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The Christmas Swell – a relative success
Since we already had another swell (The New Years Swell), the previous Christmas swell feel like it was quite some time ago. But, I had this wonderful experience at my favorite windsurf spot, that I need to share. The waves were not in any ways XL, but they were large, maybe 8-10 foot…. maybe little bit more. Hookipa was closing out and there were no surfer or windsurfer out. A little to big for the surfers and to light for the windsurfers. The wind was very much off-shore so I drove down to Kuau, where the waves are a little bit more exposed to off shore wind, compared to Hookipa.
Down at the launching spot the whole local crew was gathered. It was the first time I saw them since my arrival to the island. When I came walking with my board in one hand and the sail, mast and boom in the other, the comments started coming: ”Aha, now the real entertainment starts”. I was both happy to see them all, but when nobody even had tried to get out, I was not that very sure about myself. Mike, one of the more experienced locals, had actually been out, but the wind had dropped. He looked relived he had made it back safe and sound. He looked in my eyes and said: The swell is bigger than it looks, it’s really east and it gets trickier then. OK, most of the guys was really haggling me, and Mike gave me that serious advice, or rather a warning. But then Miki showed up with his gear. Miki is famous for his suicidal approach to big waves. He asked me if I was going out: Sure! I half lied. Anyhows, it felt like I had no real choice, and it would be so nice to just walk down there and show the boys how it is done, only problem was that I was very very unsure of if I could do just that.
Miki went out first. Slogged out to impact zone, fell straight away, too little wind to water start, the rip drag him down to Tavara bay. My turn: Slogged out to impact zone – relatively flat – good timing in between sets, but more important – I got a gust – and could shot straight out!
Wonder what the boys on the beach said now? They sail here all year around and love the bigger days. Here comes this Swedish tourist and on first big day show them…. I got excited!
I just could not help myself from jibing on the last wave of the first set that meet me on the way out. Good positioning, a very well formed big wave, I went early, set the rail raced down the line, bottom-turn up the face, still plenty of time, cut back on top (but not at or over the top), raced down… and here I should of course have dropped of the wave, but I had gotten cocky, I cranked a cut-back as had as I could, a little bit of free falling down to bottom, wave closed out behind me. I was lucky enough to still be quite far up-wind and could step up in front of the mast and ride the foam/reform upwind. I almost made it back to the channel, tacked and worked myself up-wind on the inside back to outside mamas. There I tried to sneak out again for at least 45 minutes. I do not know how many chicken jibes and tacks I did. Frank (another of the locals, not as skilled as Mike or Miki, but still experienced) came out and joined me. He fell pretty straight away and the rip and dragged him down all the way to Tavara bay (long swim and then walk back). I did a few more attempts of getting out, but tried to be very sure of not falling just inside the impact zone where the rip is super strong. I never made it out again.
I did have one very good wave and a very good work out, and maybe most important, the locals was maybe not silenced, but they got another tone of voice when I came in. Tom actually felt quite bummed, even a few days later when we all had a super fun day when the Christmas swell had backed down a few feet and the trade filled in a few knots. All in all – a super fun Christmas swell and my windsurfing is not as rusty as I was afraid of!
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