The year ended with some of the biggest surf we had all year and the first of the month gave partiers plenty of time to recover from their hangovers.
Randal Paulson, Pipeline
We had junky, disorganized surf in the first week of the new year and then it started getting good for the Rockstar Bodyboarding Pipeline Pro. Bodyboarders reigned on the north shore in January and were excited about resuming their event at Pipeline which did not run last year for the first time in 20 some odd years.
The first day of trials for the three day event was small, only about 3-4 feet with an occasional 5 footer, but the first day of the main event was pretty all the time for bodyboarding. The 8-10+ foot waves, which were a bit weird for stand up surfers, made a skate park type arena for bodyboarding contestants who use wind, warbles and big closeouts as ramps to do incredible acrobatics. Every contestant I spoke to said they scored a great barrel even if they lost their heats.
The final day was a bit of a let down with more wind and less waves, but still some great heats of competition. Six girls even got to have an expression session in between the semi and the final.
Everyone is stoked when a nice guy like Ben Player takes the world title and second at Pipe while fellow Aussie Damian King becomes the 2006 Pipe Champion. In the drop knee division David Hubbard gets a win at Pipeline and Kainoa McGee claims the world title.
It seemed like everyday was a bodyboarding contest in February. Most mornings at Pipeline, there would be anywhere from 30-70 bodyboarders and just a couple surfers, then in the afternoon surfers would resume their position at the break.
Pipeline crowd
Even other spots like Pupukea, Haleiwa and V-Land had their fair share of boogers who stayed throughout the entire month it seemed, even after their contest had finished up. I guess you could say they were making up for lost time.
Surfers have begun packing the line up again training and preparing for the Monster Pro. The waves during the last two weeks of January were pretty incredible from time to time, but somewhat deceiving as well.
Kalani Chapman, Pipeline
From the beach it looked perfect on some sets and then utterly impossible on others. Blustery trades resumed most of February making the strong wind going up the face a big factor, especially at Pipe. Some days it seemed surfers would come up the beach injured one after the other. Kahea Heart had a head wound and received a few stitches, Noah Johnson was said to have broken his back and there were several others.
Kohl Christenson, Pipeline
As usual there were some beatings dished up on the beach as well as in the water. The size of the surf has also been changing in what seemed to range from 6 feet - 12 feet in just a few hours and then dropping back to 4 feet the very next day. Very unpredictable.
Jamie Obrien, Off the Wall
I was definitely a Pipeline January with no real Waimea swells strong north winds that we usually incur this time a year. One of the best Januarys I can remember really. The best January, December and November; that's what I call a good year.
Kawai Lendell, Pipeline
For those who didn't want to challenge Pipeline, huge Sunset or Haleiwa, Puena Point and the West Side have been great alternatives and I have heard rumors of some fun sessions there.
Puena Point
John Gangine & Yuri Soldade, Puena Point
An estimated 20 foot long great white shark was spotted just outside Haleiwa this month and was posted on the morning newspaper for those of us who didn't believe that we had those buggas here in Hawaii.
Lost is spotted filming around the North shore from time to time and it seems some new movies may be brewing here in Hawaii as well.
Kala Alexander of the Wolfpak hosted Disco Inferno at Breakers with party promoter Matty Liu. Some good DJs and reggae bands have been gracing North shore night spots this year. Blackalicious played in town at Next Door and U2 is scheduled to make a stop in the islands this April.
Myles Padaca, Caroline Islands, Micronesia
Pancho Sullivan, Caroline Islands, Micronesia
Sean Davey took off on a trip to the Carolina Islands in Micronesia at the beginning of February with Pancho Sullivan, Jamie O'Brien, Miles Padacca and Makua Rothman. Kelly Slater was here throughout February and has now gone with another pack of professional surfers for an attempt to score some surf over there.
Makua Rothman, Caroline Islands, Micronesia
Pancho Sullivan, Caroline Islands, Micronesia
