Monday, August 31, 2015

Small and poor shape. Lahaina looked beautiful on the webcam

8 31 15 morning call

 

 

 
Afternoon surf session at Hookipa for me proved to be very challenging.
After 2 months of perfect waves in Indo, it's so hard to ride those bumpy waves, but no complains here. We're so lucky to have waves pretty much every day.
It was better on the south shore in the morning, as Jason Hall reported on his facebook page.



Today could be an interesting one.
Here's the latest Ignacio position at 5am HST.



The rain shouldn't impact us directly, but there's moisture in the atmosphere as the radar shows.


Buoys
NW
4.6ft @ 10s from 55° (ENE)
3ft @ 8s from 47° (NE)
3ft @ 6s from 70° (ENE)

N
7.1ft @ 12s from 126° (ESE)
5.8ft @ 8s from 57° (ENE)
3.4ft @ 10s from 108° (ESE)

Pauwela
4.1ft @ 8s from 35° (NE)
3.6ft @ 13s from 97° (E)
3.2ft @ 11s from 83° (E)

W          
4.4ft @ 12s from 171° (S)
2.8ft @ 8s from 45° (NE)

SW           
4ft @ 13s from 53° (ENE)
2.7ft @ 10s from 137° (SE)

Barbers
2.3ft @ 13s from 210° (SSW)
1.6ft @ 12s from 222° (SW)

Waves pretty much from all directions. There's a place on the island that might get both wraps from the west and the east. But I'll check Hookipa first.

Wind map shows the small but very close E fetch from Ignacio and a wide one from the south. Soon we'll get the east swell from the next hurricane too. Forgot to circle the fetch and forgot the name of the hurricane too...
 
Wind should be light onshore. That's on the north shore.

Sunday, August 30, 2015

8 30 15 morning call

Had a great windsurfing session yesterday at sunset. Very light wind and pretty much by myself with a couple of surfers. Loved it.
 

 
Didn't even bother going to check the waves this morning, since I knew the wind was going to be on it. We're gonna have a couple of days of onshores due to the pass of hurricane Ignacio.
Let's first have a look at where it is right now.



This is the wind map. That shows a small but intense east Ignacio fetch and a much larger one down south. Remember, that means a south swell next weekend.


According to the models, Ignacio should pass close enough for plenty rain, but not close enough for strong wind.
This is the map at Tuesday 2pm and it only shows 17 knots of local wind. But just a few hundred miles could make a big difference, so we'll know only when it gets there.


Buoys
5.1ft @ 8s from 37° (NE)
4.2ft @ 13s from 264° (W)
2.4ft @ 6s from 49° (NE)
 
North
6ft @ 11s from 101° (ESE)
3.3ft @ 8s from 24° (NNE)
2.8ft @ 7s from 58° (ENE)
2.2ft @ 9s from 70° (ENE)

Pauwela
4.5ft @ 8s from 26° (NNE)
2.4ft @ 14s from 319° (NW)

Barbers
3.4ft @ 13s from 224° (SW)           
1.5ft @ 5s from 132° (SE)
1.3ft @ 5s from 154° (SSE)
6f 11s from 101 at the North buoy from Ignacio, but that direction will only hit Hana for today.
West swell from Typhoon of Japan still incredibly there and Lahaina still gets waves. Considering how bad the wind is on the north shore, that's where I would go this morning, if I didn't have to work.
 

Winguru table shows the bad wind for the north shore until Wednesday when it's going to switch to Kona.

Saturday, August 29, 2015

8 29 15 morning call

Scored a great session on the south shore yesterday. Only two people and waves like this.



 
It's the first time I witness a west swell that wraps around both the north and the south shore of Maui. Hookipa had waves too, as this photo from Jimmie Hepp with Sarah Hauser clearly shows.



Buoys
NW
5.5ft @ 15s from 281° (WNW)
5.4ft @ 8s from 33° (NE)

Pauwela
3.5ft @ 8s from 12° (NNE)
2.7ft @ 16s from 322° (NW)

Barbers
3.2ft @ 15s from 247° (WSW)
2ft @ 11s from 231° (WSW)

This west swell is incredibly long lasting. It's out of that typhoon that sat offshore Japan for a long while a few days ago. Gonna slowly go more N, but it's still pretty west at the NW buoy.

Couple of fetches also on today's wind map. NW one very weak.
 
Actually there's another larger fetch way south that isn't showing in the above pic. It is in the below one. South swell in a week.
 
