All week I watched the reports, but my harsh schedule at work kept me
from getting out. Yesterday I got down to Waikiki. Nice size waves.
Weird winds and tides made for slushy rides, tho. Nothing to write
home about.
This morning I decided to give it another go ... Diamond Head
(Cliffs). It was cloudy-gray, chilly, bumpy and really not appealing.
As I paddled out the channel I kept muttering "Why am I doing this?"
I figured I needed to just get wet.
From the channel I watched the break. I quickly decided I would have
to either pull out of a wave well, or call it a 'one wave day' -- the
sets were curling all the way across the break, and over the reef (low
tide). Paddling back out would be a bitch. The sets were bigger than
they seemed from shore.
There is something really heart pounding about paddling out next to
waves this size - even if they are crumbly. The power is so
impressive. I watched the walls slam and boards fly.
Somehow, very quickly, I was in perfect position - far outside. The
sets coming in were huge. I began to have some doubts. I looked back
at the channel (the tide was rushing out; rocks were jutting high -
nope, that would not be an easy paddle back in if I wimped-out here).
I realized if I didn't take a wave soon the 'clean up' set would be on
top of me.
Then it came. It was mine. It was huge. I didn't even have to paddle
but once. The bottom dropped out and I was rushing down a sheer 12-15
foot wall (whooping!!). It was closing ahead, as I knew it would, so I
veered to miss the lip. The explosion next to/under me threw me up
into the air (more whooping!!) - and dashed me onto the wall of white
- still riding high. I was ok! -- I held on and rode over the reef -
laughing and crowing the whole way.
Yah ... I am the one wave wahine once again!
LOL ... it was worth it!!
