheless, he sure goes for it.




Well, before we get to today's session report, let's talk about yesterday (Superbowl Sunday).
In the morning, I SUP surfed a wave that I NEVER surfed before. And that's always a special feeling. It took me a little to figure it out, but then I got some really sweet rides. The wind was light offshore and without that, that wave would have been totally crap. So, don't even bother guessing where...

In the afternoon, I went out sailing at Kanaha. As you can tell, the Kona wind was extremely light, but nonetheless I did catch a few fun ones. Glenn, you would have been proud of me. Missed you out there.


This is the first wave I caught. Too deep to really do anything with it, but the drop (as steep as a surfing take off) did put some adrenaline into my blood stream.


I took this photos from a post that Ben did on his blog. Thanks a lot!

Today instead, I surfed Hookipa in the morning, sailed Hookipa in the early afternoon and surfed Kanaha in the late afternoon.

As I was saying, none of the sessions was epic by any means, but it doesn't matter. I am so grateful to have the ability/health/luck to be able to do what I do.
Plus, on the last wave I caught at Lowers, I was surfing so good that while riding I was thinking:"wait a moment, this is not me surfing... this must be something else! I've never surfed this good!!!"

That's true you guys. I've never been that good at surfing and windsurfing. I'm 48. I don't know how long this (the improving) is going to last, but sure enough I'm going to keep putting my hours into it... BECAUSE I'M HAVING A BLAST!!!

This also means that I'm going to sleep right exactly now, since tomorrow has the potential to be another fantastic day.

Here's the NW buoy chart in fact. As you can see from the lower chart, the direction is about to radically swing more north. That means that tomorrow Maui's north shore will be pounded by massive waves (way bigger than today's ones). Most spots will be unsurfable. Most... but not all! :)
It will be windy in the afternoon, so I predict a busy day for the Kanaha lifeguards and a good day for the shops that sell windsurfing parts.

You guys will excuse me now, but I have a 7am appointment with one of my favorite waves. Goodnight.


PS. Standup world tour at Sunset beach report here.
"The 12 athletes going forward to
compete in the semi finals are: Connor Baxter, Brennan Rose, Chuck Patterson,
Pomai Hoapiu, Slater Trout, Charles Kaili, Noland Keaulana, Kody Kerbox, Haley
Fiske, Abraham Shouse, Freddy Huihui, and Serge Carabasse"
As Alex pointed out in the comments, this is related to the trials.