What a find!

Date: December 23, 2004
Time: 0730 -- 0930
Spot(s): A smaller spot
Conditions: Light offshores
Swell: Only slightly declining mack WNW
Surf: 3-4+' Haw'n at that spot, 12-18' Haw'n everywhere else

Words: Despite the high surf warning still being issued, decided to head to the Country and find some spot to ride. Pipe was looking really mean, with waves mowing through from Third Reef. Pass.

Saw a lone warrior taking off at the Waimea Point. Pass.

Ended up paddling out to a spot that is typically much smaller than the rest of the NS. It was the first time out there for me, and I was amazed by what I found. The inside break was draining on the inside with some sick ramps at the end bowl. The outside was macking with a long right that wound for days.

Scored a couple of good waves on my bodyboard: one barrel and one launch. Admittedly, I wasn't taking off too deep--just tentative and a little meek.

Halfway through the session, I noticed a couple of donkeys getting caught in a heavy rip, heading towards Kauai. Finally, me and this longboarder (named Buzz) paddled over and spent the next 45 minutes or so pushing/pulling them back in. I gave one guy a good tongue lashing on going out without understanding the conditions. "If the North Shore has a high surf warning, stay out of the water," I fumed.

By the time I got back into the lineup, I found it super-crowded with a bunch of girls and groms. Surprisingly, it seemed that a lot of them should not have been out in the given conditions. But the sheer number of people bummed me out. At least Fabian and Jordan came out, as we talked story for a bit.

I kind of gave up after that and went in. Bummer that I lost so much surf time, but at least I had the small satisfaction of helping out some fellow surfers in need.

Aloha from Paradise,

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