2 28 2011 hookipa surfing

My camera resetted the picture numbers after 9999 and started again from 0, so that the first three shots of the day (in numerical order) would be these ones.
That's why I love my camera...



I know, I live in a tough place.


They even pose for me!


Here's the surfing. Scotty.






Chief.

Kai Lenny is freaking good at everything he does in the water.


This guy's weight is centered perfectly in the middle of the board.

Another low and very nice stance.


This guy can surf.





Tomorrow is another day. How knows what's going to bring. I'll be just ready to enjoy anything...

couple of videos I saw online

Check this first one out.

Chris and Jay went spear fishing. They stuck the camera in the water just before getting off the kayak and found out what they filmed only at home... can you imagine the surprise?!?!
That confirms my theory that you see them or not, it doesn't make any difference. They're out there and they eat fish, not humans. Every attack on humans is an extremely low probability event (and it gets extremely pumped by the media when it happens). WAY more dangerous to drive a car on any street...


More Windsurfing Videos

This other one shows some amazing sailing by the duo Robby Swift and Jason Polakow.


What a surf session yesterday!
I knew a NNE swell was on the rise and hit the water at 7.30. I got out at noon after having caught an industrial quantity of beautiful glassy waves.
Could not jump in for a sunset sesh, because of inability of lifting my arms... not too bad, it was actually windy in the afternoon.
I just hope I can paddle this morning! It's 6.30am in fact, and I'm ready to go and squeeze in an early morning sesh before the most important game of the season starts at 9.30. I'll watch it at the Opana stadium together with a few fellow napolitans...

Oh yeah, one more thing. I took this photo from this aussie forum thread that Russ emailed me (thanks!). Fortunately, the kiter managed to stay up there and didn't get hurt.

movies

The other day I watched a surf movie called Stoked and broke.

It was very refreshing when compared to the average pros only super high performance 99% of the rest of the surf movies.
Here's some interesting quotes from it:


I see the finances of this present world just holding kids back of being what they really wanna be, because it's basically financially impossible to just be a free spirit, almost.

You can live it though, if you really think about it. If it's really something you wanna do, you can do anything you want in this world actually.

And what I say to anybody that wants to do something that's going to allow them to be free is: stay focused.

Do whatever it takes to keep your focus there and don't let anyone else tell you different, because if you believe it, you'll feel it and you'll do it.

There's a lot of stuff that goes on but... just keep it happy and simple.

Very inspiring. To the point that, after watching it, I thought once again that I should do a movie too.
Right, like that Oahu movie that I never did... movies take way too much time, they're not for me.
But wait a moment, didn't I start to edit that Oahu movie?
I went looking for it and I actually did found it. So I slapped it on youtube... nobody would have seen it on my hard disk! Highly doubt I will ever finish it, but in the meantime... enjoy!



PS. The first ASP event of the season is on at Snapper Rocks.

a perfect day off

Omg, omg, omg, what an awesome day I had today!

A 6 feet, 13 sec from around 340 degrees lovely swell provided some delightful logo to mast high waves and I made sure not to waste yet another nature's gift.

In the early morning I surfed Middles (only six people out, can't pass on that!).
Caught a few ass hole tightening bombs before it got a bit windy, so I decided to save the energies for sailing. I knew it was going to be sailable and good... What I didn't know was how good it was going to be!

I had to test a couple of things on a sailing SUP, so I hit the water at 11 o'clock sharp in a spot that I seldom sail.
If it's big enough, there's a wave in that spot that is very intense. I remember the first time I saw it, many years ago, it looked like a little Waimea.
Today it looke like a little Jaws. It was logo high, throwing and barreling in the top third. G-L-A-S-S-Y!

After half hour and three waves, I tested what I needed to test and decided that it was windy enough to slog out on my trusty 80l windsurfer.
I was also testing a new Hot Sails Maui prototype and, for the first time ever, I didn't find absolutely anything wrong with it. That sail is awesome, Tom. Very good job.

Anyway, I had the place to myself for at least an hour before the wind got a bit stronger, creating a bit of chop and allowing other sailors to venture out at the same time. In that hour I caught some of my best waves ever.
Those waves were as glassy as the wave of the first photo of Polakow in the last post. Omg, omg, omg!

