Evening Session - 9/10/2024

I hit WPB this evening to get some exercise - surfing!!!

There was a hint of onshore breeze so the waves were a little on the crumbly side of good, but if you were patient, there were some fun ones to be had.

I brought this oldy but goodie out for a spin.  Plus I really haven't paddled again for quite some time - I didn't want to not catch waves because I wasn't in paddling shape.  Surfing is way easier on a good longboard.

I caught plenty of fun ones - especially given I didn't stay out all that long.  I keep saying this - surfing is fun!

W:115/PW:2/FD:66/F:4/S:18

Evening Session - 6/28/2024

And to wash off the sanding dust, Marlon and I headed to WPB to catch some of the running surf.

The tide was low - and I didn't want to deal with cleaning the Foil Drive post session, so I brought the TJ Everyday.

This board is so much fun!  I caught a couple of handful of fun waves and figured I should call it (the lineup was really crowded - not something I am used to dealing with anymore).

Marlon had his new longboard out, and with me riding a longboard also, I was close enough to watch him ride it.

Sometimes I forget how much fun riding a longboard is -

W:78/FD:44/F:4/S:13

Dawn Patrol - 4/29/2023

I brought the TJ Everyday and No.30 out this morning - depending on the conditions, I'd have options.

There were some small waves that were breaking on the outside - I setup the foilboard (despite the 0.0' low tide).

This being the first time I had No.30 out in the water, I figured I use the ART1099/460F combo.

The board paddled foil up nicely.  It also paddles with speed with the foil down.

I caught several waves that had not yet broken (so that design objective was met) - but when I got up on them, the foil would throw me.  I adjusted the foil back a few times, until I couldn't go any further back.

Kalani showed up in the break and I let him try out the board (while I used his normal setup).  He immediately caught a wave and pumped way back out.  Then he caught another and did huge circles around the Cabins break.  At least I know the board works....

I caught a wave with Kalani's board/foil - for me his setup was really front foot oriented (I had to weigh the nose down to balance it out) - but his setup glided nicely.

I had to get home to take La's parents to the airport.  As I paddled the board upside down across the shallower spots, I picked up a wave and got pushed in a considerable distance (which never happens on my normal setup).

Lesson learned from today - use a smaller foil for this board.  Also - tell dip-shits that hog the shower to get the hell out of the way and not socialize at the showers.

Next up... wing session???

W:35/F:29/S:26

Dawn Patrol - 4/2/2023

Dawn patrolled this morning - the water was not as clean as yesterday evening, but still good.  And the size did pick up.

Marlon and I both brought longboards - I took the Everyday just to mix things up.

I caught plenty of really fun waves - nice drops, hard turns and long rides.  Can't ask for much more.

Kalani was trying out a 5'8" x 29" JL SUP foiling board.  Tim was out on his Revo.  

The wind did not materialize today.  And it looks shaky until Wednesday.  I'm also still trying to kick this cold that I picked up - with these issues, I may take a break and rest (in the garage trying to keep making progress on No.30 and 31) until Wednesday.

W:29/F:20/S:22

Evening Session - 12/29/2022

Marlon and I pulled an evening session after I got home from work and doing a Costco run with La.  Surfline said there would be some energy coming up from the south, and that the wind would pretty much be super light - we brought the longboards.

If you were patient, there were chest high waves on the sets.  The background energy that was breaking on the inside was still waist high - so this was a really good WPB session especially considering it is almost January.

I caught several fun ones, but the last one I caught was down right awesome!  Picked it up on the outside and was carving turns all the way in to the beach.  I called it after that one knowing I probably wouldn't get the opportunity again during this session.

W:128/F:100/S:45

Evening Session - Christmas Day 2022

We had a really fun and relaxing Christmas this year.  Towards the end of the day, Marlon and I brought our longboards out.  To our surprise, the conditions were really good!  Waist to chest high surf, with zero wind and a medium tide perfect for longboard surfing!!! 

I caught several long rides where I could carve up and down the walls.  This seemed more like a summer evening session than conditions for Christmas.

This was a great Christmas present from Mother Nature!

W:127/F:99/S:44

Evening Session - 12/16/2022

Longboard surfing with Marlon as the sun was setting.