Even NOAA knows about it: "Outlook through Friday September 4: the current west-northwest swell will gradually subside through Monday. Surf may reach the high surf warning threshold along east facing shores early next week, but the timing and size of this swell remains uncertain since it depends on the track and strength of hurricane Ignacio as it approaches the islands. An increasing south swell is anticipated to arrive Thursday which could rise significantly Friday. "

Yep, east swell from Ignacio coming up too and they summed it up very well.
That's Ignacio's position right now. Making waves for Hana only at the moment, but it will move more north with a better angle for Maui. Hopefully not too close.
 
 

 

 
 It'll be windy today, but the direction seems a bit onshore.
Went out very early this morning, so the Hookipa report is just below this post. Pretty crowded.
 

Looks smaller than yesterday, but i'm sure there's head high sets. A little bit of wind and the crowd us gonna be massive

Friday, August 28, 2015

8 28 15 morning call

Loving the west swell. This photo is from yesterday morning at Hookipa.
Lahaina side had beautiful waves too.


Buoys
NW
6.3ft @ 16s from 277° (W)
3.8ft @ 8s from 24° (NNE)
 

Pauwela
1.9ft @ 9s from 17° (NNE)
1.7ft @ 14s from 324° (NW)
1.2ft @ 7s from 40° (NE)
1.2ft @ 4s from 91° (E)
 
Barbers
2.8ft @ 13s from 222° (SW)
2.8ft @ 16s from 200° (SSW)
0.5ft @ 10s from 218° (SW)
 
W
4.3ft @ 15s from 238° (WSW)
1.8ft @ 10s from 190° (S)
1.4ft @ 7s from 127° (ESE)
 
Plenty more energy in the water still, that typhoon off Japan really sat stationary.
I hear a set at Hookipa when I got up, but I think I'm going somewhere south.
 
Wind map with a couple of fetches and no local wind, all is good.
 
 

This fellow was under my board.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Very occasional waist high sets

8 27 15 morning call

Steady west swell on tap for today. If you want to know where it comes from and why, here's a brief extract of Pat Caldwell's discussion:

"Typhoon atsani in the western north Pacific is the primary surf source this week. It has kept steady W swell locally since 8/21. The tropical system slowly moved toward Japan, and given its larger than normal size, was adequate to produce surf for Hawaii."

I surfed 100 peaks and there were occasional head high sets. Those closed out, but sometimes the rights stayed open. I took a clip on a left to show the size, but if there's something gopro clips are not good for, that's showing the size (chest high at the take off). But it does show the cleanness of the conditions so here it is.




Buoys
NW
4.4ft @ 8s from 265° (W)
4.3ft @ 13s from 275° (W)

Pauwela
1.6ft @ 7s from 73° (ENE)
1.3ft @ 14s from 321° (NW)
0.9ft @ 9s from 52° (ENE)
0.7ft @ 11s from 352° (N)

Barbers
2.6ft @ 14s from 193° (SSW)
2.5ft @ 13s from 233° (WSW)
2.1ft @ 8s from 226° (SW)
1.3ft @ 18s from 195° (SSW)

West Hawaii
4.2ft @ 14s from 232° (WSW)
2.5ft @ 8s from 230° (SW)
1.6ft @ 10s from 227° (SW)
 
 

 
4f 14s is a solid swell, some long period sets were starting to show up at Hookipa yesterday at sunset. I'm gonna check that first before eventually drive to Lahaina. Expect a photo report soon.
Here's how Lahaina looks on the webcam. Still plenty energy.

 
 
Couple of fetches in this morning's wind map.

 
Another sunny windless day of great surfing. It feels very good to be back in the water.

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

8 26 15 morning call

 

 
There were waves on the Lahaina and Kihei side yesterday and there will be more waves tomorrow, possible bigger judging from the webcams below.

Those waves were generated by the typhoon off Japan. You can see the 13s at the buoys.
Buoys
NW
4.2ft @ 8s from 196° (SSW)
3.3ft @ 14s from 275° (W)
1.1ft @ 7s from 151° (SSE)

Pauwela
1.8ft @ 8s from 63° (ENE)
1ft @ 13s from 311° (NW)
 
Barbers
3.6ft @ 13s from 229° (SW)
2.6ft @ 7s from 191° (SSW)
1.2ft @ 4s from 162° (SSE)
 
Couple of fetches on today's wind map. 
 
