The visuals were worth it

Date: September 26, 2004
Time: 1500--1730
Spot(s): somewhere out west
Conditions: Medium offshores, typical aggressive crowd
Swell: Late-season south
Surf: 3-4'+ Haw'n

Words: Decided to do a rare afternoon surf session and so I patiently waited for the late-season south to mature. Finally headed out to find most of the coast blown by swirling onshore seabreezes. Found a spot that was clean and good, and shared it with some pretty heavy locals.

Conditions were misleading, with a strong backwash jacking the peak over a shallow reef. Ended up getting only a handful of waves (six to be exact). However, one was a really nice one: takeoff right, negotiating the backwash at the bottom, down the line wall, flying kickout over the inside reef.

Talked story with one haole guy who I've seen at the spot several times before. We talked about how fickle the place is and how you just gotta paddle out sometimes and see how it is. Eventually, he nabbed a couple of screamers over the shallow reef.

Went inside and saw another friend named Warren who is a very low-keyed guy known by everyone. Finally passed him a picture I took of him years ago, and he was genuinely thankful. Felt good.

As I was driving away, I saw the haole guy again, and complimented him on his good rides. "Was worth paddling out, eh!?!" I shouted to him. He laughed, all stoked and grinning ear to ear.

Aloha from Paradise,

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