Sunday, May 31, 2015

Lahaina side solid head high with bigger sets

31 5 15 morning call

Hookipa was fun on a longboard in the morning and, after having seen pumping waves all morning at work on the lahaina webcam, I surfed Breakwall at sunset. There were overhead sets.
Not sure it's the new swell, since I haven't seen many readings over 20s, but there was a lot of energy in the water. I got a feeling Maui is getting more energy than Oahu these days.

This is at Oluwalu at sunset. Again, Breakwall was much bigger.




Buoys
Pauwela
3.3ft @ 6s from 50° (NE)
2.6ft @ 8s from 43° (NE)
1.2ft @ 10s from 345° (NNW)
0.5ft @ 16s from 46° (NE)

Barbers
2.6ft @ 17s from 176° (S)
1.4ft @ 14s from 184° (S)

SE
3.1ft @ 17s from 184° (S)

SW
4.9ft @ 17s from 184° (S)

New or old, 5f 17s at the SW buoy is a solid reading, so the south shore will be the place to be.
Where exactly, that's up to you. Surfline is still indicating Monday as the biggest day.

Trades should be light and windguru also indicates a lot of clouds (I like that, less sunscreen and wind). But I didn't see many in the satellite picture.


Wind map shows no fetches pointing towards Hawaii today, the one I circled is shooting at south America.
It might get flat at one point, but there'll be waves on the south shore all next week. And after that, small to flat sunday/Monday but then there will be another SW swell since a new fetch is about to form in the tasman sea where I put an X.

 

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Didn't make it to the south shore before work this morning, gonna surf waist high Hookipa

30 5 15 morning call

Yet another great day of surfing yesterday on the south shore. This swell has been amazing.
Two morning sessions for me, this is young Caden at Thousand Peaks mid morning still very clean.


Buoys
Pauwela
2.9ft @ 9s from 9° (N)
1.1ft @ 5s from 33° (NE)
0.8ft @ 13s from 3° (N)
 

Barbers
2.3ft @ 14s from 194° (SSW)

New swell on the rise. But very little energy from it today, since the fetch was still over New Zealand as the map of the 23 shows.



If you want to know what happened next, read the wonderful discussion of Uncle Pat Caldwell on his website. Here's a brief quote.

As swell trains travel, the dominant period lengthens, and with the long travel distance, this should allow significant energy within 20-25 seconds in Hawaii on Sunday. Extreme wave periods have long wave lengths, which in turn allow them to feel the ocean bottom in much deeper water. This allows wave energy to bend and can focus this energy in select locations. As the swell transforms to a breaker, the extra-long period swell amplify much more than usual.
Most remote source events take up to a day to fill in, as we have seen for common events this season. But not when the source is extreme as in this case when the longer period portion of the spectrum becomes elevated. This should mean a faster ramp-up period at the start of the event early Sunday with well above average breakers on the common, though less frequent sets on Sunday morning. It should continue an upward trend through the day Sunday from 180-195 degrees

I'm getting the stepup in the car.

Wind today will start light everywhere, but later in the day there will be a brief NE trades episode. This is the MC2km map at 3. Might even be sailable for the desperate wind sport passionates.


No fetches of relevance in the north pacific for the second day in a rom, expect some flatness on the north shore in the next few days. Not today yet, seen the Pauwela readings.
Barbers still up, if you have time, go south.

The fetch down under is now pointing more to south America, we'll still get some angular spreading, but that will mean the end of this week's swell around next Saturday... one more full week of waves, could be worse!

Notice also a hurricane off Mexico. It will track NE and will send a mid period easterly swell towards Friday/Saturday (like 3f 12s).


Friday, May 29, 2015

South shore a little a little smaller, but there's still sets

29 5 15 morning call

Fantastic day of surfing on the south shore. It was glassy all day till 3 when a little onshore wind picked up, but it was still good. Even Hookipa looked clean at sunset.

This was my facebook post celebrating the morning's bliss.



That's how clear the water was.
 



This is a little clip of a wave that I told Marina to drop in and ride. She's not too bad to look at.



Took some photos at Olowalu in between sessions.
 




This did not end up well.
 
 
Buoys

NW
2.1ft @ 10s from 10° (N)
1.8ft @ 8s from 44° (NE)
1.5ft @ 15s from 184° (S)
1.4ft @ 13s from 156° (SSE)
 
Pauwela
3.1ft @ 8s from 42° (NE)           
1.8ft @ 11s from 343° (NNW)

Barbers
1.9ft @ 13s from 178° (S)
1.5ft @ 16s from 202° (SSW)

Still something on the south shore, and that's where I'm going this morning too. Couple of feet at Hookipa too.
 
