Poscards from Maui - Day 11

It’s nice to have a decent condo to rent, but it’s nicer to have the kind of weather to spend much of the day experiencing Hawai‘i outdoors. We’ve been blessed with a lot of outdoor time. This was another of those days for both of us, though we did it in different ways.

Our morning run was an extended surf check for me. Yep, everything, everywhere was going off. From reef breaks to shorebreaks to mutant slabs, it was all lit up. And even from a few miles off, it was apparent Honolua was maxing out. Not being interested in large crowds of local heavies, I gave Honolua a pass and opted to spend the late morning in the water right in front of our digs looking for a few good waves. I was richly rewarded. The break was occupied by surfers who preferred to go right. So I had the left-hander to myself. It didn’t come often, but when it did … And I enjoyed most agreeable company in the person of the great granddaddy honu (sea turtle) of Honokeana Bay.

Across that bay from where I surfed is Napili Point, offering a right (south side) and a left (north side). One or both of these is aptly named “hole in the head.”  The waves abruptly hit a shelf, jump up, and barrel.  Waves like these are called “slabs.” 

Looks promising. Punishment is possible.

It's as shallow as it looks.

Courtesies are not always extended.

There's getting shacked and there's getting worked: you CAN get caught inside.

 
There are beginner waves, intermediate waves, advanced waves, and then there are slabs. Slabs require a different approach: mental derangement coupled with extreme talent. Experience helps, but offers no guarantees. Pipeline is a slab. Teahupo'o is a more radical slab. Shipstern's Bluff is a slab that causes mutant demons to materialize out of nowhere.

A few days ago, when we were sipping wine at Merriman’s (on a point, surrounded on three sides by water), a particularly wicked slab dominated our view to the north. For example, waves cross the reef and collide at ninety degree angles, mimicking a checkerboard. The best hope for a ride breaks right over dry reef. Today, we went there for the sunset. And we noticed the slab had its own specialists. Two bodyboarders were ripping it to shreds. Just proves: no wave in Hawai‘i goes unridden.

Just before these photos were taken, we witnessed yet another amazing sunset: