Wow, what an emotional roller coaster. We seem to be in a vicious surf cycle here in Hawaii that just wont end. We get a long lack of swell, then we get swell with onshore wind, then we might get a day or two then back to the strong trades and the small surf again. Nowhere suffers worse than Pipeline with a cycle like this since the sand keeps piling up and then gets dispersed into the wrong place time and time again.
The Backdoor Shootout managed to slip in between this cycle and score some of the best Pipe we have seen in the last couple years. On Jan 8th after 3 weeks of very small surf, the weather cleaned up and we got a bump from the west. The next morning was predicted to be 6 ft faces by the National Weather Service, but instead was solid 6-10 ft Hawaiian scale waves.
The best way to describe the waves that morning is with the visual of this one body boarder who dropped down a 10 footer, got ejected about 6 ft in the air mid face and on his way down with the lip it reminded me why we used to call them "boogies" As the day went on however, the WNW swell quickly pounded out that sand and we saw some incredible surfing. There were some 12 ft screamers from the second reef, but they were big, thick and chunky, leaving no room for mistakes which is why guys like Nathan Fletcher, Jamie Obrien and Bruce Irons were able to deliver some of the top scores.
Young Tyler Newton became the rookie of the contest that day by catching one of the biggest waves and setting himself up perfectly under the lip into what just may have been the barrel of the year, unfortunately however he caught this wave after the horn and didnt get scored on it.
Newton had come into the competition from Kauai for Quicksilver to replace Fred Pattachia who was having his tonsils out. By the end of the day, the waves were getting too big and washing through. The next day was too big for Pipe, but some some guys were getting some pretty decent rides at Waimea, by this years standards at least.
The morning after that started out with a prayer for Joaquin Velilla; the Puerto Rican Pipe Charger who passed away last year.
Immediately after the prayer Joaquin ordered up a rainbow and some more 10 ft waves for the boys in the backdoor shootout.
At first it seemed to lack luster compared to the first day, but then the backdoor started going off and Bruce moved into the lead.
Finally, the 3rd day had dropped into the 6 ft range but still had epic morning conditions and Jamie O Brien was able to find enough points to win the event.
Mark Healy, Reef McIntosh, Tyler Newton and Danny Fuller won the team competition for Quicksilver and all the boys were stoked;
well except the ones that weren't in the contest because right after the event ended, the onshore winds were back. Though the shootout had to wait four solid years to run, that contest will definitely go down in history as one of the best contest days held at Pipe.
The next day we found ourselves spiraling back into that viscious cycle. We had a 20 ft swell which was probably bigger than anything we had in 2 years, but it was victory at sea and noone was out. The strong straight onshore NE winds and a reinforcing NE swell made the northshore pretty much unridable for a few days and when things finally began to turn around that sand was back at Pipe, but this time it had formed a huge dry bar which started at the peak of Pipeline and went all the way to the lifeguard tower at Ehukai. In fact, when the swell first started dribbling in there was not a left in sight and it looked more like a right point break somewhere else in the world. By daybreak the next day 6-10 footers were cracking on the left, but the bar was causing waves to cross up with each other making for some impossible take offs, not to mention the fact that you could be surfing a wave and then be on dry sand in a second, a sensation which would equate to something like dropping off a cliff straight into a washing machine.
I would say there were a lot more wipeouts that morning than tube rides, but by the afternoon things really came together for about two hours. The sandbar began to move inside the break and down towards Ehukai, the swell serged in a couple 12 ft sets and a half dozen perfect waves came in. Healy, Kala, Reef, Sterling & Wakita were some of the guys who managed to be there in that perfect moment to score some of the best rides and at the end of the day thats all anyone really remembers is those perfect waves, not how hard or how dangerous it was to get them.
Pipe Legend Liam McNamara wasn't there that day, because he was down the way at Sunset directing the No Fear Kostal Kaos Jr Pro which was like passing the torch to a new generation of chargers. The 10 ft waves looked even bigger than normal with the "lil shorties" charging down the face.