What's been magic for this wonderful south swell is the lack of wind. If the trade winds are up, the onshores on the Lahaina side pick up earlier and stronger. They are going to be back soon, but not that soon.
 
 
 
 
Wind map shows the fetch down south. It has moved east of New Zealand, but it's still shooting mostly north to south, so it's still good for us. Next week should be good too.
 
 
 
 

Thursday, May 28, 2015

South shore coming in chest high and gorgeous.
Hookipa was onshore and raining.

5 28 15 morning call

Another fantastic day of surfing yesterday on both shores.

The clip below is from a fun wave on the south shore where I tried the gopro mouth mount. Pretty good, I'd say.
Hookipa at sunset was fun too with some occasional clean head high ones.






This instead is a photo by Cuda shots and shows a remarkable shore break. Still from yesterday.


Buoys
NW
2.8ft @ 8s from 42° (NE)
2.7ft @ 12s from 296° (WNW)
1.7ft @ 10s from 294° (WNW)

Pauwela
3.2ft @ 8s from 49° (NE)           
1.9ft @ 11s from 339° (NNW)
1.5ft @ 13s from 345° (NNW)

Barbers
1.9ft @ 13s from 183° (S)           
1.3ft @ 16s from 202° (SSW)
1.2ft @ 12s from 189° (S)
 
Wind is gonna be very light at sunrise everywhere, so both north and south will offer nice conditions.
Both buoys went down a bit, but there's still some energy in the water. Just saw a shoulder high set on the Lahaina cam, those will just become a little more inconsistent.
It will pickup light from the north later in the day, as the noon map below shows.

 
 
Nice little NW fetch and still a decent fetch down under. Life is good.
 

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Yesterday was another day of waves on both shores. I surfed Hookipa in the morning (glassy fun head high peaks) and 1000 peaks in the afternoon, which was all closeouts. That spot doesn't like size and period together. It can handle 2-3, but only if the period is 13 or less.
But I had some gloves to try and I pretty much just wanted to paddle around. That's what I did.

The photo by Jason Hall shows a beautiful sunrise.



5am buoys:
Pauwela
2.9ft @ 8s from 35° (NE)
1.8ft @ 11s from 322° (NW)

Barbers
2.4ft @ 14s from 186° (S)           
1.4ft @ 12s from 201° (SSW)

A little smaller, but as the Lahaina webcam shows, there's still head high sets out there. I put an arrow on one that is actually even slightly overhead. The Lahaina webcam is a must see one if you want to go that way and the sun is out already.
It might take you a while to understand that the waves are bigger than they look, but after 3-5 times that you check it first and then go see what the waves really are, you'll have figured it out.
Very important for the local wind too. It's glassy this morning (like most of the times there), so I better get going.


Should stay pretty windless all day, as the maui county 2km map at noon shows.



Couple of tiny fetches in the north pacific, just to keep it from going flat and the big one down south that moved east quite a bit, so that big swell next week is not gonna last a week like this one we have now.
I feel like copying a couple of meteo quotes.
First one is the Hawaii at a glance from Surfline:
Old swell mix winds down mid week then fresh SSW swell follows.
Fading but still fun combo of SSW Southern Hemi and NW-NNE swell for Wednesday. New, partially shadowed SW swell shows by the second half of the week, as the northerly swell eases. Healthy Southern Hemi moves in over the weekend then peaks early next week.

Second one is from uncle Pat Caldwell and it's about the fetch I pointed out yesterday:
The low pressure pattern continued to deepen as it moved east of the New Zealand shadow 5/24-25. Central pressure dropped to 938 mb by 12Z 5/25 and held to 00Z 5/26, or Monday am to pm locally. The center moved slowly NE near 55°S, 170°W. A large, wide fetch of gales to storm-force winds over the 180-200 degree band with the head of the fetch near 45°S, or about 4000 nm away late Monday. The jason altimeter validated seas within 30-35 feet 12Z 2/26, early Tuesday locally. The system is steadily weakening 5/26 and drifting east.
Long period forerunners of 20-25 second are due to fill in Saturday night locally. The onset stage for remote events is typically slow, taking about a day for the more common southerly swell events. However, for episode well above average as this one is anticipated, the onset stage is shorter since more energy is placed in the longer wave period bands. This should mean a steady rise Sunday. More details will be possible once the swell trains roll under the samoa buoy, which is close to the great circle ray between the source and Hawaii.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

South swell was pumping yesterday.
In between sessions I quickly stopped by Oluwalu and took a couple of shots of the groms ripping.
Other spots on the same coastline had up to double overhead sets.