 
 
Next storm still forecasted to stall right on top of the islands around Sept 1st. Stay tuned for updates.
The hurricane to the right should swing north instead and provide plenty waves from the east.
 
 
All these storms will not allow the "normal" trade winds generating high pressure to sit in place hence no trades for another long while, as the windguru table shows below.

 
 
I've been out of the water for 9 days to heal an inflamed cyst, it's finally time to get wet again for me.
I don't know how I managed to stay sane. Maybe I didn't.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

8 25 15 morning call

Sunny calm day this morning.

Not much on offer though.

Buoys
NW
3.3ft @ 14s from 287° (WNW)
3.2ft @ 7s from 133° (SE)
2.7ft @ 9s from 95° (E)
1.4ft @ 6s from 119° (ESE)

Pauwela
2.3ft @ 9s from 60° (ENE)
1.5ft @ 6s from 84° (E)
0.8ft @ 13s from 340° (NNW)
 
Barbers
3.1ft @ 13s from 244° (WSW)
3ft @ 6s from 179° (S)
1ft @ 9s from 192° (SSW)
 
 
Still energy from the west, wrapping around the island both from the south and the north. Probably a bit more energy from the south, as the kihei and lahaina webcam show below.
 
The usual WNW fetch from the typhoon of Japan. I circled also the SW fetch of the Kilo storm, because just by looking at the nature of those waves in Lahaina, it is possible that we're receiving some energy from that too.

The contest in Tahiti is on its final day. Enjoy the show.

Monday, August 24, 2015

8 24 15 morning call

Plenty rain during the night and this morning in Maui.
The satellite photo and the radar below show that.


 

 Buoys

NW
3.7ft @ 9s from 111° (ESE)
3.4ft @ 12s from 237° (WSW)
2.6ft @ 8s from 117° (ESE)

Pauwela
3.3ft @ 9s from 55° (ENE)
2.4ft @ 6s from 81° (E)

Barbers
2.7ft @ 13s from 242° (WSW)
2.1ft @ 7s from 173° (S)
1.4ft @ 9s from 191° (SSW)
0.6ft @ 5s from 168° (SSE)

Still some energy from the WSW at the NW and Barbers buoy, but that's not hitting the Pauwela and the north shore which still only has windswell.
The webcam below shows a bit of shore break in Kihei, but nothing substantial. Overall, another day with not much on offer. Better days will come.


 

On the windmap, the usual tight WNW fetch. That is still too west to hit Hookipa straight, but a little bit of energy might wrap around the upstream islands.
Screenshot below is from Saturday Sept 2nd, so it's higly unreliable, but it shows an interesting situation with yet another hurricane effecting the islands (the one to the left is the actual storm that is creating the rain right now). Surfline is calling for 20f 12s from ENE, but, as I said, that is extremely unreliable. We'll keep an eye on that.
In the meantime, enjoy a rainy day on Maui. Tahiti contest on at 11.45am. Enjoy the show.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

8 23 15 morning call

It was a hot one yesterday. Cooling down in the ocean was the only escape.

Not much on offer today. Buoys:

NW
4.1ft @ 13s from 243° (WSW)           
2.8ft @ 10s from 68° (ENE)
2.3ft @ 6s from 97° (E)
Pauwela
3.6ft @ 9s from 54° (ENE)
3.1ft @ 8s from 70° (ENE)
1.8ft @ 5s from 74° (ENE)
 
Barbers
3.5ft @ 8s from 153° (SSE)
3ft @ 13s from 240° (WSW)
 
 
A bit of WSW showing at a couple of buoys, but it's gonna be hard to find those waves in Maui.

Lahaina got some, but with a bit of onshore wind, seems like.
 
Couple of fetches on the wind map.
 
The hurricane is not going to be a threat according to the latest forecast.

No wind for quite a few days.

The excitement of the day (from the surfing point of view) will come from the Tahiti contest.
Dawn patrol show at 7.30. Enjoy.

Saturday, August 22, 2015

Minimal windswell energy. Pavillion is your only option on the north shore

8 22 15 morning call

I'm back, so is the morning call.

 
Let's talk about Kilo right away. This morning the island woke up with lightning and thunder upcountry on the Haiku side of the Haleakala, but that cell seems to be moving offshore as the map below shows.



The latest prediction shows the storm getting stronger, but swinging wide. Even though the turn towards Kauai on Thursday still leaves some apprehension.


