Go To Maui!
Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 10:14 pm
Maui rules!!!!! I was lucky and had great wind for this time of year. It was sailable all but one day of the two weeks, though I only got five days on the water. That’s what happens when you travel with the WHOLE family, but I won’t get into that. I didn’t really do any picture taking so my photo offerings in the gallery are pretty slim. There may be some more among the prints that I’ll scan over the hellidays.
I sailed at Kanaha each day and what a fantastic place. The reef breaks the waves about 150 metres off shore so it’s an easy launch and there is a channel between reefs if you don’t feel like breaking waves you can avoid them altogether. I spent most of my time in what’s called the “lowers” break which was ideal for an essentially first-time wavesailor. The waves ranged from waist-high to slightly overhead and the bigger ones peeled nicely providing 6-7 bottom turns. Awesome. Going down the line for the first time is probably the most exhilarating sensation I’ve experienced windsurfing so far. Kicking the reef and slicing my foot is among the more painful, so far. Definitely feel more confident now about getting worked in the impact zone and making it out unscathed. I still can’t gybe though ;).
Watching the hot-shits at Ho’okipa was totally inspiring. It was mast-and-a-half and the aerials were massive! Seeing it on videos just doesn’t do it justice. When you’re there, you get a real sense of the scale and the speed, both huge. Jeff was ripping up Kanaha a couple of days. You should see him!
Maui is a tiny little island and you can get to everywhere in a couple of hours max from the north shore. There is plenty to do besides sail which, depending on your fellow travelers, can be done in the morning before sailing starts at 11:00 (yes that’s a rule). I wouldn’t give up any sailing days unless you are there for a long stay though.
I sailed at Kanaha each day and what a fantastic place. The reef breaks the waves about 150 metres off shore so it’s an easy launch and there is a channel between reefs if you don’t feel like breaking waves you can avoid them altogether. I spent most of my time in what’s called the “lowers” break which was ideal for an essentially first-time wavesailor. The waves ranged from waist-high to slightly overhead and the bigger ones peeled nicely providing 6-7 bottom turns. Awesome. Going down the line for the first time is probably the most exhilarating sensation I’ve experienced windsurfing so far. Kicking the reef and slicing my foot is among the more painful, so far. Definitely feel more confident now about getting worked in the impact zone and making it out unscathed. I still can’t gybe though ;).
Watching the hot-shits at Ho’okipa was totally inspiring. It was mast-and-a-half and the aerials were massive! Seeing it on videos just doesn’t do it justice. When you’re there, you get a real sense of the scale and the speed, both huge. Jeff was ripping up Kanaha a couple of days. You should see him!
Maui is a tiny little island and you can get to everywhere in a couple of hours max from the north shore. There is plenty to do besides sail which, depending on your fellow travelers, can be done in the morning before sailing starts at 11:00 (yes that’s a rule). I wouldn’t give up any sailing days unless you are there for a long stay though.