Buoys
NW
3.3ft @ 8s from 35° (NE)
2.8ft @ 15s from 167° (SSE)
2.7ft @ 12s from 266° (W)
           
Pauwela
4.5ft @ 9s from 30° (NNE)
1.9ft @ 14s from 317° (NW)

Barbers
2.6ft @ 15s from 191° (SSW)
1.8ft @ 13s from 207° (SSW)

Still some energy from NNE, but it's all about the south shore these days. I mean, if you have no time to drive, then Hookipa can be fun, but the quality of the waves you'll find on the other side is higher.
The period lost a couple of seconds at the Barbers buoy compared to yesterday, so expect a little less size and power, but still... 15 is almost double than 8!
And the wind should be favorable all day (like yesterday).


 
Not much going on in the north pacific fetch-wise, let me post this closeup of the strong fetch east of New Zealand I took yesterday evening. That'll stir some waters.



As a result, Tahiti is gonna be massive on Thursday/Friday: surfline calling for 13.3f 16s, which will become 4 by the time they get to Hawaii on Monday/Tuesday next week.

Monday, May 25, 2015

South shore coming in at solid head high

25 5 15 morning call

South shore saw some action, as the photo by Jason Hall shows.

 
I surfed Maalaea after many years, and that wave is still too fast for me on the backhand. 10-15 yeards is the most I can travel. Three other guys out, one of which, on the forehand, was making all the waves to the channel.

Buoys
NW
4.5ft @ 15s from 278° (W)
3.6ft @ 7s from 21° (NNE)
3.5ft @ 10s from 48° (NE)
1.9ft @ 5s from 38° (NE)

Pauwela
5.9ft @ 10s from 5° (N)
1.5ft @ 6s from 7° (N)
1.3ft @ 16s from 313° (NW)
 
Barbers
3.1ft @ 15s from 214° (SW)
1.2ft @ 13s from 205° (SSW)
 
Interesting 4.5f 15s from 278 reading at the NW buoy. No idea where that is coming from, but there's enough swells at the local buoys from both the north ( 6f 10s) and the south (3f 15s).
Wind is light, as the winguru table shows below, so no excuses. There's waves everywhere.



Wind map shows couple of fetches in the north pacific, but also a strong fetch down south and that's the strongest I've seen this season. Big swell next Monday.

Sunday, May 24, 2015

5 24 15 morning call

South swell is pumping as the snip from the Lahaina and Ala Moana webcams shows.



Stopped by Hookipa at sunset and there sure was some size, but really unclean breaking pattern.

I have the same chair.


Buoys.
Pauwela
5.8ft @ 9s from 5° (N)

Barbers
2.2ft @ 13s from 196° (SSW)
1.6ft @ 16s from 202° (SSW)
1.5ft @ 10s from 275° (W)
1.3ft @ 20s from 218° (SW)

which means more continued action on both shores. I love the Barbers' readings: there's all kind of periods and that means the overlapping of different swells or at least swell trains coming from different parts of the many fetches that have been present east, south and west of New Zealand last week. Thanks to the long travel time and related inconsistency, a mix like this doesn't get too disorganized and it's still very enjoyable.

Talking about fetches, little very close N fetch north of us for more 8-9s N waves while the southern hemisphere is getting ready for packing a serious punch. Once that fetch moves completely east of New Zealand the rest of today and tomorrow, it's gonna blow hard and rise some serious seas.
So mark next Sunday/Monday on your calendar. 4.7f 16s called by Surfline on Monday.


The wind is light NE all day, hallelujah.

Saturday, May 23, 2015

23 5 15 morning call

Below a pretty crazy backloop off the lip attempt by Graham Ezzy at Jaws last winter. Photo by Jimmie Hepp.




Yesterday it was another really fun day on the south shore. Thanks to the lack of wind, I managed to squeeze three sessions by 1pm.

Buoys.
NW
6ft @ 8s from 4° (N)
3ft @ 10s from 331° (NNW)
2.6ft @ 13s from 160° (SSE)
2.4ft @ 11s from 345° (NNW)
Pauwela
3.1ft @ 9s from 344° (NNW)           
2.9ft @ 5s from 4° (N)
1.5ft @ 11s from 340° (NNW)
 
Barbers
1.8ft @ 14s from 196° (SSW)
1.8ft @ 9s from 288° (WNW)
1.6ft @ 12s from 182° (S)
1ft @ 18s from 198° (SSW)
The north shore will have some waves (I can even hear them), but the onshore flow, the short period and the closeness to the source will make them rather stormy (that's my guess).
So I'm going south again, also because a new pulse is already at the barbers buoy (1f 18s). Should get bigger in the afternoon.
Onshore flow for today showed in the windguru table, that also shows pretty light wind for the rest of the week.
 


