double!

We're not talking forward loops you guys, much better than that...

Thanks to my personal ass spotter, here is the photo of the day.


As predicted, yesterday Hookipa was big and gnarly.
This first photo of Ferdinando illustrates how, the more west the swell is, the more the water comes out of the channel and turns right into the wind. That creates some huge chops on the wave face and down the line wave riding becomes extremely challenging.
It's not nearly as bad when it's a north swell instead.



This lovely lady was a constant (and appreciated) distraction.


Ferdinando was given a new sail and invited to join in the Maui Sails photoshoot. He did great and as a result he's the only MS rider I have worthy photos of. Good job.



Because of the direction of the current (again, going upwind into the face of the waves at Hookipa), Lanes was relatively smoother. Nonetheless, Levi found a bit of chop to do that.


First Polakow's bottom turn.


Levi back to Hookipa.


The ladies coordinate their moves.


Keith pushes hard on the sail in his backside snap.


Albeau.


The lovely lady left and the photoshoot was never the same.


Pato enjoys a biggie before breaking the mast on the outside.


Polakow.


Polakow, completely at ease in big waves.



Pato got rescued by the lifeguards. No wonder he's smiling... that would have been a gnarly swim.


Swift starts a backloop exchange with Polakow at Lanes.


Polakow.


Swift.


Traversa.


The waves were bigger than usual and Keith's dog needed a higher view point to check his owner. Maui's most faithful dog.


My session report.
As planned, I went out at Kanaha at 11 and sailed two hours taking clips with the gopro. The wind was strong, the waves were choppy, didn't really do anything good...
Then went to Hookipa for the shoot and after that went back to Kanaha. The sail was already rigged and at 5.30, just before entering the water for an additional 1.5 hours, I noticed that two battens were broken. That made the sailing a bit uncomfortable, but still fun.

Not even remotely comparable to yesterday though. Despite the bigger waves, the wind was stronger (more chop), there was a lot more people (too big up the coast made people migrate) and hence I didn't sail as good as I did yesterday. Bummer, because I was taking clips with the helmet stick in the sunset session too. We'll see what came out, I haven't had the chance to look at them yet.
Busy time for bloggers in Maui these days.

Forecast.
The swell will steadily drop through the afternoon, but it's still 6 feet at the buoy this morning, so there will still be plenty waves and Hookipa will be packed. I work till 2, then I'll take photos and then I'll figure out a spot for the my sunset session.
That new low on the map below will send a new 6 feet NW swell (yesterday's one went up to 12) Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.



UNFORTUNATELY, as this other map forecasted for Tuesday April 5th clearly shows., the wind will be cranking from an easterly direction. Even though not ideal for jumping (ENE or even better NE would be a lot better because it fills in the inside), those days could be a possible candidate for running that jumping contest. Also because, that humongous high pressure will completely block the formation of any kind of ground swell for a whole week.
Mmm... I see myself going south again.


PS. Harry Wievel was at Jaws and took this gallery of photos.
Looks like a bunch of standuppers were out...



PPS. Amazing photos on Todd Glaser's blog.