The final days living on Maui time

As our time here on Maui draws to a close, I feel like I have almost fully adjusted to the Maui time. There’s been no shortage of wind. We have been on the water everyday for over 2 weeks now. (Well that’s kind of a lie, I did take a day off after I injured my knee.) Unfortunately the swell didn’t really pull through for us. Which we now know is totally normal for this time of year. We really only had the wind swell to play with. This can still be good fun. But nothing like the Circus we saw at Ho’okipa when we first arrived. 4m wave faces, strong cross shore winds, most of the worlds pro waves sailors on the water at once getting it done! While helicopters hover above filming and shooting photos. A sight to see!

Levi - Trademark top turn explosion

One particular day at Sprecks this week things just seemed to click. I’ve been working on a move while I've been here called a Push Loop. (Basically an over-rotated back-loop landing tail first.) I had landed one or two since arriving, but that day at Sprecks, I couldn’t crash one. Sticking 5 in a row.

The next day we sailed at Kanaha. We saw windy conditions. There were waves, but because Kanaha is an outer reef the waves don’t always break properly. In order to find nice ramps for jumping, or waves for riding a good amount of luck was needed.

Feeling pretty confident with my push loops now, I went for a couple over the first hour. Landing one, and horribly over rotating the other. Things went so bad I some how managed to land off my board with my fore arms on my fins and my face hitting the other side of my arms… Lucky.

I little while later I spied a nice clean ramp in the distance. I bared off down wind in order to hit the steepest section of the ramp. Things were lining up perfectly. I launched into the air at top speed and started rotating back, into the loop. As I passed through the eye of the wind I pushed the sail forward, back-winding my self so that I could make the rotation. Things still going well. At this point I think I must have held the ‘Push’ a ¼ of a second too long. As I spot my landing I can see I’m going to under rotate. To counter act this I tuck my knees up to mu chest to give me a little more room to finish the rotation. I hit the water spot on, perfect technique. But as I was so tucked up I didn’t have any absorption left in my legs to absorb the impact. I hit the water, and I can feel the ligaments in my right knee taking all the impact. I felt popping and I'm knee totally seized up as I fell off my board into the water. Having never done any major ligament damage (Touch wood) I was sure that’s what I had done. Scared, and in quite a bit of pain, I wasn’t quite sure what to do, or how I was going to get back to the beach. I lay in the water for a few minuets. By this time Joel had come over to see if I was alright. Slowly I started getting some movement back in my knee. I still hurt, and felt very unstable. Eventually after having about 15 waves break on my head, I drifted into the channel. By this stage I could straighten my leg. I got back on the board and headed for the beach. In the end, it was just a scare. I don’t think I did too much damage, I iced it that night and rested the next day. It still feels a little suss, but happy I didn’t do anything major.

Mast cam footage of me hold my knee in pain

One morning last week some new friends of our offered to take us to some rock pools about 10 minuets east of Paia near the infamous Jaws surf break. This place is something that a tourist just would find. Luckily for us, we met some nice locals. We drove down a dirt road just off the main highway. We parked our cars high on the cliff top looking over the Pacific ocean, amazing view. The rock pools we were told were much further down the cliffs. So we had to walk. There were paths down the cliffs, but they were so steep that there were ropes stakedinto the ground to help you down. About half way down Joel had a thong malfunction and almost fell, to what might have been the end for him. But luckily he had a hind on the rope, and after sliding for about 5 or 6 metres he managed to stop him self.

We reached the pool without any more incidents. The temperature was very nice, so it was straight in for a swim. After the pools we drove back into town for lunch. Our local friends suggested we go to a place called the Fish Market. Not exactly an under ground ‘Locals only’ place, but the food is awesome! Probably the best burger I've ever eaten. Fresh Mahi-Mahi burger with wasabi mayonnaise. Very good.

Day off the water for me today. Resting my knee. I was posted to filming duties.

Back on the water the next day, and back to Kanaha. I just took it easy, testing the strength of my knee. It wasn’t great, pretty unstable I crashed a lot. I decided to put on the helmet cam and do some ‘Follow cam’ filming.

I pulled up really well after my sail and decided to sail again the next day. My knew felt pretty strong now. I hit the water and sailed out to sea. Sailing out probably 2 or 3 km's off the beach pushing up wind so that I could make the ‘Uppers break’ at Kanaha in one run. I sailed a couple runs at Uppers, the conditions were ok.

