Then I went SUP surfing because I needed to know if a tiny and relatively thin 6.5 I bought for Thousand Peaks would work at Kanaha. The answer is no, too small/unstable, but I managed to catch three waves and that challenge was a lot of fun. Where there's a challenge there's fun for me, and I had plenty in the following WWF session. It was my first time in this spot with this size waves (logo high on the reef) and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Unfortunately WWF videos are not particularly exciting, but whoever foils knows how much fun it is to be up on the foil and carried by a wave... for 2 minutes!
Since that wasn't too exciting, here's the clip of the only time I ventured outside the reef and caught a wave from out there. A logo high wave will make you go too fast for the Gofoil Iwa to handle the speed (with me on it, of course). I would have had no problem with the Kai, but then I would have not been able to stay on the foil in the light wind moments. The reason I post this clip is this:
IT'S ABSOLUTELY KEY TO LET GO IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU FIGURE SOMETHING IS ABOUT TO GO WRONG IN ANY FOILING DISCIPLINE.
In this case, I even unconsciously give myself a "HERE!" to signal the moment to eject. I might have had a chance to save it by applying even more pressure on the front of the board, but it felt like too risky. Wave windfoiling is not something radical that I want to do on big waves. Inside reforms are just fine (that's the same ones we ride when we SUP foil), so I'll stick to that.
Session 4 was just the icing on the cake. Compared to the morning struggle on the regular 6.5 on the big and wobbly open ocean waves, the stability of my Kalama 5.8 with a foil underneath and the perfection of the waves inside the harbor was totally relaxing. Here's a foiler on a tiny prone board.
Some Neil Pryde sailors were testing their race foil and they made it look beautiful. Massive sails and effortless gliding in less than 10 knots of wind. One of them is initiating a jibe in this picture.
Ok, that was my day. Here's a couple of pictures by Jimmie Hepp to show that if you had the skills, Hookipa was absolutely gorgeous for windsurfing. This one is from this gallery.
This other one is from this other gallery. Browsinho is such a master of rotations off the lip that he managed to make Levi's turns look kinda boring. That's something.
6am significant buoy readings
South shore
Lanai
2.5ft @ 13s from 249° (WSW)
0.9ft @ 20s from 218° (SW)
All the other buoys are "overwhelmed" by the strong NNW energy, Lanai is the only one to keep its composure, even though the directions are questionable. That's when having a webcam in Lahaina hosted by Ozolio would help. Unfortunately at the moment there's no such a thing, so we got to live with the images of Ala Moana in Oahu, which shows very small waves.
North shore
NW101
NW101
7.4ft @ 13s from 355° (N)
Hanalei
7.9ft @ 13s from 346° (NNW)
Waimea
6.6ft @ 13s from 342° (NNW)
Pauwela
4.6ft @ 13s from 330° (NW)
4.1ft @ 8s from 29° (NNE)
3.1ft @ 11s from 338° (NNW)
There's plenty energy from the NNW (and plenty more to come), there is no question about that. The question is where to find a place that is protected from the onshore winds that are predicted to become pretty strong in the second half of the day. Not an easy task, but not impossible either. Hopefully the map below will help.
Wind map at noon.
North Pacific has two fetches oriented towards us, the proximity will make the waves from the closer one much bigger, but also with shorter and mixed overlapping periods.
Nothing from the south.
Morning sky.
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