I'll have the privilege to have the company of Gianfranco, the most analytical surfer on Earth. And philosopher too.
The level of excitement is extremely high. You guys don't know him. You guys can't understand...
Thursday, September 17, 2009
going to Trestles
I'm in LA packing up for a two nights camp at Trestle to surf and watch the contest.
I'll have the privilege to have the company of Gianfranco, the most analytical surfer on Earth. And philosopher too.
The level of excitement is extremely high. You guys don't know him. You guys can't understand...
I'll have the privilege to have the company of Gianfranco, the most analytical surfer on Earth. And philosopher too.
The level of excitement is extremely high. You guys don't know him. You guys can't understand...
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
my best day of the year
At a conference about sexual habits a speaker gets on the podium and shows the results of his studies about how often men have sex nowadays. Then he addresses the audience:
"Well, let's see if we have the same results in the audience.
Can everyone who has sex every day please raise your hand?"
A few people raise their hands.
"Now everyone who has sex 2-3 times a week, please raise your hand"
More people raise their hands.
"Now everyone who has sex once a week"
More than half of the audience raise their hands.
"Now everyone who has sex 2-3 times a month"
Less, but still quite some people raise their hands.
"Now everyone who has sex once a month"
Less people raise their hands.
"Now everyone who has sex 2-3 times a year"
Only a couple of people raise their hands.
"Well, this should be it. Just to make sure: anyone who has sex only once a year?"
A guy on the back jumps on his seat and all happy starts yelling "it's me, it's me!"
Puzzled, the speaker addresses him directly:"well, let me ask you then: why are you so happy if you have sex only once a year?"
"It's tomorrow!!!"
......................................................................
No matter how many epic sessions I have during a year, there's one particular day that I know for sure will be my best one of the year. It's the last day of my Italy stay when I get on the plane in Rome to go back to the wonderful island where I belong.
And it's tomorrow.
Photo courtesy of Francky
"Well, let's see if we have the same results in the audience.
Can everyone who has sex every day please raise your hand?"
A few people raise their hands.
"Now everyone who has sex 2-3 times a week, please raise your hand"
More people raise their hands.
"Now everyone who has sex once a week"
More than half of the audience raise their hands.
"Now everyone who has sex 2-3 times a month"
Less, but still quite some people raise their hands.
"Now everyone who has sex once a month"
Less people raise their hands.
"Now everyone who has sex 2-3 times a year"
Only a couple of people raise their hands.
"Well, this should be it. Just to make sure: anyone who has sex only once a year?"
A guy on the back jumps on his seat and all happy starts yelling "it's me, it's me!"
Puzzled, the speaker addresses him directly:"well, let me ask you then: why are you so happy if you have sex only once a year?"
"It's tomorrow!!!"
......................................................................
No matter how many epic sessions I have during a year, there's one particular day that I know for sure will be my best one of the year. It's the last day of my Italy stay when I get on the plane in Rome to go back to the wonderful island where I belong.
And it's tomorrow.
Photo courtesy of Francky
Monday, September 14, 2009
act of love
Look what Francky was able to organize for Baptiste.
More photos in this facebook album.
PS. I just received an email from a close friend in Tahiti saying that there's no recent news.
More photos in this facebook album.
PS. I just received an email from a close friend in Tahiti saying that there's no recent news.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Oregon session
Glenn sent me the link to this video documenting a session in Oregon. Got to love those GoPro cameras...
Right now Maui is blessed with the big waves of the second major early NW swell of the season. Levi is back and Francky has a new camera: here's the result.
And there's even a third major N swell scheduled for around Thursday! Unreal. Again, if "il buongiorno si vede dal mattino" (not sure there's an equivalent saying in English: 'you can tell a good day from its morning'?), this could be a fantastic winter. But I understand enough of meteorology to know that unfortunately a good start doesn't necessarily mean that... It doesn't really matter: a shitty winter in Maui is still a great winter!
Anyway, unfortunately I'm going to miss that swell. Or better, I'm going to miss it in Maui, but I could catch it in California. On Wednesday Sept 16, in fact, I will be in LA and will spend three days there. If the Hurley pro Trestle will still be on, I'll check out the action of the best surfers in the world. If it will be over already, I'll go surf myself... I can't wait to drop in on Kelly Slater!