At one point I was way out he back, gibing on a wave. I flicked the sail around and caught the boom. As I grabbed the boom the whole rig decided to lift 100% off my board. I dropped into the water with one foot in a strap and my hands still on the boom. Knowing if I dropped my rig I would never see it again. Some how the bolt the holds the Euro Pin into the universal joint sheared. Something that shouldn’t happen. But its really no surprise to me as I have proven to my self that I can break the unbreakable. At this point I’m a long way off shore. In deep blue water. Almost in the same spot where we had our shark experience earlier in the trip. So I definitely had a few things on my mind.

Luckily I managed to get Phil’s attention, as he sailed past in the distance. He came over and helped me de-rig my gear. Not an easy task in the water. I piled the gear on my board, and used my down haul to tie is all to the foot straps. I Also slid my harness around back to front so I could lye on my stomach and paddle in. This worked for a bit, but I was so far away from the beach it would taken hours to get back. So I grabbed Phil’s back foot strap and he towed me in. Easy as that sounds, its really really hard. Both for me holding on the strap and for Phil, trying to sail with a massive sea anchor dragging behind him. It was tough, but we did it. We swapped positions a couple times. The whole process took about an hour. We were both pretty rooted by the time we got to the beach. My day was over.

Its Wednesday the 19^th at this point, the final day in the water for Phil, Joel and Al. We sailed Sprecks. It was super windy to start with. I rigged a 3.7m sail. The smallest sail I’ve ever used, which was cool experience in it self. It was a fun day with all the boys ripping around enjoying the last of our Maui adventure. After sailing it was beers in the backyard, while the boys washed sails, de-strapped boards and packed everything ready to go back to sunny Melbourne.

The next morning we started early. Up at 4am, I drove the boys to the airport for the 6am flight. Then back home and back to bed for a couple hours. It was my final day on Maui and really the final day of my USA trip. I’ve been travelling around since the start of January, and as I sat at Anthony’s café in Paia sipping my espresso with a mixture of emotions. Sad for it all to be almost over, but stoked that everything worked out so well. I got to do so many awesome things that people really only get to read about in magazines. I’ve been living the dream for a little over 4 months now. Good feeling!

My flight out of Maui wasn’t until 8.30pm so I had time for one final sail. Not much swell I around, only wind swell. So back to Kanaha. Really windy again, I was on my 4.2m. I ripped around for a couple hours soaking up the last of the sun and warm water I’m going to see for a while. Then back home to pack my gear and get out to the airport.

See ya Maui, It was Awesome!! Ill be back very soon!!

North shore Maui – At this point the days just blend into each other

Well the wind kicked back in just over a week or so ago and hasn’t really let up since. We’ve been on the water every day and have gotten our self’s into a solid routine: Wake up between 10.30 and 11.00 am. Eat some breakfast, sit around for an hour. Off to the beach. Sail all day until about 6pm. Go home cook some food. Drink a couple beers while going through the days footage. In bed by about 1am. Then repeat.

Things haven’t swayed too far from this pattern over the last couple of weeks. Apart from the odd BBQ with friends.

There hasn’t been all that much swell around. We have seen a couple small pulses hit the North shore, but not producing anything more than 6ft waves at best.

We have been sailing a different beaches all over the North shore. When there are waves we sail at Ho’okipa, which is the best spot for wave sailing, and also the busiest. Today for example there were some waves, the bigger ones were a little over head height. There were around 30 people sailing the same break. Hectic!

Joel and I sharing a wave at Ho'okipa

Me right - Just finished riding my wave and Venezuelan sailor Diony doing an awesome one handed back loop

Arial - Me

Joel and I on another wave

When the wind is up we often stay local and sail at Sperecks beach, just across the road from our place. Specks is a great location for big jumps, with consistent cross shore wind and steep ramps to launch off of.

Another good spot is Kanaha beach park. Located right next to the airport. A popular beach for the older sailors because of the flat water and nice grassy rigging area. The outer reefs also provide some good waves for jumping and the odd wave ride. Kanaha as you might remember from my earlier posts is the beach where we had our shark encounter. So of course every time I fall off my board there I can only think about 1 thing.

A run-down of Maui's North shore and sailing spots

Yesterday the conditions at Ho’okipa were less than impressive. So Joel, Al and my self left the beach and sailed down wind to back to Sprecks, which is about 6.5km’s away. The down winder only took about 45 mins. I was a cool experience. The water is so clear! There were turtles all over the place. I even found my self at one point in the middle of a school of flying fish skipping across the water.