Low tide - decent energy in the water for it being mid-December.  I caught several fun ones.  The TJ Everyday is always a winner!

W:124/F:98/S:42

Evening Session - 12/1/2022

I got in an evening session.  La dropped me off at the beach and she went on to Costco.

I brought the TJ Everyday out.  I caught a bunch of small waves and got some long rides out of them.  Surfing small waves is actually harder than riding bigger waves if you ask me.

The tide was really low.  Roland was out with his longer surfboard.  Duke was out on his foil (eek).

There was a green flash today at sunset.  Nice mellow sesion.

W:117/F:95/S:40

Evening Session - 11/26/2022

After the yard work, the epoxy layup and preparing No.28 for the bottom deck lamination - I decide to wash off all the stuff I picked up today by getting in a late surf session.

I brought the TJ Everyday expecting some small surf.  I was pleasantly surprised by the chest high, fairly consistent and really clean surf that was coming through.  I bet this is a wrap from the big swell that is hitting the North Shore - I'm glad it is here.

I caught the three that I came for - long, fun rides with nice hard turns.  Enough to keep the stoke engine running!!!

W:117/F:94/S:39

Evening Session - 11/18/2022

Did another after work evening session.  Marlon and I brought out the same gear (longboards).  The waves were not as good as they were yesterday - a little smaller, a little less consistent, and a little more texture on the surface (winds starting to pick up).  But still fun to wash off the week with some waves.

I caught a good handful that let me get in some fun turns and medium length glides.

W:112/F:94/S:38

Evening Session - 11/17/2022

Had a really long day -

Started off taking a Laser dolly over to Kaneohe so it could go to its new owner.  Then took Marlon to UH, and I headed to work.

Then I hit Fiberglass Hawaii to grab supplies before picking Marlon back up at UH.

We navigated through the traffic and got home with enough time to grab a few waves at WPB.

Marlon and I both brought longboards.  The waves were chest high on the sets and with the low tide were shaped really well.  I caught three really fun ones, getting in several hard turns and long glides.

Roland was out on his foil.  The tide was way too low for my liking to foil.  I actually like surfing when the conditions are right.

Nice way to recover from the long day!

W:112/F:94/S:37

Evening Session - 10/10/2022

Afternoon longboard session with Marlon.  There were still waves in the head high range, but they didn't come in with the same power as they were on Sunday morning. 

Our standard longboards.  I'm still running the Randy Rarrick Blacktip Flex fin (so good!!!).  Marlon is running the halo side bites with a hatchet center.

I caught some bombs and got to ride them for really long distances.  Marlon had the GoPro out (and he got a frame with he and I splitting the peak).

My biggest wave was really cool - until a bearded kook on a short green foam board thought that anybody can just paddle into any wave they want - DON'T DROP IN KOOK!!!

I yelled at the dude - but he is probably too stupid to know what is going on.  I really hate getting bad vibes while surfing - it is supposed to be an outlet to purge bad feelings.  I guess that's why I feel better when wing foiling or kitesurfing - you are moving away from (stupid) people.

Now that it is out of my system, I'll return to my normal good natured self.

W:96/F:85/S:30

Dawn Patrol - 10/9/2022

The surf was epic this morning - well overhead, reeling walls on the outside of WPB.  Today was some of the best rides on the best waves I've had in quite some time!

Marlon, Noel, Travis and a few other people were on the outside also.

Marc was foiling in the middle break (which was still pretty big).

Words can't really describe how good it was today, so I'll leave it at that -

W:96/F:85/S:29

Evening Session - 9/16/2022

Evening session with Marlon.  Swell was holding in the shoulder high + range.  The tide was on the low side (so I decided to bring the longboard again - I wanted to see if the fin was truly the difference) and that was causing the lips to almost throw out.  And the wind - there was no wind and the surface was nearly glass.  It was raining on and off which also helped glass the surface.

Marlon had forgot his leash, so he was hovering in the middle break.  He caught a bunch of fun waves.

I brought the same board/fin as yesterday and wanted to repeat the rides.  I repeated the rides!!!  When the waves stood up, riding the board close up to the face and ALMOST getting covered.  Also when lining up for the walls, I could weight the back of the board and this fin setup is really floaty/fun!  