AND - just checked the latest 7 days model run - there's already a fourth swell forecasted a few days after the Thursday one... that one I will catch it in Maui!
Can't wait: the gulf of Naples is beautiful, but boringly flat.
PS. OMG! By complete chance it happens that the Porcupine Tree will play in LA the night of the 19th, and I leave on the 20th morning... sometimes the coincidences can be extremely bizzare, can't they?
:)
The Windsurfer - Oregon Session from Glenn Haslbeck on Vimeo.
Right now Maui is blessed with the big waves of the second major early NW swell of the season. Levi is back and Francky has a new camera: here's the result.
And there's even a third major N swell scheduled for around Thursday! Unreal. Again, if "il buongiorno si vede dal mattino" (not sure there's an equivalent saying in English: 'you can tell a good day from its morning'?), this could be a fantastic winter. But I understand enough of meteorology to know that unfortunately a good start doesn't necessarily mean that... It doesn't really matter: a shitty winter in Maui is still a great winter!
Anyway, unfortunately I'm going to miss that swell. Or better, I'm going to miss it in Maui, but I could catch it in California. On Wednesday Sept 16, in fact, I will be in LA and will spend three days there. If the Hurley pro Trestle will still be on, I'll check out the action of the best surfers in the world. If it will be over already, I'll go surf myself... I can't wait to drop in on Kelly Slater!
AND - just checked the latest 7 days model run - there's already a fourth swell forecasted a few days after the Thursday one... that one I will catch it in Maui!
Can't wait: the gulf of Naples is beautiful, but boringly flat.
PS. OMG! By complete chance it happens that the Porcupine Tree will play in LA the night of the 19th, and I leave on the 20th morning... sometimes the coincidences can be extremely bizzare, can't they?
:)
Thursday, September 10, 2009
good luck Baptiste!
This is the kind of posts I hate doing.
French windsurfer/surfer Baptiste Gossein has suffered a serious accident while surfing Teahupoo in Tahiti where he recently moved. Here's a short article about the accident.
Surfing (and windsurfing and kitesurfing and so on) give us incredible joy and stoke and love for life, but sometimes they take their toll. We all know that it's part of the game and it can happen anytime to anyone, but when it happens to a friend of yours, it's definitely harder to swallow.
Baptiste's Maui friends will be gathering this Sunday at 4pm at Hookipa to take some pictures to send him to comfort him. I'm in Italy and I can't be there, but I send Baptiste my best wishes for a successful healing.
Good luck, brother.
French windsurfer/surfer Baptiste Gossein has suffered a serious accident while surfing Teahupoo in Tahiti where he recently moved. Here's a short article about the accident.
Surfing (and windsurfing and kitesurfing and so on) give us incredible joy and stoke and love for life, but sometimes they take their toll. We all know that it's part of the game and it can happen anytime to anyone, but when it happens to a friend of yours, it's definitely harder to swallow.
Baptiste's Maui friends will be gathering this Sunday at 4pm at Hookipa to take some pictures to send him to comfort him. I'm in Italy and I can't be there, but I send Baptiste my best wishes for a successful healing.
Good luck, brother.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Bruno's video
It's time for this video that I've been wanting to embed for a while.
Oahu French sailor Bruno Sillac shot and edited this video while recovering from an ankle injury. It's mostly filmed at Da Spot and this is the email I sent him after I watched it (he was so nice to send me the dvd).
Bruno,
FANTASTIC!!!!
I LOVE the video! I watched it (twice!) yesterday and I had tears in my eyes at the end. Sure, the fact that I had the pleasure to meet the boys and share those great waves with them made me a special watcher, but I think that the video is so well done that MANY other sailors would enjoy.
Other than Fabrice, in fact, most sailors are not sponsored, there's no stickers on the sails, there's no double loops or things that only the very top sailors can do. It's a video of a small community of sailors with regular jobs and beat up sails that rip their local spot. It's different from what you find on the shelves of the windsurfing shops.
Great shooting, great editing, great music, great video. Thanks a lot!!!!!
It's 20 minutes long, so start it and pause it so that your computer can load it, go get a cold one and enjoy it. The last two minutes are particularly significative.