Another magical moment this month that might go down in history for the youth of surfing. I never thought I would see a juniors event held at 10 ft Sunset. Kiron Jabour won the contest that day, but I think all the kids must have felt like winners!
Even town got an off season swell during that time that 3 day period and was almost as good as anything we had all summer. 5 foot sets were breaking at the Big Bowl for 2 full days with nearly perfect conditions. Sandy's was also rumored to have enjoyed some of the NE energy and got some 10 ft waves one day. Some people are questioning; if we are getting some of our best south swells in January, is it possible that the country might be going off mid July?
Well that didn't last long, by 9:30am the next day those 12 ft waves at Pipe had shrunk back to being barely 6 ft and the south shore was small too. Three more NW swells were expected to follow with one additional out of season south, but as the those trade winds got stronger and stronger we were all beginning to realize that we were back in the cycle again. Sure enough the next swell and the swell after that and the south swell were downgraded and came with poor conditions. Expectedly, another lull in the swell production came all the way until the end of the month.
Besides the bad surf, I have to mention that it is also rainier, cloudier, colder and crowed as ever. With the Backdoor Shootout taking the spot which is typically set for the Bodyboarding contest, and the bodysurfing event coming up with the WQS at Pipe next month, we have everyone in the world here at one time, literally. The best bodyboarders, shortboarders, bodysurfers and the regulars. Early surfs before contests and on the best days have been so crowed that it seems like you can't even find a place to put your arm down to paddle for a wave.
I guess when there are only about 6 good days all month and 3 of the days were taken by contests each at Sunset and Pipeline you expect it to be crowded, but the problem is that these crowds arent going away until all the events are over at the end of next month which is really usually when the season ends for big waves. Its pretty frustrating over here right now for everyone.
Dave Wassel and Jamie Stearling escaped and reportedly surfed pretty well in the Mavericks contest. Guys like Flynn Novak and Pancho Sullivan sought out some secret spots.
You'll also hear from time to time about sessions at Mokuleia and West side which are kinda protected from the wind. Sometimes, I guess you have to get creative.
Surf reporters have been way off this season. Its funny when the National Weather Service and the Surf News Network are both saying 6 ft and one is suppose to be face and the other Hawaiian scale, but neither end up being right. To top it all off however, we have now lost our only reliable source which is Buoy #1 and it is not expected to be functioning again until March when we really dont need it that much anymore. Surfers who keep showing up with the wrong size boards are now getting some clarity on how many actually fit in their car. My beetle can hold 4. Others have been trying to get some clarity with the Waimea Buoy, but the location of that buoy is so different that we usually just get more confused and frustrated than we were with no buoy.
On Jan 25th surfers will come together for an ongoing protest against privatized parking at Ala Moana Bowls, Kaisers, Threes and all the surrounding areas. Word has it that the privatization proposal suggests a parking attendant rather than the metered parking we had previously assumed. The hearing will be held at the Kalanimoku building 1st floor room 132 at 9am and anyone is welcome to come and testify. You can also send written testimony to http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/chair/meeting The threat to Public Beach Access is starting to become a real issue in Hawaii and the Surfrider Oahu Chapter will be holding a statewide public access protest on February 2nd from 10am-12noon at several locations involving quite a few different organizations. You can go to their website: www.surfrider.org/oahu for updates and information.
Governor Linda Lingle surprised the Northshore Community on Jan 22 when she proposed that the state of Hawaii buy Turtle Bay hotel to preserve the land and as we say out here "Keep the Country; Country" The Hotel is currently in a multi- million dollar foreclosure lawsuit with Credit Suisse so it will be interesting to see what happens in the whole situation. Its good to consider that our voices have been heard.
One thing I observed this month is that the whales must come here to watch us surf. They have been pretty absent all season, but whenever the waves get good there they are jumping and splashing and carry on out back as if they were clapping for us.
Their excitement is almost a reflection of us because they seem as happy as we are about the waves. Maybe they know, its the surfers who are fighting for them!
Keep the faith