Days like this where waves and equipment compliment each other reminds me of how much fun surfing can be.

W:92/F:78/S:21

Evening Session - 9/15/2022

This is what I did yesterday evening - I took a nap after getting home from work.  This seal was chillin on the beach when I came out to get some exercise.

The surf was waist to chest high, with the occasional shoulder high set.  The tide was lowish (under 1.0').  And the wind was almost calm - which made for really glassy conditions.  I decided to break out the Everyday and go longboarding.

I switched out the 9" GL Flex fin for the 8.5" Randy Rarrick Blacktip Flex - as good as I've always thought this board/fin combo was, the Blacktip made this setup even more fun!  I would hug the wave face on multiple waves and would ride perched on the front half of the board just flowing across the face.  I would also ride on top of the fins and the board just flowed where I leaned.  I'm not sure if it was the fact that I hadn't surfed this board in a while, or if this fin truly unlocked more potential out of this already great board - but this was one incredibly fun session! 

W:92/F:78/S:20

Evening Session - 3/10/2022

Got a late evening after work session in yesterday.  Marlon was with La and Noe - I waited until they got back home before heading out to WPB.  The tide was too low to foil, so I brought out the TJ Everyday.  Marlon brought his longboard and away we went.

I caught a handful of really fun waves - they had enough energy to keep the rides long and fun.

W:11/F:26/S:10

Evening Session - 2/28/2022

I hit WPB in the late afternoon.  The tide was supposed to be on the low side - a low high tide at 0.8' dropping fast to bottom out at 0.3'.  I did not want to fret about bottom strikes, so I brought out the TJ Everyday.

The waves were on the weak side at maybe waist high on the rare set (thigh high and lower for the most part).

With this combo of factors, I brought the Firewire TJ Everyday out.

If I could only have one board - this would be it.  The Everyday turned crap waves into super fun performance surfing.  Sure it was still pretty much gliding and cruising, but maneuvering to stay in the pocket, manually controlling speed by hand dragging in the face, and getting in a hard 180 cranking turn when the opportunity arose - all make this one incredible board.

Glad to have gotten in another surfing session among all the foil missions!

Roland was the diehard foiler (even with the low dropping tide...)

W:10/F:20/S:9

Evening Session - 1/7/2022

After work session yesterday.  Marlon and I both brought out the longboards.  Waves were on the small side, and the tide was low (so no foiling for me).

Marlon came in pretty quick and started taking pictures with the Mini 2.  After a bit, I swapped with him.

Because the high tide is predominantly in the mornings during the winter, I've been surfing more than I've been foiling... hmmm.... how did that happen????  J/K - I love surfing (nearly) as much as I love foiling.

Evening Session - 12/30/2021

Marlon and I hit WPB this evening.  I wanted to get some paddling in so I brought my TJ Everyday.  I so love foiling, but I also love surfing.  To remind myself of this fact, I have to leave the foils in the garage and break out the surfboards.

Marlon came, but when he saw how small the waves were, he opted to fly the drone instead.  He just got his new Autel Robotics Nano + kit.  His experience on the DJI Mini 2 really shined through this recording session.  

The secondary reason I wanted to hit the beach today is my new sleeveless spring suit.  Lately while winging, I have been getting cold.  I do not like wetsuits with sleeves because they slow your paddling down significantly.  With this sleeveless one I can wear a rash guard under and be fine.

Just in time for the start of winter!

Dawn Patrol - 2/7/2021

Super cold (for Ewa Beach) on the dawn patrol this morning.  So cold in fact I couldn't hold the cell phone steady enough to take the picture ;)  Waves were slightly smaller than yesterday, but every now and then a nice belly sized set came through.

Zero wind made for wonderful conditions, but the tide was below my foiling threshold - out came the TJ Everyday for the third straight day in a row.  This is perfectly fine because this board is so much fun to ride.  I had plenty of super long rides, and a couple where I stalled and rode tight to the pocket - but on  one wave that I took all the way in, I got hit by a box jelly on my right arm pit.  Not fun.

I could have used a long sleeve wetsuit top today for multiple reasons - regardless this was a super fun session.