Falling Down

Ewa Beach is apparently the new windward side of the island. Killer Kona winds started around midnight. Sue and I cat napped  the rest of the night between closing windows, mopping floors and consoling frightened children. Here is a shot of our distressed back yard after the rain marinade and strong winds. I got up for practice at 4:20, and the pooling on H1 had already made a pre-5 AM traffic jam. Love'n it!

Bird Poo

Naomi had a funny look on her face yesterday playing in the park. She likes to put interesting bits in her mouth. This was one item she spit back out.

Makaha

Greg Adams is a local grown in Makaha. I went out with him and his family to surf the West side some today. It was my first time on the break at Makaha, and my second time over at Pokai Bay. Greg took his first run on the new 10 foot I did the art for there. It was windy and choppy but the size was huge (easily 12' faces). It was a good experience and I'm glad I went, but I would sure like to see the West side again on a cleaner day.

Brunch at Pacific Beach Hotel

Sue had a suprise for us. She got us all to go into Waikiki as a family. We found out where on arrival. We had the brunch buffet breakfast at the Pacific Beach Hotel.

It was an awesome spread, prime rib an omlet stations, fresh butter fish, terriaki, eggs bennedict done with Kalua pork, fired noodles, tempura, crab legs, fresh fruits, veggies, cheese, probably a dozen varietys of poke and sushi, a table of desserts, and the coffee was Kona.

The entire restaurant part of the hotel is built around a 3 story fish tank. Most tables end into the wall with the tank, bu all tables have an amazing view. Sue booked us in time to enjoy lunch and be there for the daily fish feeding.

The tank is stocked with enormous rays, some puffers, saddle rass, yellow tangs, trigger fish, mullets, chub, surgeon fish and many others. At feeding time a scuba diver entered the tank, and hand feed the leviathans.

Good food, good times, kudos Sue!

Barreled!

I ended up in my first barrel ever today. It happened at Chun’s before work at around 8 AM. Here’s excerpts from an IM I wrote to a friend just a couple hours later:

I didn’t really know what happened till I came out of it...I just kind of saw water sort of splashing over my head. I was crouched low high on the wall with one hand touching the face.....I came out, cut hard right landed over the top on my feet and two regulars were looking at me with big eyes... I was like stoked, but I didn't know what they were looking at.... (they) were like, whoah man, you just got barrelled!... then the other guy was like ga-ga-yeah

Down with the Sickness

I got something from the kids. It was tough getting through yesterday. As bad luck would have it I was scheduled to do a full day developers lecture for coding in a particular (name omitted) simulation application. Try that with a sore nose/ears/throat. I got done by 3:30 and headed straight home.

I crashed out at 4 PM, and didn't wake up until 7 AM today. Thats probably the most consecutive sleep I've had in over 2 years. Today was still rough, but nothing like yesterday. I'm trying hard today to get caught up on the software development work I should have been doing instead of lecturing. Its not like I had a choice though.

Puffer Fish

I got a new shortboard cut around the time of my birthday. I kind of use it when I can, but it hasn't quite been fun yet. After getting around on a 9'4 using a 6'1 puffer feels like walking on a giant bar of soap with stilts on. We've had some crazy Kona weather lately. Wind is blowing from the wrong side of the island and brining rain and storm with it. White Plains wasn't clean but it was pretty big (supposedly 4-6 faces... I'd say maybe 4). I took just the short baord for an hour before Suz work. It was a lot of work, and some pretty short rides but I did have a good time. I caught about 6 or 8. Three of them were personal best on the board to date. I think the trick is popping up quick, but not too far on the back of the board. Also unlike the long board, you almost have to be IN the break in order to catch.

(Art on the left is a custom laminate design I asked Elusive Surfboards to glass in to my short board when they made it)