Here in Maui the surge only created some minor damage to the harbors and beach front properties. Absolutely nothing compared to the devastation in Japan, plus it's people who can afford the repairs.
While my sympathy goes to the japanese population, I couldn't help but taking advantage of an unexpected side effect of the tsunami alert.
All beach parks were closed all day. That thinned out the number of ocean users. I launched around 4.30 and sailed to Hookipa, where the conditions were pretty damn good. Not too many people, not too big, kinda clean... I was having a serious blast.
But what I (and the other few sailors that stayed out) experienced from 5.30 to 6.30, was an absolute gift. Usually at 5.30 there's no more sailing at Hookipa. If there's waves, the surfers paddle out to get their fair share and there's just no room for windsurfers.
Yesterday instead, only a couple of surfers paddled out and there was plenty room for them and us.
The wind got increasingly lighter and more offshore.
The waves got increasingly glassier.
Gp got increasingly happier.
When I finally went back in, I turned around to look at the waves. Jason Prior was the last one out and the waves were so freaking glassy it was ridiculous.
One of my best hours of sailing ever.
Head to logo with occasional mast high, at Hookipa, glassy... I'm still shaking you guys.
For once, I'd like to thank the DLNR for deciding to close the parks. I REALLY hope they will keep them closed today too (there's a high chance, since Kanaha was flooded)!!!
Ok, done my bragging, let's go back to the original post. The title was referring to the fact that all the pros are in town and the level in the water has gone through the roof.
Mmm... too many good shots that could be the shot of the day, so I won't pick one and leave the chronological order.
I'm liking these photos in which there's something else other than the main subject. Ferdinando.
Andres big aerial.
Dunno the name of this guy, but he's a smiler so I like him.
Paolo makes the blog!
Josh.
Robby.
Browzinho.
While the first one might have happened by chance (can't remember), I intentionally shot this one like this. Love the result. I pretty much never edit or crop my photos... the fun for me is to get the right shot at the moment!
Ferdinando and Stefan.
Andres. Plenty over mast waves.
Francisco Porcella doing what he does better.
And Paolo makes a double appearance! This time he caught a chop and is about to eat it pretty hard...
Kauli.
Mark broke the mast.
Taboulet, I think.
Kauli.
Prior eats it.
Josh.
Lanes looked pretty mean at times.
Pritchard bottom turning perfection.
KP.
Browzinho lost his gear and got sucked out on in the channel. It's impossible to swim against that current and Alex tried to tow him to his gear that was placidly floating on the inside at Lanes.
It seemed to be working, until this wave came...
End of the tow.
But the Chief was already on its way and gave the brazilian a lift to his gear.
Alex has been racking Karma points lately. The day after this (Friday 3 11), he towed a sailor with a dislocated shoulder. The sailor had to drop his gear though, which will probably wash somewhere on the coast.
The board is a Quatro single fin white with black and red diamonds. The sail is a brand new Simmer sail color blue.
Please email me if you run into it.
Forecast.
I'm starting to see Facebook enthusiastic comments about the forecast for the next 7 days.
They make me smile, because the windier it gets here in Maui, the shittier it gets. For the following reasons:
- the stronger the wind, the gustier. With a mountain contour like the Haleakala's amplifying the wind, there's no exceptions to this equation. Unless it's onshore of course, which already sucks by definition.
- strong wind creats big chop. Even if there's a long period NW ground swell, it gets all ruined by the chop and the overlapping windswell
- strong wind means big frequent squalls, which make the wind go up and down.
Here's the iWindsurf.com forecast.
Starting Wednesday, sailing will get horrible (at least for my standards), unless I'll manage to hit it when it's lighter.
Thanks to a big NW ground swell, Tuesday looks like an epic day, though.
Cool, I'm off!
5 comments:
sometime a comment is well deserved...: good job GP
That sea looks very rough - did you take the pictures before or after the tsunami warnings?
Is the sea "different" as a result of what's happened?
Anne
Wow! It is like you told a story in pictures ending with the Maui OSO and sled to the rescue! Thanks, busy time over there I know...
Local kiter from here is reporting there was finally kite access to Hookipa because no windsurfers, surfers, or lifeguards around after tsunami. Kanaha water brown and lumpy and beach rocky after tsunami. Any pics GP?
Nico, what you mean sometimes?!?! :)
Anne, the ocean kept breathing all day (going a little up and down), but where I sailed there was no other significant difference.
The photos were taken the day before the tsunami. The roughness has nothing to do with it. It was just an ordinary epic day in Maui... :)
Gary, I was busy for completely different reasons. The tsunami did not effect me at all. I slept from 10 to 6 straight without waking up once. That's very unusual for me... I guess the sirens help my sleep!
Morley, kiters were the first ones to hit the water (they're used to launch at Lanes) and they couldn't believe they had Hookipa for themselves! But after a while the windsurfers figure out how to launch and there was no much room left for the kiters, so most of them moved back to Lanes.
I didn't take any pics on the tsunami day. But I rode some unbelievable waves.
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