Short Lived Weekend Swell

By Carlos Rock

Honolua Bay late Saturday afternoon. Photo: Carlos Rock.

Last weekend’s northwest swell topped out at 10 foot during its peak Friday, providing plenty of opportunities for surfers on Maui another chance to ride the big stuff.

Maui Now was told Honolua Bay was absolutely going off on Friday. Saturday saw plenty of leftover energy from the swell but it was clearly on the decline as the popular spots like Ho’okipa and Honolua Bay were still holding at 4-6 feet.

What was interesting about this swell was how small the window was when the waves would actually be good. Friday and Saturday were the best days by far of the swell with some leftovers come Sunday.

This swell also provided for three days of competition at the action-packed Reef Hawaiian Pro. Friday and Saturday were the best days of competition so far as the World Tour guys who have the higher seeds in the competition had to wait until the later rounds to surf and showcase their talent to the surfing world.

Tough heat? Photo: Carlos Rock.

By Sunday, the contest site was looking more like lake Haleiwa than the world famous rip current and toilet bowl closeout sections wave that you should be looking at.

But, that is just what separates surfing from many other sports. It is ultimately up to Mother Nature to bless the reefs again and again.

With the top guys on the World Tour making their way into the competition, some heat draws have produced some very incredible matchups that are sure to stir in some excitement for the spectators.

For example, Round 32 Heat 5 shows Hawaii’s own and current World #4 John John Florence is matched up with futuristic surfer and just-did-a-turn-that-the-commentators-were-deeming-needed-a-moment-of-silence Dane Reynolds, as well as Maui’s Dusty Payne and Kekoa Bacalso, another North Shore guy.

Oh and that turn, here it is. Dane Reynolds, 100%. Photo: Cestari/ASP.

This heat will most likely be one for the history books at the Reef Hawaiian Pro just based off of how much talent there will be in the four man heat. Look for competition to resume with the new swell.

Hopefully contest directors will also receive the cooperation of Mother Nature because the last couple days have seen flat conditions at Haleiwa forcing lay days.

There is a promising swell forecast for next weekend Thursday to Saturday with a decent north to continue the action.

Sunset over the West Maui mountains. Photo: Carlos Rock.

As surfers, living life swell-to-swell keeps you young at heart. Always anticipating what is yet to come, and being ready for anything makes each day there is a swell exciting and new.

At the same time, surfing conditions you to not be overly attached to surfing waves because once you catch it, there will be a point where you have to let it go, and seconds later, that wave of your life gets turned into a memory of a feeling and an experience rather than something you can hold in your hand or put up on a shelf.

Stay surfing my friends.