Community

I drove past all my old haunts this weekend to see what changes did or did not occur (it's been over 10 years since I left - I've been back several times since but never longer than a week).

The one thing that has not changed is the sense of community you get seeing the way things are done.

99% of the people here will NOT honk their car horns and they will let merging cars in to traffic. You can easily tell the tourists from the locals in this regard.

I saw four different canoe congregation areas this weekend. This was at Ala Moana Beach Park. Lots of people paddle out here - OC1, OC2, SUPs and OC6. These boats always got a sense of respect from me and is another good symbol of how this community works together.

Hawaiian Proa

I made the kids their own model outrigger sailing canoes. Made them out of styrofoam trays, electrical tape and bamboo skewers. They sailed really well, but they need more forward buoyancy.

They aren't true "proas" becuase they have a directional bias (with a rudder on the back) - real proas "shunt" instead of tack/jibe to move through the wind. Shunting is just going back the other way (hopefully with some ground gained).

The next set I build will have bigger (or at least wider) bows and longer (with a forward bias) amas.

Weather Delay

It has been raining here in SOCAL for the past few days.

The day I took those SUP photos, I forgot to mention the water was pretty stinky - it had rained the day before. You are not supposed to go swimming at the beaches here for 72 hours after a significant rainfall (which is classified as anything over 0.1"). I needed to get rid of my surf itch so I went.

Now - four days later - I've got a weird headache that won't go away. The rain is still coming down and the water looks even nastier that it was on Saturday. I've learned my lesson "don't go surfing after a rain event unless I wear vented earplugs and a nose plug".

There.

With that out of the way, I have been drydocked again due to this inclement weather. Like most surf junkies, I have used this time to start doing gear maintenance. I put "Grip Dip" on the Walden SUP to act as a nose and tail guard (against sand impacts in the shallows), pictures to follow soon. I'm also planning on installing a gortex vent and several FCS plugs to have GoPro mounting options (maybe Thursday?). And I've been reading up (via the net) on how to make GyoTaku - Japanese Fish Rubbings - someday soon I know Marlon and I will catch a fish. That first one is going to be eaten, but before that, we will preserve a record of our catch for posterity. Check out some of what these artists are doing with their fish (get your mind out of the gutter!!!).


Lastly - a gratuitous pitch for the modern aloha shirt. This picture is from the Kahala shirt advertisements. It worked on me... outrigger canoe being surfed solo - I am a sucker for watercraft ancient and new.

See what happens when I can't surf???!!! My randomness gets the best of me... Help! I need some good waves!!!