Archive for January, 2009

Just a day after I created what is probably the worst surf video ever made (gotta start somewhere right?), I stumbled across the most amazing piece of surf footage I’ve ever seen in my existence. There is a film crew at pipeline over the next week or two with the best state-of-the-art HD video equipment known to man, getting unreal footage of Jamie O’Brien, a well known pipeline surfer who is taking surfing to new levels.

Smugmug has sponsored Vincent Laforet and his company to get this footage and post the results using Smugmug’s excellent online HD video capabilities.

The first clip they came out with is of Jame O’Brien taking a monster back door wave, then switching his stance while in the tube. Never before have you seen such crisp quality in a surf video, and it really gives you a feel for how critical this wave is.

Be sure to watch the full HD version of this video!

Today a couple of friends with marine corps base access invited me along with them for a North Beach surf session on the windward side of Oahu. The forecast was showing some light southwestern kona winds and a strong north swell, which are the magic ingredients to make North Beach an epic place to surf.

As we pulled up the first views were a bit overwhelming. Double overhead sets were pounding the shore as far as the eye could see. There were some people surfing out there so we figured we’d give it a shot. Once we walked down past the lifeguard tower, the lifeguard was eying us up pretty good, then told us we shouldn’t go out. We told him we’re all good, and walked down to “Boulders”, about 50 or so yards past north beach.

The shore break was a bitch, but once you got past that, it wasn’t so bad. As soon as you’d find the right takeoff spot for the normal head high sets, a double overhead cleaner set would come through and rip you a new one. While I was there I took some (crappy) video footage and a few photos, then compiled them in a short movie, which is posted above. Enjoy!

Learn more about north beach

Yesterday I headed over to one of my favorite surf spots on the south shore, Sand Island beach park. The swell was too small for the regular break to be working, which is the one straight out from the watch tower. Since it was high tide, the right that forms off of the super shallow reef was working perfectly. The wave was breaking chest to head high, fast and super hollow on 2-3′ of water over the sharp reef.

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There was a very rare north wind, which gave a perfect on-shore breeze that held the wave up enough to get long rides around the edge of the reef. All in all it was a ton of fun and since there was only 2 of us out there, the waves were plentiful.

After a while the guy on the stand-up paddle board pointed right next to me and started yelling “shark!, shark!”. Apparently he saw the shark swim right by me and its dorsal fin sick out of the water. Needless to say I pretty much high tailed it back to shore. That’s twice now people around me have spotted a shark, and I have yet to see one with my own eyes. I must not look very tasty.

There are multiple north swells rolling in that were generated from big storms near Japan and compounded by heavy winds. The forecast is telling us that big waves will likely continue through the rest of January! These swells are generating surf upwards of 20-40′+ faces.


This photo shows Bruce Irons winning ride in the 2004 Eddie Aikau big wave competition, taken by Chad Podoski.

With surf like this rolling in, the Eddie is sure to go off this month! Be sure to sign up for text notifications so you can be there to watch the pros compete in insanely big waves at Waimea bay.

Today I went to Bellows Beach in Waimanalo to BBQ with some friends, and it was super windy there. There was a nice big shore break coming in from all the wind though which was fun to get thrown around in on my body board.

Tomorrow I might head to the north shore, a new swell should arrive over night and bring 6-10′ faces.

Today I headed to the south shore expecting some small swell to paddle around in. On small south swell days Bowls and Kaisers are normally the best bet. They offer a wide range of surf spots all within a short paddle of each other.

Once I got there I was surprised to see some pretty big swells coming in for this time of year. Several of them were well overhead! I hung out and surfed bowls right most of the time, and even managed to tuck into a couple of mini-barrels. Bowls left had a lovely dirt brown quality to it from the Ala Wai Canal runoff, so I left that to the brave souls fearless of the 3 eyed fish.

All in all it was a pretty fun surf session, which is usually the case anytime I hit this area.

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Yesterday some friends and I headed over to Tracks on the leward side of Oahu. The surf was shoulder to just overhead high, and tons of fun. It was pretty crowded, but everyone was in a good mood for having the day off to surf. Awesome way to start the new year.

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