Almos Pau

It was the last day of 2007 and Surfline reports raved big waves and beautiful conditions, so I had to paddle out. NorCal grown I have spent the last three years living-and surfing- in Hawaii. The cold waters were a bit of a shocker.

I’ve notoriously bad-mouthed booties, claiming I’ve never step foot in them. However, it was freakin cold. I checked the surf, walked to the shoreline, kicked off my sneaker and stuck my porcelin foot into the gray water. God damn it was artic. So I made a quick trip to the local surf shop down the road and picked up my first pair of booties. Shh, don’t tell anyone.

Although my review mirror read a shivering 56 degrees the street was lined with cars piggy backing surf racks. I slipped off my jeans and big furry coat and forced on my tortured old wet suit. I don’t remember it being that hard to fit in it properly and zipping my seal skin on. But I managed and waddled my way to the surf with my booties.

It was a beautiful Northern Californian day. Not a cloud in the sky, revealing a beautiful coast line with houses blanketing the hills in the far distance. The sun was shining and glided over the 1-2 foot surf.

I do not remember wet suits being that restricting when u paddle and pop up.

There were a lot more women in the line up then I remember. Most with their significant other but a few flying solo.

There were over 30 surfers in the line up however I seemed to always find a spot where I could slip in.

Every so often there is an encounter between two surfers where someone is in the wrong. There is a yeller, and a yell-y. At some point or another we’ve all played both roles.

Sitting on the concerete slab above the break after my session I witnessed several of these encounters. Every single time the yeller took advantage of their title and gave a piece of their mind to the other surfer. There were a couple kooks that were totally out there- sitting on the inside, dropping in on a wave a surfer claimed a full 6 seconds ago up the coast, couldn’t even pop up, tipped over and let his board tumble along the wave. I laughed my ass off.

And yes, I felt lame sitting up there another 30 minutes while I could have been surfing. But god damn it was freezing.

At the end of the day a brave soul walked ahead of me, tip toeing across the rough pavement with cold, bare feet. Damn, maybe I should have stuck it out.

The death of a waterman

It isn’t the way that you die that you are remembered, it’s the life that you lived. I’m sure there is truth to this statement, but people remember the day that you died as well.
I recently went to the opening ceremony of the Eddie Aikau Invitational. So many legendary watermen in the ocean together at Waimea Bay was a striking sight.
The event is held in remembrance of the late Eddie Aikau. Aikau was a great waterman and respected surfer of Hawaii. He rode waves of huge proportion and sailed around the Pacific Ocean, navigating only by wisdom and instinct with his crew.
Aikau died while making a heroic attempt to save his crew’s lives while sailing through Polynesia. While navigating from Hawaii to Tahiti, Aikau’s crew hit bad weather. Aikau swam to get help and never returned.
The Eddie was held December 1st and reminded everyone of great surfing, amazing waves and heroic individuals.
A week later Northern California surfer, Peter Davi drowned while paddling into 30 foot Ghost Tree, exploiting the risk surfers take in the water.
The news of death is heavy, especially when it’s unexpected. I was abruptly woken from a day dream while driving to the gym that day by a phone call. My friend Margret from the north shore informed me “Kelly Slater drowned in California today.” I was shocked, and in disbelief. Without a reliable news source on hand, I biked and lifted at the gym for an hour, contemplating what Slater’s death would mean to the surfing community.
Now I don’t want to create bad Ju-Ju by writing this, but imagine if one of the most talented, most record-holding surfers in the world died before he could even retire.
Slater is labeled a “freak of nature,” winning eight world titles amongst many other record-breaking accomplishments in the surfing world. How would his death impact the surfing community?
Fanning’s title would mark the defeat of Slater in his last year of the ASP tour. Surfing magazine editors would be at a loss for words trying to encompass the life of Slater, endless Bay Watch reruns would play and who knows when the next mainland American surfer would be crowned.
As human beings with a dangerous passion we unite and remember the lives of fallen surfers who will forever be in the water like the leis place on the ocean’s surface. Respect the ocean and its Mana and enjoy being a surfer.