After that, I went to Hookipa and took the following photos. Don't have a windsurfing photo of the day, but I do have a sailor of the day: Jason Polakow. This photo came out dark, but his sailing was bright.



Hey, I don't have a windsurfing photo of the day, but I do have an ass photo of the day!



Uncle Robby's bottom turn.


Jason Diffin.

First rescue: Manu.

Laurent.

Volwater was testing race sails at the spot I sailed early. I thought:"damn, it must be grim to be testing race sails when there's such beautiful waves!"
He clearly thought the same and made up for that later at Hookipa.

JP.

Swift.

Levi.

Patrick bottom turns a sizey one.

Second rescue: Ferdinando.

Robby does the hula.

Levi's successful taka.

KP.

KP.

Rudy.

Alex is trying!

Manu.


After the photoshoot, I found some energies for a sunset session at one of my favorite spots. Beautiful clean and peeling logo to mast high waves. Once again, I had a blast.

What else did I do today?
I fixed a board.
I did my laundry.
I cooked a delicious dinner.
I did this post.
And I'm going to sleep early, because tomorrow I'm going to ride more waves.

What? Sex?!... that's WAY overrated!!!
I'll think about that when it's flat...

PS. Just received an email from a friend that said:
"This might be interesting.....the guy lives on Maui, kites windsurfs and lived out of his van for years."
The following flyer was attached. I better finish that Stephen Hawking book that Paolo gave me...

more about that epic Thursday

Ola sent me the link to his gallery of photos of that epic Thursday.

I downloaded my favorites.

This is one the best Hookipa wave sailing shots I've ever seen. You don't see often that glassiness over here.
Legendary windsurfer Jason Polakow doesn't waste a bit of it.


OMG. Polakow.


OMG. Polakow.


OMG. Swift.


OMG.


Thanks again to Ola for letting me post his photos.

PS. Last one was mine :)

the AWT needs help + epic Hookipa + strict rules

Just received this email from Sam Bittner and I'm happy to publish it.

First though, a photo (from this Jimmie's gallery) of one of the most epic windsurfing sessions ever. I'll talk about it later in the post.




Aloha All Windsurfers and Windsurfing Lovers!We are getting ready for one of the greatest windsurfing seasons EVER! The American Windsurfing Tour (AWT) is expanding the amazing sport of wavesailing across America and beyond. It is difficult to organize something like this, but I love it and believe it is doing great things for Windsurfing! So far, there have been TONS of supporters and I want to thank you all for helping make this tour a reality.

We have run into a permit issue regarding the event at Waddell Creek. The California State Parks department is requiring an unbelievable amount of money for this event to happen. They are asking for $6400 for the 4 days of competition- WOW! The show must go on and it is going to take all of us working together to make ends meet. If you or anyone you know is in a position to sponsor, donate, or even register for the event it all helps out. Even if you have no intention of competing, just paying the entry fee can go a long way to help this contest happen! Windsurfing Needs YOU!!!

Thank you all for your help and I look forward to seeing you on the American Windsurfing Tour!! Any donations can be made by clicking the DONATE tab on the home page of americanwindsurfingtour.com.

Please pass this on to your friends!

Aloha,

Sam Bittner

Tour Director


Here's a little video with Francisco Goya talking about the AWT.


Epic session.

Last Thursday a big NNE swell hit the islands. In the afternoon, a light very offshore breeze picked up and a few brave sailors ventured out at Hookipa, despite some double mast sets that were closing out the channel.
The photo above is Jason Polakow. The day after I had the pleasure to share a surf session with Robby Swift, who was still all stoked about it.
"Such long rides! Because of the direction the waves were peeling all the way from Pavils to the channel and because of the very light offshore wind they were unbelievably glassy!
Jason told me that in 20 years that he's been coming regularly to Maui, that was his best Hookipa session ever..."
Good for those who could make it out there!

That day I worked in the afternoon, but that would have not made any difference. Meaning: no way I'd go out in such difficult conditions, but I sure would have taken some photos!
But I did enjoy that swell though, despite some adverse facts.

Strict rules.

