Account from Friday, December 2, 2005
This morning was somewhat surreal. 6-8 perfect pipe with the sun gleaming above and no wind whatsoever. It's the kind of day we live and long for here in Hawaii. Pipe Soldiers all made their way out to the line up today with a sparkle in their eyes, but the line up was choked by about 7:30 with about 75 guys and just two moving peaks. The swell pulsed and then started to drop back as a NNE swell began filling in around 10:00. The mix of directions + the grinding sandbar in front of the reef made for some warbly thick wedges on the left which were causing a lot of wipe outs while the rights were maxing out and makable, just about as good as it gets. It seemed to be just another wipe out when Malik Joyeux took off and free fell on a deep left, but just when the lip hit him, the board bounced back with the lip possibly hitting him in the head.
Malik Joyeux
Suddenly someone noticed he had not come up and half the line up along with some of the guys on the beach headed out to the Ehukai sandbar in search of his body. With the current ripping across the sandbar and no sign of Malik we all knew things were looking pretty dire even though everyone was doing the best they could to save him. Unfortunately, when he was found right past the lifeguard tower it was too late.
moments later...
A circle was then formed on the beach for a moment of prayer. It was a good day gone bad, even the weather slowly began to change. The clouds came, the wind started going onshore and the waves at Pipeline became too north and disorganized looking nothing like it did in the morning. The community mourns Malik today and forever. Malik was a 25 year old Tahitian man who was known for riding one of the biggest waves ever at his homebreak Teahupoo. There is a strong mana between all Pacific Islanders and you can feel the presence of sadness that looms here tonight.
Bon Voyage Malik.
Not really a good start to the month of December. As a matter of fact, Pipe has not been the same since. But for those who attended the ceremony on December 7, 2005, there was definitely some clearing of the smoke which loomed over the break. Even if you didn't know Malik, you got the sense that he was the kind of guy who would have wanted a party not a funeral and that's what he got. The family spoke a few words and then there was a huge paddle outside Ehukai by the lifeguard tower, right where Malik surfaced and was brought to the beach. A huge circle was formed and Sean (Davey) did the honor of dropping flowers from a helicopter.
Malik circle
Repeatedly, surfers hooted and cheered and then would go silent almost as if to hear Malik hooting back as the flowers fell and actually glistened over the ocean in a train that seemed endless. Some of the boys then started chanting some Tahitian words which the circle then repeated as people let go of their strings and their leis for Malik. There seemed to be a very strong bond between Hawaiians and Tahitians that day and Malik's death seems to have put another link in a chain that has been building for sometime between these two islands. It was a sad day, but a beautiful celebration of life for a young man who as they said showed us all how to "live life".
Malik's Wake
If that wasn't enough of a shock for surfers, Clark Foam shut down their factory the very same week. On the North shore, this is the time of year when shapers make 'em and surfers break 'em so it couldn't have been worse timing. It is a threat to the local industry here.
Everyone talks about the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, but surfers have more to keep up with than any other human species this time of year. Not only did we have to get cards and presents sent out, but we had to juggle big waves, contests, buoy reports, maps and of course parties.
By this time most years we have had a good solid 2-3 week period of northerly onshore winds which gives you plenty of time to get all your Christmas stuff done and get organized, but this year it was an afternoon here and there and maybe a couple days, that went onshore, that was it. The variable and SE winds dominated again in December making for perfect conditions most days no matter what the waves were doing, the conditions would make it seem good in some way. December couldn't touch October for quality, but it did offer about 4 days at Waimea ranging from 10-15 ft on a couple days and some near 20 ft sets on a couple others.
Waimea
Phantoms delivered both some paddle in and tow in days in December along with Himalayas and Jockos especially since Pipe was pretty disorganized and crowded with body boarders who have been training for their yearly Pipe event.
Phantoms
Jason Frederico
The problem with the waves in December was that there were several swells colliding with each other preventing most areas from being very enjoyable. Sure there were some incredible waves from time to time, but getting to them was a pain in the but due to the fact that there were waves coming at you from 5 different directions
Liam McNamara
The World Cup finished up at Sunset Beach this month. Melanie Redmann Carr won the event for the women's expression session which was a leg of the Triple Crown for the girls for the first time in many years. Jake Patterson took the men's championship in 3- 6 foot surf with runner up Andy Irons while Mick Fanning, Sunny Garcia and Pancho Sullivan placed high enough to keep themselves in the running for the Triple Crown Title going into the PipeMasters showdown. Andy Irons, however managed to grab both the Triple Crown and the PipeMasters with a 6 foot wave at backdoor which offered him two makable barrel sections while Australian Mick Fanning secured second.
Andy Irons
Representing for the North shore, Kalani Chapman placed third advancing all the way through from the trials.
Kalani Chapman
The contest was held in a variety of conditions ranging from 3-12 feet, but none of the days were really great due to the north pinch in the swell and the sandbar.
Kelly Slater
Pipemasters
Chelsea Georgeson cleaned up on the women's tour claiming the final event on Maui, the World Championship and the Triple Crown of Surfing. The 36th Annual Surf n Sea Haleiwa International had an exciting competition with solid 8-10 ft surf on the first two days of competition and fun sized surf on the last 2 days. Shuji Kasuya won for the Japan Pro Division. The Bodyboarders ruled Pipe for about 3 weeks and then the RockStar Pipeline Pro began. After a small 3-5 ft day of trials competition the first day of the bodyboarding competition was pretty epic at least for bodyboarding. The 8-10 ft surf presented a few 12 footers by the end of the day. The surf would have been a bit windy, warbly and shut down for board surfers, but acted as almost a wave park for bodyboarders who can fit into the tightest slots and fly off of warbly sections. The final day was a bit of a disappointment when the swell dropped back a couple notches and the wind came up Ben Player placed 2nd giving him the world championship and Damian King took the Pipe championship.
Backdoor
Cannon did their yearly party, presentations and workshops for surf photographers in December as usual. The lectures were very helpful and informative especially with so many photographers making the switch from film to digital nowadays. The Pipe Masters celebrated 35 years of Pipe Masters Champions in a presentation at Turtle Bay where all but 2 or 3 past champion attended. Breakers in Haleiwa hosted a few contest parties throughout the month along with Banzai Betty's video premier of last years historic women's Pipe event. Banzai Sushi across the way has been hosting several slide shows which are a big hit. Photographer Grant Washburn was featured this month. Sunny Garcia threw a retirement party at the Hard Rock Cafe and even hired buses for people who needed a ride from the North shore. Several surfers retired this month with him including, Luke Egan, Kalani Robb, Lee Winkler, Tim Curren, Renan Rocha and Shane Beschen.
Luke Egan
Kalani Robb
December 2005 will be remembered with both cheers and tears!
by Lane Davey
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