In fact, that's when I ride a wave! And right after that, check:
- how my 81 liters beautifully does the submarine in an what is clearly a major lull
- a surfer catching a wave close to the rocks at China Walls
- Ken riding his polyester board with no footpads
- Fabrice in a sweet aerial
- Fabian riding an awesome looking wave
- a collage of other images matching the rhythm of that great final song: The funeral by The band of horses.
After I watched it, I immediately bought that song from amazon (don't you love that you can buy a song for 99c and have it on your computer after 30 seconds?), for I think it's just perfect as a last song of a windsurfing video. In other words: Bruno, I'm going to copy you.
And this is Francis' (one of the sailors) website: http://www.waterproofsphotography.com where you can check plenty great water shots. Give him a call if you want a water photoshoot in Oahu.
On a different note, here's the surfline 5 days wave forecast for Hawaii.
I'm already pouty (in case you don't know that word, it means pissed off) not to be able to enjoy that major swell in the weekend, but I wish all my friends in Maui the best fun with it... dammit!
What can I say. Two major swells already by mid september... this could be a bloddy good year. We all hope so, don't we?
Oahu French sailor Bruno Sillac shot and edited this video while recovering from an ankle injury. It's mostly filmed at Da Spot and this is the email I sent him after I watched it (he was so nice to send me the dvd).
Bruno,
FANTASTIC!!!!
I LOVE the video! I watched it (twice!) yesterday and I had tears in my eyes at the end. Sure, the fact that I had the pleasure to meet the boys and share those great waves with them made me a special watcher, but I think that the video is so well done that MANY other sailors would enjoy.
Other than Fabrice, in fact, most sailors are not sponsored, there's no stickers on the sails, there's no double loops or things that only the very top sailors can do. It's a video of a small community of sailors with regular jobs and beat up sails that rip their local spot. It's different from what you find on the shelves of the windsurfing shops.
Great shooting, great editing, great music, great video. Thanks a lot!!!!!
It's 20 minutes long, so start it and pause it so that your computer can load it, go get a cold one and enjoy it. The last two minutes are particularly significative.
In fact, that's when I ride a wave! And right after that, check:
- how my 81 liters beautifully does the submarine in an what is clearly a major lull
- a surfer catching a wave close to the rocks at China Walls
- Ken riding his polyester board with no footpads
- Fabrice in a sweet aerial
- Fabian riding an awesome looking wave
- a collage of other images matching the rhythm of that great final song: The funeral by The band of horses.
After I watched it, I immediately bought that song from amazon (don't you love that you can buy a song for 99c and have it on your computer after 30 seconds?), for I think it's just perfect as a last song of a windsurfing video. In other words: Bruno, I'm going to copy you.
SESSIONS from BRUNO SILLAC on Vimeo.
And this is Francis' (one of the sailors) website: http://www.waterproofsphotography.com where you can check plenty great water shots. Give him a call if you want a water photoshoot in Oahu.
On a different note, here's the surfline 5 days wave forecast for Hawaii.
I'm already pouty (in case you don't know that word, it means pissed off) not to be able to enjoy that major swell in the weekend, but I wish all my friends in Maui the best fun with it... dammit!
What can I say. Two major swells already by mid september... this could be a bloddy good year. We all hope so, don't we?
Sunday, September 06, 2009
back to my old local spot
After 8 years, I went back and sailed my old local windsurfing spot of Scauri.
Not exactly Hookipa Beach Park.
Not exactly 4.7 side off and logo high.
But, a bunch of old friends!
Notice the abundance of beers (how refreshing that you can legally drink wherever you want) and the lack of ladies (the two things being probably related).
Anyway, next time I'll sail in "not optimal" conditions in Maui, I'll think about my friends here and I will not allow myself to express any kind of complains...
Back home I fell asleep at 9pm and was hoping to finally have a full night sleep to recover the 12 hours time difference. Too bad that at 12.30am (!) the city council had scheduled a firework show for the opening of the bloody Piedigrotta festival.
I hate fireworks (specially when they wake me up) for they mean unnecessary pollution. Those ones in particular were on the water. I wonder how many birds and fish died eating the fireworks remains floating on the water, thinking they were edible.
The cars under my parents house had stopped in the middle of the street to watch the show (Napolitans, in fact, believe that the use of the hazards lights allows them to park the car wherever they want).
The people stuck behind were shouting:"ue', get you car out of the way!"