I got to Kanaha around 11 and even thought most waves were closing out, I did see some possible peelers on the lefts. I also saw a medium size shark in the shore break. I wasn't the only one to see that and shortly after the lifeguards were notified of the sighting.
To my eyes that was a 4-5 feet fish, even though someone else took a photo and said it was way bigger.
Whatever, I said. I'll take the standup instead of the regular surfboard then.

So I did and paddled out to the reef without being harassed by any marine creature.
I was absolutely alone (that doesn't happen often!) but by the time I caught my first wave a lifeguard showed up on the jet ski and kindly invited me get on the sled: he had to pull me out of the water.
It was a friend and I said:"you got to be kidding me!"
"Dude, try talk to the supervisor on the beach and see what he says. But now you have to come with me".
On the beach the supervisor explained me that "the rules" state that whenever there's a shark sighting, the lifeguards have to shut down the entire beach. No one can be in the water.
"can I sign a letter in which I say that you guys told me and it's my responsibility if I go out?"
"no, you can't"
"what if I paddle out anyway?"
"you'd be subject to arrest"...
Welcome to the country of liability!

The funny thing is that, since Kanaha was closed, I went surfing (regular kind this time) to a nearby spot that has notoriously a way higher shark density... so I was actually more in danger there! I was almost hoping to get bitten... "that got to change some rules!"
Anyway, that's the way it is. I don't like that rule (I don't like many rules), but I still love the fact that there are lifeguards looking after the ocean users. So, thanks guys anyway. Hey, at least I caught one wave...

Got to go surf now! What a bloody awesome winter!!!!

just another awesome day at the beach

Lil post update with this photo of me taken by Jimmie Hepp's (from this gallery). Thanks Jimmie!


After quite a spell of intense surfing action, today some windsurfing action was back (at least at Hookipa).

The wind was very offshore (which seems to be the rule this winter) and that made for some pretty freaking clean waves. I thoroughly enjoyed my early session. It wasn't a long one for three reasons:
- the wind got a lot lighter on the inside
- it got more crowded
- after so many days of surfing and SUP surfing, my arms were sore. Correction: ARE sore.

I took a few pics, but the light really sucked.
First one is Keith. His first turn on his first wave (a solid logo high one) was one of the best turns I've ever seen at Hookipa. The radius of that turn was unnaturally short and he hit the lip super late. I had the pleasure to watch that from just a bit downwind in the channel. Scream worthy.


This other two photos are of KP.



Sorry, no more worthy shots from today's session.
But I got some GoPro shots from... when was that?... some day SUP sesh!
I remember this cut back. It was a snappy one.


This is one of the best GoPro shots I've ever taken... I'll make it my new FB profile photo.



UH-HU... the surfing gorilla.



The day before this session, I had another sesh in which I saw Brett Lickle's intriguing SUP "idea". When I saw the photo of this bottom turn, I immediately decided to go for it too. Guesses are welcome...


The paddle is your third leg constantly in touch with the water, you can paddle with the aid of a powerful tool instead of your bare hands, you don't have to go from laying down to standing up in a critical and steep section of a wave, you can move faster to the right take off spot... god, SUP surfing is SO MUCH easier than surfing!
That's why it got so amazingly popular.

That's also why I still prefer - by far - regular surfing. Mmm... I wonder if Brett's idea will change that... I doubt it, but it might add some points to the SUP's ranking in my preferences. We'll see! Top secret for the moment. Post a guess. If you know Brett's idea, that's cheating. If you guess it right, I won't publish the comment, but I will mention that you guessed it right.


Another lil top turn. Notice the stroke of the paddle in the wave to help the board turn and get more speed off the top. So much easier...



Talking about Facebook, I think of it as a brilliant way of wasting time. It's brilliant because despite its effectiveness (you do waste a hell lot of time), sometimes it gets you to some interesting stuff.
This is a classic story written by my friend Olaf about his Baja trip. This photo (taken from this gallery) will definitely intrigue you...


Read the full story here.

One more last thing about Facebook. I have way more friend requests (I don't delete them... I just leave them there) than actual friends. My very unpopular policy is to accept requests only from people I really know, otherwise my update page gets even more time-wasting...
As I wrote already, it's not particularly thrilling to be informed that someone that you don't even know is getting ready to go to the gym on the other side of the world...
Thanks for reading my blog anyway! :)

PS. Been appreciating this Ligabue song lately. Just two chords. And a lot of soul.