 

The wind map shows some fetches. One is to the WNW of us, out of typhoon off Japan. Usually those fetches are quite limited in size, but this one will move very slowly and that helps the formation of a distant WNW swell that will arrive together with the unsettled weather created by Kilo.
Too early for specifics.
Also notice a bit of a fetch down south that will send a south swell in a week. The fetch to the right (didn't circle that one), looks like it was in position to generate a swell for Tahiti (and Hawaii) so there's a good chance that the WSL competition will resume soon.
I watched the Medina - John John heat in the Sydney airport and almost lost my connection because of it. What a fantastic heat.

Buoys
Pauwela
3.4ft @ 7s from 66° (ENE)
2.5ft @ 9s from 48° (NE)
2.4ft @ 5s from 68° (ENE)
1.8ft @ 11s from 72° (ENE)

Barbers
2.2ft @ 14s from 211° (SW)
1.5ft @ 6s from 140° (SE)
1.4ft @ 9s from 231° (WSW)
1.3ft @ 12s from 230° (SW)

It's pretty clear that the south shore is your best bet for surfing today, even though the Lahaina webcam shows minimal energy.
 

The windguru table below shows some trades for today, but with a downward trend. Also notice how cloudy the next 10 days are going to be.

 

Sunday, August 16, 2015

2015 Indo trip n.2 Report 6. The WQS contest at Uluwatu + gopro stuff + more

This has been the trip of the cancelled sub-trips so far.

Despite the fact that I had invested $150 in cheap non reimbursable tickets to go again to my favorite island (and for that reason I previously decided not to go to Sumbawa earlier), seen the weakening of the forecast for that spot, I decided to remain in Bali.

In hindsight it was a good decision (the swell only gave 1.5 good days over there, versus 5 good days in Bali), but it's still feels like a bummer, because I truly love that wave. And for the money, of course.
Talking about which, I feel like mentioning that the cost of my two months trip in Indo (18 days in my favorite spot and the rest in Bali) has been still cheaper than the cost of a 10 days boat trip to Mentawaii. Which is why I think I'll never go there, unless I figure a cheaper way to do it.

Anyway, I remained in Bali I was saying, and Uluwatu was pretty damn good. There was a WQS contest to watch in between sessions which was the icing on the cake. Here's the best shots. No caption needed.

















Damien Hobgood


 
What a great place where to take photos!
If you have never been there, here's a screenshot I stole from one of the highlight videos of the contest I will link below that shows (I put an arrow) where I was sitting. Right in front of the Race Track section of the beautiful wave.



Here's the links:
Highlights day 2
Highlights day 3

Here's an interview with Japanese surfer Masatoshi Ohno, whose name I knew because he competes in many of the North Shore contests on Oahu. Very humble guy, as this article about him also outlines.
You can also see what kind of pristine observation point that is.




The last contest related shots are these couple that I took with Damien Hobgood who I met by luck while we were both going up the mystical stairs of the cave. What a place that is. Doesn't matter how many times I go there, its beauty always hits me.
Damien was happy because he won his first heat. Unfortunately, he didn't make his next one.

There we go, up the stairs. I went first because I wanted to keep shooting and take this angle. Sorry Damien.

The contest was won by Australian Jared Hickel who beat Brazilian Jean De Silva in the final. Full results here.

And now the dreadful gopro shots sequence. You got to bare with me, I really like those shots. The colors are amazing.




escaping the closeout

escaping the closeout kicking out the back of the wave. Much better.

Not a drop in this time. It was my turn, the guy said "go, go!", he was engulfed in the white water, but I still wanted to kick out. Didn't do that gracefully.
This is the best wave I got in those sessions.




Indo trip coming to an end and it's time for a balance.
This was my fourth season in a row in Indo and by far the poorest, from the conditions point of view. The previous three years had been incredibly consistent, with pretty much no flat days and in the smallest days Uluwatu was still head high.
This year there have been 3,4, sometimes 5 days in a row with very small waves.
The wind map below explains why: a strong high pressure sitting in the middle of the Indian Ocean that kept the storms too far and with the fetches oriented on a straight west to east direction.
Someone in the lineup told me that it's related to El Nino. I briefly investigated that online, but didn't find much about it.


That's how it "normally" looks like instead. That storm is closer to the island chain and has a fetch oriented from the SW. Related swell will hit towards the end of August, but I'll be out of here.

Most likely the next posts will be from Maui when I will resume my daily forecast/report. Probably around August 23-24. Thanks for reading.