And the illegally parked car owners were replying just as loud:"oh just wait a little, can't you see we're watching the fireworks?"
This is just a little example of the lack of respect for the others that characterizes the people from Naples (actually the Italians in general, but the Napolitans in particular). And you wonder why I'm never too excited to come here?
Friday night there's a free Elton John concert in Piazza del Plebiscito. Tens of thousands of Napolitans will attend. Maybe I should go so that, just like with the sailing conditions, I will appreciate more the people in Maui when I'll be back...
PS. Waves out of the NW are lining up for the second half of the week in Maui. Let's see if the Hookipa Rockstar Contest gets some other contestants.
I already got two more sponsors that I will announce shortly, so the thing is going to get interesting. Don't forget that to claim a point you have to:
1) go on the rocks
2) leave a comment claiming the point on the HRC's Facebook group page.
Not exactly Hookipa Beach Park.
Not exactly 4.7 side off and logo high.
But, a bunch of old friends!
Notice the abundance of beers (how refreshing that you can legally drink wherever you want) and the lack of ladies (the two things being probably related).
Anyway, next time I'll sail in "not optimal" conditions in Maui, I'll think about my friends here and I will not allow myself to express any kind of complains...
Back home I fell asleep at 9pm and was hoping to finally have a full night sleep to recover the 12 hours time difference. Too bad that at 12.30am (!) the city council had scheduled a firework show for the opening of the bloody Piedigrotta festival.
I hate fireworks (specially when they wake me up) for they mean unnecessary pollution. Those ones in particular were on the water. I wonder how many birds and fish died eating the fireworks remains floating on the water, thinking they were edible.
The cars under my parents house had stopped in the middle of the street to watch the show (Napolitans, in fact, believe that the use of the hazards lights allows them to park the car wherever they want).
The people stuck behind were shouting:"ue', get you car out of the way!"
And the illegally parked car owners were replying just as loud:"oh just wait a little, can't you see we're watching the fireworks?"
This is just a little example of the lack of respect for the others that characterizes the people from Naples (actually the Italians in general, but the Napolitans in particular). And you wonder why I'm never too excited to come here?
Friday night there's a free Elton John concert in Piazza del Plebiscito. Tens of thousands of Napolitans will attend. Maybe I should go so that, just like with the sailing conditions, I will appreciate more the people in Maui when I'll be back...
PS. Waves out of the NW are lining up for the second half of the week in Maui. Let's see if the Hookipa Rockstar Contest gets some other contestants.
I already got two more sponsors that I will announce shortly, so the thing is going to get interesting. Don't forget that to claim a point you have to:
1) go on the rocks
2) leave a comment claiming the point on the HRC's Facebook group page.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
the first official Hookipa Rockstar Contest rankings and sponsor!
There we go: I just started it and I already have a sponsor for the Hookipa Rockstar Contest: >Hot Sails Maui will donate one of their soon to be announced titanium mast extensions to the winner!!!
To the right of this blog, right under the ads, there's the first official rankings.
So far, there's only the people who left comments on the HRC Facebook group page (it's totally open, everyone can join and post comments), so let's try to spread the word and get the other rockstars involved.
Colin has already taken a serious lead thanks to a remarkable performance on Saturday: three visits in one day! Knowing him, I believe that to be true... he's been trying that wave 360 for a long time and he doesn't care if there's a big wave behind...
Talking about big waves, here's a couple of shots that Francky took of me on Monday. How's that wave?
A bit blurry because I told him:"Francky, if you need to experiment with the settings, do it with me, I don't care! As long as I get the shot... Keep the good settings for the good guys instead!"
Check the sequence he took of KP and you'll see that he listened...
BTW, I'm in Italy and it's sticky hot. Looks like the promising wind/wave forecast disappeared. But I have a backup plan: I'll eat good food, drink good wine, sweat like a pig and get fat. How's that?
To the right of this blog, right under the ads, there's the first official rankings.
So far, there's only the people who left comments on the HRC Facebook group page (it's totally open, everyone can join and post comments), so let's try to spread the word and get the other rockstars involved.
Colin has already taken a serious lead thanks to a remarkable performance on Saturday: three visits in one day! Knowing him, I believe that to be true... he's been trying that wave 360 for a long time and he doesn't care if there's a big wave behind...
Talking about big waves, here's a couple of shots that Francky took of me on Monday. How's that wave?