Kauai's Roy Powers takes Reef Hawaiian Pro title

Dawn breaks on the north shore of Oahu to reveal the biggest swell of the year. Nearly every car on the Kamehameha Highway has surfboards strapped to the roof, sticking out of windows and resting in the beds of trucks. Waves curl, barrel and break along the seven mile miracle as the top professional surfers in the world head to small town Haleiwa to catch some big time waves.
The 25th annual Reef Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa was the first stop on the Van’s Triple Crown of Surfing that broke records and renewed dreams. Waves built to a record 25 foot-faces, Sunny Garcia returned to Hawaiian surf after spending three months in federal prison and Kauai native, Roy Powers took home $15,000 and the title of Reef Hawaiian Pro 2007 champion.
The three competitions of the Triple Crown give World Qualifying Series surfers the last opportunity to qualify for the World Circuit Tour in 2008.
Professional surfers from 17 countries compete on Oahu’s north shore this winter, bringing international attention to the North shore.
A North-West Swell brought big waves and strong currents to the Haleiwa contest. This wave break has the strongest currents on the north shore that force surfers to constantly paddle to maintain position in the lineup, where they can catch the best waves.
To the left of the waves, as seen from the beach, is “Toilet Bowl.” This section has super sharp reef blanketed with only one-to-two feet of water. Surfers must be extra careful, riding waves into Toilet Bowl or getting caught in the impact zone, where powerful waves can throw them into the dangerous reef.
The wave breaking farthest from the beach at Haleiwa is called “Avalanche.” As the wave breaks it creates a huge wall of white wash that tumbles down the face, resembling an avalanche.
The contest format has heats of four surfers competing for 25 minutes. The top two surfers advance to the next round, 16 surfers advance to the quarterfinals and only four surfers move on to the finals.
Maneuvers, style, wave size and barrels all factor into the judges’ scores. Waves are judged on a 10 point scale, the best two waves combine to make the final score for each surfer.
The Reef Hawaiian Pro marked the return of local surfer and six-time Triple Crown Champion, Sunny Garcia. After spending three months behind bars and wearing a house arrest anklet for six, Garcia strapped on his surfboard leash and returned to the event where he holds the record for most titles won.
Three-time World Champion, four-time Triple Crown champion, Andy Irons took a heavy fall on the first wave he charged of the biggest swell of the year. With a strong current and heavy waves crashing through the line-up, Kauai native, Irons rode the white wash in and paddle back out through the channel. This killed valuable time in the 25 minute heat and wasted energy. Irons, uncharacteristically, falls on the second drop-in attempt as well, but recovers to win the heat with good wave selection and strong, stylish, surfing maneuvers.
“There are some big waves coming in right now,” Irons said. “Definitely riding a bigger board in this heat,” referring to his 6’8” surfboard, decorated in sponsors’ stickers.
The judges look for surfers charging the wave break on the outside, farthest from the shore. Bigger waves curl at this point with stronger point potential. Surfers who dropped into the steepest, biggest waves, showing the most commitment, received the bigger scores of the day.
Dean Morrison advanced to the quarter finals with a heat score of 18.40 out of 20 possible points. The Australian pulled into a barrel, rare for Haleiwa, scoring him the only perfect ten of the contest.
Haleiwa local, Sean Moody sat in the lineup as Morrison dropped in on the big wave.
“I didn’t think he’d do it,” he said. “I don’t know if I would have.” Moody took second in the heat against Morrison, finishing with 15.16 points.
While young locals advanced to the next round, world title holders were eliminated.
“I don’t know, I’m just getting smashed” says Australian, Mick Fanning, who has already secured the 2007 World Title.
Wildcard Sean Moody and WQS surfer Roy Powers beat world title holders Irons and Fanning in the quarterfinal. Both Moody and Powers need to perform well in the O’Neil Pro at Sunset Beach to be invited to the final stop on the Triple Crown, the Pipeline Masters.
Australian, Joel Parkinson, threw powerful cutbacks and pulled through a beautiful barrel to advance throughout the contest. With his plan, “to survive,” in the finals, Parkinson not only survives but conquers, finishing second.
But it was WQS surfer, Powers, who took home the oversized check.
“I’m stoked,” said Powers. “Nothing better than being at Haleiwa in the final. It’s everything.” Powers scored two, nine-point rides to finish with a commanding score of 18.84 and bring the title home, to Kauai.