Wind map shows the close fetch that is generating the N short period waves and a couple of fetches down under. The one in the Tasman sea will move over New Zealand in the next few days and aim swells at us from a better direction.


Friday, May 22, 2015

South shore coming in at waist to chest high. 

South shore coming in at waist to chest high. 

Saturday there's the annual Dooma Photos slide show at Lulu's in Lahaina.


 

 
 
 
 
I spent the whole day on the south shore yesterday and observed the swell grow from pretty much nothing in the morning to shoulder high sets in the late afternoon. I think it was the transition when the fetch crossed over New Zealand.
 
Weather maps shows the lack of isobars over the islands (no wind) and an approaching front. Gonna bring short period N waves (mostly tonight and tomorrow, not much at the Pauwela buoy yet and those 8-9s waves travel slow), N winds and a little colder air.
 
 
 


Buoys
NW
5.9ft @ 8s from 352° (N)           
4.2ft @ 6s from 2° (N)
2.6ft @ 14s from 174° (S)

Waimea
1.4ft @ 9s from 327° (NW)

Pauwela
3.3ft @ 8s from 85° (E)

Barbers
2ft @ 8s from 192° (SSW)
1.9ft @ 15s from 194° (SSW)
1.5ft @ 12s from 181° (S)
 
Wind map shows a fetch way up in the NW corner (always good), the approaching front and subsequent north winds and still a bit of a fetch down south.
 
 
Windguru shows light wind for today, with a little south wind action before the front hits.

 
2f 15s, gonna be another south shore day for me. Let's see if I manage to post an update on the conditions. Hopefully the south wind won't be too strong.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Oluwalu was flat when I drove by, but there's small clean sets once in a while. Once again, this is still the Tasman swell. Gonna get bigger and more consistent when we get the waves coming off the east of New Zealand. I like them anyway. 
Post session report. Very little energy in the water. 

21 5 15 morning call


No photos from yesterday, I'll make up with a video that shows my very personal opinion about the difference between two Dakine footstraps: the Primo and the Supremo.




I did go south anyway, and it was small, inconsistent, but clean.
This morning should be bigger, let's jump right into the buoys.


NW
3.6ft @ 8s from 80° (E)           
2ft @ 17s from 208° (SSW)

Pauwela
4.1ft @ 8s from 83° (E)

Pretty much nothing on the north shore, just a bit of leftover windswell (which I enjoyed sailing yesterday afternoon), even the NW swell has nothing better to read than the SSW swell.

I like what Barbers reads and even more what Samoa reads! 3-4 days from that Buoy to here.
Barbers
1.5ft @ 18s from 219° (SW)
1.1ft @ 14s from 203° (SSW)
 
Samoa
6.6ft @ 13s from 169° (SSE)           
2.7ft @ 20s from 173° (S)           
           

Wind map shows a couple of fetches up north and still the tail of that long lasting storm down under sending waves our way. See that strong fetch SW of New Zealand? It's not shooting at us yet, but it will in a few days, for a continuous south shore action all the way into next week.



The map also showed how the islands are now in an area of light wind, and that is confirmed by the MC2km prediction at noon below.

 


 

If you go south, you might find interesting to look at the weather map of 7 days ago (below), to try to understand why it is going to be so inconsistent. It's still the Tasman Sea swell. The inconsistency is due to:
- long travel
- lots of islands to go through

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

20 5 15 morning call

 
Another spectacular sunset from Jimmie Hepp.



South shore was fun for me yesterday morning, even though the sets were 20-25 minutes apart.
Barbers buoy is reading
1.2ft @ 13s from 203° (SSW)
0.7ft @ 18s from 210° (SSW)
and you can expect a little more consistency today, but not much. Tomorrow and Friday will be bigger and more consistent. And after that, it looks like waves on the south shore for a couple of weeks. We like that.

Other buoys
NW
4.3ft @ 8s from 105° (ESE)
1.2ft @ 4s from 97° (E)
0.7ft @ 17s from 14° (NNE)


Waimea
2.9ft @ 11s from 321° (NW)

Pauwela
4.2ft @ 8s from 87° (E)                      
1.9ft @ 11s from 329° (NW)
 
The NW swell disappeared at the NW buoy and even though that might be a temporary glitch, it's never a good sign. But it is up at the Waimea and Pauwela ones, so do expect some head high sets at Hookipa today. Smaller tomorrow.

Wind map shows a nice NW fetch (swell on Sunday) and more seas heading our way being fabricated down south. Notice a new fetch in the Tasman sea also that will keep things rolling.
 



Wind is about to get lighter, even the generous NAM3 model doesn't call for much wind today.