A bit blurry because I told him:"Francky, if you need to experiment with the settings, do it with me, I don't care! As long as I get the shot... Keep the good settings for the good guys instead!"
Check the sequence he took of KP and you'll see that he listened...
BTW, I'm in Italy and it's sticky hot. Looks like the promising wind/wave forecast disappeared. But I have a backup plan: I'll eat good food, drink good wine, sweat like a pig and get fat. How's that?
Monday, August 31, 2009
There we go, the Hookipa show is on again! Part 4 + The Hookipa Rockstar Contest
What a day!
To summarize today's conditions I could just report Josh Stone's comment while exiting the water with his proverbially beautiful smile.
"Man, that was some fun windsurfing!"... he was visibly stoked.
Instead, I will also add the usual bunch of pics and words. You guys lucky...
The photo of the day goes to a nice bottom turn by Keith Teboul.
Here's the other ones in chronological order.
Andres rescued my gear from the rocks (see session report at the end of this post), so I wanted to thank him with some nice shots.
Not a difficult task, since he's a damn good sailor (and a hell of a guy).
This move has always fascinated me (carving 360 on a wave and backwind wave ride with the feet in the footstraps... anyone knows if it has a name?). Robby and Sean Ordonez are the ones that do it best (Robby with more power, Sean with more style). Last week, when the waves were smaller, I finally pulled one out. I'm overly stoked to be now able to do something that a few years ago seemed like impossible to me. Now I have to do it on a big wave...
Cookie.
Philippe is sailing great.
Andres.
Nico is famous for his backloops, but he also has a great timing for the aerials.
Sweet table top by Andres.
Julien.
Andres.
Robby.
Robby, late phase of a push loop.
KP, taka on the lip.
Robby, early phase of a front loop.
My sessions report.
When I got to Hookipa around 2, it wasn't as big as I thought. Not mast high for sure (maybe the occasional freak set). Still solid head to logo high, but nicely spaced out and with occasional lulls. Despite the strong wind there were some smooth sections, specially the last bowl right in front of the rocks.
"Damn", I thought. "That looks really fun! I might have to go sail that!"
So I did and everything was going great. I was sailing smart and safe and was having a blast. Until I met a tempting head high section that was perfect for an aerial.
"Da hell, I'll go for it, otherwise when am I going to learn?"
On a smaller day, that's when I'm going to learn, dammit!
Clearly I didn't land the aerial and clearly the next 4-5 waves pushed me right on the rocks. No cuts, no dings: stoked!
Plus, I got the first point of the season. The guys at Kuau every year have the Kuau Cup to celebrate the sailor that doesn't sail back to the launching point most times in that season.
Inspired by them, this year I'm going to start the Hookipa Rockstar Contest. From this swell to the end of the season (we'll see when that'll be), if you guys want to compete, please send me (email on the right column of this blog) the date of your day as a rockstar (that'll be when you go on the rocks). Photographic evidence would be appreciated (and eventually published).
I'll soon start publishing the ranking under the ads on the right column of this blog. I also just created a facebook group. It's completely open anyone can post rock updates, photos, videos. Post your rockstar day there and I'll update the rankings on this blog.
Please help me spread the word, tell all your friends, post it on your blog if you have one.
After the rocks, I sat to take photos for a while and after that, despite the fact that the swell was visibly starting to drop, I went to Kanaha for a mellow sunset session.
A bit too windy for my taste, but waist to head high waves made for a fun sesh. After you've sailed Hookipa for a while, riding the waves at Lowers feels like a piece of cake. So much fun to finally aim for that lip without any fear at all. I stayed out till 7 and I was missing a couple of sunset regulars that are temporarily off island: Glenn and Juan. I dedicate this post to them, hoping to see both of them soon again on those waves.
Here's my tomorrow's plan (Tuesday):
- (try to) wake up early.
- do laundry
- finish packing and boxing everything in my studio
- move from studio A to studio B on the same property
- clean up studio A
- set up studio B
- pack for the italy trip
- pick up the person who is going to subrent my new studio when I'm away (3pm at the airport)
- go back home, show him everything, empty the car from all my gear (he's going to use my car too), take a shower and go to the airport again to catch a 6.40pm flight to start the LOOONG trip to Italy.
