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 - 1/29/2023

It was raining this morning and the winds did not shift away from straight north - so I figured I'd just sleep in (or do some internet research).  The wind was more than strong enough to wing, but I am not a fan of winging in offshore winds.

Noe had a performance today so we went into Manoa to support her.  On the way back I stopped into HIC Ala Moana and grabbed a 2mm thermal wetsuit top.  We got back home with plenty of sunlight left, so I went to the beach to test the new long sleeve wetsuit top.

I brought the Viking having low expectations of the wave energy coming in.

The wetsuit top worked great - nice and snug, not too tight on the shoulders so I can paddle well, and a cool key pocket.  I was toasty warm the whole time (68F air temp, 76F water temp).  We've got a several weeks worth of cool mornings and north winds, so this top will see a lot of use.

I caught five really fun waves - the Viking can catch anything and stalling, cranking turns, and trimming are so much fun on this board.  This board is definitely a session saver.

It is going to be pretty small for the next couple of days.  The wind is also forecasted to die back as this front passes over us.  I have a board repair I have to get done for Jim... I might be doing some board surgery while the small conditions are present.

W:6/F:6/S:9

Dawn Patrol - 1/1/2023

Special dawn patrol this morning - First Session of 2023!!!

I love this guy!!!

And I love this board - catches anything and when you step back to the tail, it surfs like a much shorter board.  I caught plenty of fun ones - and well before everyone else could.  But as the crowd got thicker, I went over to the cottages and had my own uncrowded waves.

The wind forecast is pretty dismal - but that's ok as long as the surf keeps coming!!!  With a new year comes hope that we can all find peace and our place in the universe - may 2023 be a great year for us all!

W:0/F:0/S:1

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 - 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 - 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 - 10/18/2022

Marlon and I hit WPB after I got home from work this afternoon.  The forecast seemed like the waves would be on the smaller side, and the tide was going to be on the lower side - so I took the Viking.  

I also wanted to try out this True Ames Greenough Speed fin.

Fun fin, fun waves (but definitely on the smaller side) and I even got to ride a few alongside Marlon (also on his longboard).

I ended up talking with Eli and Roland about wings and foils and the upcoming forecast - what else would we be talking about???

W:97/F:88/S:33

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

Dawn Patrol - 10/1/2022

Dawn patrolled this morning.  Waves were small but ridable - until the long lull, and the crowd descended.  The Viking was the board of choice again - and it did an excellent job of cutting through the crowd, and getting into waves super early.

Marlon used his longboard, after fixing his dings.  He used the Halo sidebites and the hatchet center fin  and got great results.

Tomorrow I think I'll jump back on the foil.

W:95/F:81/S:27

Evening Session - 9/30/2022

I learned my lesson from yesterday - and brought the Viking out.  Perfect conditions for this board!

I caught plenty of long, fun rides!

Marlon brought out his fixed longboard, and tried out the halo side bites and the Turbo Tunnel fins.  He said the fin was too locked in - I told him that it was designed to be locked in for noseriding.

He had stayed out for a few waves, then went in to grab his camera gear.

Roland went out on his foil.  He caught several threepetes (but he also doesn't care if he hits bottom).

The forecast for tomorrow calls for weak winds (but maybe the thermals will kick in???), as well as the same small surf (with a large high tide...) - maybe I'll just dawn patrol for a bit for exercise, then come home and work on the boards...

W:95/F:81/S:26

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

Dawn Patrol - 6/4/2022

Dawn patrol with Marlon.  He brought his longboard - and I brought the Viking.  The tide was really low.  And the swell had dropped off considerably.  I managed to catch a few good ones, then called it.

Kalani, Noel, Andrew, Duke and Roland were all foiling - tide was too low for my liking.

I was going to fly the drone and take pictures/videos of Marlon - but I messed up memorizing his pass code for his phone and couldn't get set up.

Good exercise today and we got a good view of Molokai this morning at dawn!  It's always fun to surf the Viking!

W:44/F:56/S:17

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

Late Dawn Patrol - 2/13/2022

We got up a little later than normal - and to answer the question "should we go, or go back to sleep?", Marlon launched the drone to check out the surf.  It was waist high and the crowd was manageable so off we went.

I brought the Viking because I didn't want to chance having brought the wrong gear.  Marlon brought his new Seaside and his longboard.

I was able to watch him catch his first wave on the board - so it has been properly anointed.  I caught a bunch of waves, but as time went on, it seemed like the wave energy was fading.

The combo lock we use to secure the truck key got stuck.  We were delayed a hair while we waited for the lifeguards to open the shack.  Fun day for longboarding (but it wouldn't have been the day to anoint the Sunday, even though it is Sunday.)

W:5/F:13/S:7

Evening Session - 2/8/2022

The thermals were in effect at WPB this afternoon - but the tide was really low.  With that I opted for a longboard session.  Waves were a little bumpy - but waist to belly high.  I got lots of fun rides!

Marlon opted to fly his drone today (says a lot about the waves).  Eli was out on a 7m Blue Planet wing - it was definitely enough for that wing.

Post Script - I actually went to Hickam yesterday to wing - but the wind died and I was just floating around - I'm not taking credit for winging yesterday.

W:5/F:13/S:5

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.