Once we reached Sprecks we sailed around for a few runs just before the wind dropped, and we had to float in. Good thing it didn’t happen a half hour earlier while we were sailing from Ho’okipa.

The course from Ho'okipa to Sprecks

Here are some more screen shots from my helmet cam footage

Bailing on a back loop attempt, you can see Joel just to my left also going for a backie

Going through the push loop - Yep, I landed that one

Table top

Things not going well

Swimming after my gear

Discussing moves

Big pushie, landed that one too.

3 days of windless Maui

We woke up on Saturday morning, the 1st of May to find it was totally calm outside. Not even a breath. Bummer.

It wasn't a total surprise, the forecast had been calling for the wind to drop out by the weekend. This is because the high pressure systems that sits just north of Hawaii and causes the trade winds moved south. The forecast was calling for the trades to start blowing again on Tuesday. With an added bonus for a 2.5m north swell arriving on the same day. None wind activities were needed to fill in the days.

Saturday 1^st: Just east of Sprecks where we are staying is Haiku. Haiku is more of a locals suburb rather than a place for tourists. Lots of farming properties scattered around the area. One of these properties are home to the Twin Falls. Which is a group of waterfalls and walking tracks. Really nice cool place to go and escape the heat of the day. With big trees and swimming pools to go and explore.

Feeling like we still needed to burn some energy we went back to Kahalui to rent some stand up paddle boards so we could go for a surf. It was about 5.45pm when we jumped into the water at Kanaha. The beach at Kanaha is normally the place where all the kites and slalom windsurfers go out, because there is a large lagoon like area in front of the waves that is almost a kilometer long. It took probably 20mins or so to paddle all the way out to the break, we also had to battle a 10knot head wind. Joel and I made it out first and caught a couple of pretty average waves. Phil was lagging about 5mins behind. When he finally joined us he got taken out by the first big bit of white water that he had tried to get over. As he fell of his leg rope also broke and took his board about 50m away from him. Joel and I paddled over to help him. I paddles to his board, and Joel went to Phil. Just as we reunite Phil with his board I notice the there is a huge turtle just behind Joel. We were all sitting within a couple meters of each other. Phil was still trying to re attach his leg rope when I got a little closer to inspect the turtle, when I notice that the turtles body was starting to look less and less like a turtle. I yell, “Shit, that’s not a turtle!” At this point I’m paddling backwards, Phil has managed to jump on his board. In a panic we all look back at the shadow to confirm is definitely a shark about 2m long thrashing around in the water looking a little aggravated. At one point it came strait for us and then turned sharply. We all paddled together to try and look bigger. I don’t think I ever paddled so fast in my life. So much so my left shoulder is still sore. It took about 12 or so mins to paddle in. SCARY! Later on after looking at some shark photos on the internet, we decide that what we saw in the water was a 2m Tiger shark. Not cool.

Sunday 2^nd: Started the day with a lazy paddle out the front of out place. Catching a few fun little 1ft waves, and more importantly getting back out on the water and confronting the shark fear.

Just having a stretch

Just after lunch we went to Lanes, a surf break just to the west of Ho’okipa for a surf on the stand up paddle boards. This was pretty fun, the waves were pretty fat so perfect for the SUP. The bigger waves were probably head high. The only problem was getting in and out of the water. On the way in I managed to jump on a sea urchin, getting a big spine in my heal and also slicing a good sized flap. Hmmm…

Later on we decided to drive up to Haleakala volcano to watch the sun set. The highest point on Maui just a little over 10,000ft. Pretty high! Amazing view very cold too.

Monday 3^rd: Early morning, up at 4am. In the van by 4.30 headed over to the Lahaina mariner over the west side Maui so that we could go fishing with the guys from Real Hooker fishing charters. Awesome day for it, not much wind and pretty calm seas, well for Maui standards anyway.

All 4 of us went out, we were lucky enough to get the whole boat to our self’s. Unfortunately we didn’t see too much action. We were blue water fishing, and I guess sometimes that’s just the way it is. We were after: Yellow fin tuna, Blue Marlin and Mahi Mahi.

I was the only one to see any action. I brought a nice 15kg Yellow fin tuna. Which was pretty cool, the biggest fish I have ever caught.

An littler later the deck hand prepared the freshest sashimi I have ever eaten.

Once we got home we feasted on the fresh fish. I made sushi rolls and Joel made some crunchy shallow fried tuna steaks.

Yellow fin tuna is going to be on the menu every night for the rest of the trip now. We have so much fish to get through!