Do you guys think I will be able to squeeze in a sailing session? I almost hope that the waves will be gone, not to be tempted... but I know that they will be smaller, but still there. We'll see.
Any which way, I'm not too worried because - I swear to god - I just received this text from my buddy Nino in Rome:
"I guess you must already have a boarding card, since the wave forecast looks pretty good over here in this coming week..."
No way, I can't be that lucky! Oh well, I went to check and looks like I can...
This map shows the wave height and direction for Sunday September 6th. That's clearly a strong Mistral (NW wind) episode. My luck goes beyond human comprehension. I'm speechless.
PS. Check this out. Thanks Patrick for the link.
To summarize today's conditions I could just report Josh Stone's comment while exiting the water with his proverbially beautiful smile.
"Man, that was some fun windsurfing!"... he was visibly stoked.
Instead, I will also add the usual bunch of pics and words. You guys lucky...
The photo of the day goes to a nice bottom turn by Keith Teboul.
Here's the other ones in chronological order.
Andres rescued my gear from the rocks (see session report at the end of this post), so I wanted to thank him with some nice shots.
Not a difficult task, since he's a damn good sailor (and a hell of a guy).
This move has always fascinated me (carving 360 on a wave and backwind wave ride with the feet in the footstraps... anyone knows if it has a name?). Robby and Sean Ordonez are the ones that do it best (Robby with more power, Sean with more style). Last week, when the waves were smaller, I finally pulled one out. I'm overly stoked to be now able to do something that a few years ago seemed like impossible to me. Now I have to do it on a big wave...
Cookie.
Philippe is sailing great.
Andres.
Nico is famous for his backloops, but he also has a great timing for the aerials.
Sweet table top by Andres.
Julien.
Andres.
Robby.
Robby, late phase of a push loop.
KP, taka on the lip.
Robby, early phase of a front loop.
My sessions report.
When I got to Hookipa around 2, it wasn't as big as I thought. Not mast high for sure (maybe the occasional freak set). Still solid head to logo high, but nicely spaced out and with occasional lulls. Despite the strong wind there were some smooth sections, specially the last bowl right in front of the rocks.
"Damn", I thought. "That looks really fun! I might have to go sail that!"
So I did and everything was going great. I was sailing smart and safe and was having a blast. Until I met a tempting head high section that was perfect for an aerial.
"Da hell, I'll go for it, otherwise when am I going to learn?"
On a smaller day, that's when I'm going to learn, dammit!
Clearly I didn't land the aerial and clearly the next 4-5 waves pushed me right on the rocks. No cuts, no dings: stoked!
Plus, I got the first point of the season. The guys at Kuau every year have the Kuau Cup to celebrate the sailor that doesn't sail back to the launching point most times in that season.
Inspired by them, this year I'm going to start the Hookipa Rockstar Contest. From this swell to the end of the season (we'll see when that'll be), if you guys want to compete, please send me (email on the right column of this blog) the date of your day as a rockstar (that'll be when you go on the rocks). Photographic evidence would be appreciated (and eventually published).
I'll soon start publishing the ranking under the ads on the right column of this blog. I also just created a facebook group. It's completely open anyone can post rock updates, photos, videos. Post your rockstar day there and I'll update the rankings on this blog.
Please help me spread the word, tell all your friends, post it on your blog if you have one.
After the rocks, I sat to take photos for a while and after that, despite the fact that the swell was visibly starting to drop, I went to Kanaha for a mellow sunset session.
A bit too windy for my taste, but waist to head high waves made for a fun sesh. After you've sailed Hookipa for a while, riding the waves at Lowers feels like a piece of cake. So much fun to finally aim for that lip without any fear at all. I stayed out till 7 and I was missing a couple of sunset regulars that are temporarily off island: Glenn and Juan. I dedicate this post to them, hoping to see both of them soon again on those waves.
Here's my tomorrow's plan (Tuesday):
- (try to) wake up early.
- do laundry
- finish packing and boxing everything in my studio
- move from studio A to studio B on the same property
- clean up studio A
- set up studio B
- pack for the italy trip
- pick up the person who is going to subrent my new studio when I'm away (3pm at the airport)
- go back home, show him everything, empty the car from all my gear (he's going to use my car too), take a shower and go to the airport again to catch a 6.40pm flight to start the LOOONG trip to Italy.
Do you guys think I will be able to squeeze in a sailing session? I almost hope that the waves will be gone, not to be tempted... but I know that they will be smaller, but still there. We'll see.
Any which way, I'm not too worried because - I swear to god - I just received this text from my buddy Nino in Rome:
"I guess you must already have a boarding card, since the wave forecast looks pretty good over here in this coming week..."
No way, I can't be that lucky! Oh well, I went to check and looks like I can...
This map shows the wave height and direction for Sunday September 6th. That's clearly a strong Mistral (NW wind) episode. My luck goes beyond human comprehension. I'm speechless.
PS. Check this out. Thanks Patrick for the link.
There we go, the Hookipa show is on again! Part 3
Another grand day at Hookipa. Let's start with Robby, 'cause Robby is always Robby.
The waves were a bit smaller, the crowd was overwhelming (almost 40 sailors in the water from 2 to 3pm), the wind was cranking, the chop was pretty annoying. Not my kind of conditions, I waited until 5 and scored a short but sweet session on waves that got glassier and glassier. Unfortunately at Hookipa you can't sail till dark because at one point the surfers will go out (no complaints, they have their right to enjoy the waves too!). That's why I love winter time when it's big enough for Kanaha...
Anyway, Nico didn't seem to mind the conditions instead.
This is Andres, who broke the tip of his mast. The Hot Sails Maui are the only sails I'm aware of, that have an almost undestructable webbing on the mast sleeve that will prevent the sail from tearing off when the mast breaks. Andres kept sailing for 30 minutes like that, getting worked pretty bad in a couple of waves and the sail was still absolutely intact when he got out of the water.
"I wanted to see if I could break that thing, but I just couldn't!"
Stratosferic backloops are not uncommon at Hookipa, but super high forwards are more rare. Philippe was in a jumping mood.
Seen the fins? Here, have a better look.
If I'm going to get a custom, there's no doubt that I'll get it with 5 fin boxes and spend the rest of my life trying all the possible fin configurations trying to figure things out. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to try some quads when I came back from Italy...
What's today? Monday. It's going to be epic, the best day of the swell, for sure. The Waimea buoy went up to almost 6 feet, 14 seconds from 345. With a 2+ feet high tide at 1.13pm, that means mast high at Hookipa. I may go take some photos before sailing my beloved sunset session somewhere else.
In the meantime, here's the slide show of ALL the other 81 photos I took yesterday. Sorry, no time to edit the caption. Take it as it is and be glad that there's someone that does this for you. Talking of which, Jeff got some shots too.
The waves were a bit smaller, the crowd was overwhelming (almost 40 sailors in the water from 2 to 3pm), the wind was cranking, the chop was pretty annoying. Not my kind of conditions, I waited until 5 and scored a short but sweet session on waves that got glassier and glassier. Unfortunately at Hookipa you can't sail till dark because at one point the surfers will go out (no complaints, they have their right to enjoy the waves too!). That's why I love winter time when it's big enough for Kanaha...
Anyway, Nico didn't seem to mind the conditions instead.
This is Andres, who broke the tip of his mast. The Hot Sails Maui are the only sails I'm aware of, that have an almost undestructable webbing on the mast sleeve that will prevent the sail from tearing off when the mast breaks. Andres kept sailing for 30 minutes like that, getting worked pretty bad in a couple of waves and the sail was still absolutely intact when he got out of the water.
"I wanted to see if I could break that thing, but I just couldn't!"
Stratosferic backloops are not uncommon at Hookipa, but super high forwards are more rare. Philippe was in a jumping mood.
Seen the fins? Here, have a better look.
If I'm going to get a custom, there's no doubt that I'll get it with 5 fin boxes and spend the rest of my life trying all the possible fin configurations trying to figure things out. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to try some quads when I came back from Italy...
What's today? Monday. It's going to be epic, the best day of the swell, for sure. The Waimea buoy went up to almost 6 feet, 14 seconds from 345. With a 2+ feet high tide at 1.13pm, that means mast high at Hookipa. I may go take some photos before sailing my beloved sunset session somewhere else.
In the meantime, here's the slide show of ALL the other 81 photos I took yesterday. Sorry, no time to edit the caption. Take it as it is and be glad that there's someone that does this for you. Talking of which, Jeff got some shots too.
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