PHOTOS: The Butterfly Effect 2012 Women’s Paddle

By Madeline Ziecker

Women of The Butterfly Effect 2012 at Baldwin Beach Park. Photo by Giora Koren.

What better way to spend a summery Saturday on Maui than at the beach surrounded by swarms of women, all of whom are high on adrenaline, in bikinis, and constantly smiling?

Nearly 200 women gathered at Baldwin Beach Park on Saturday, May 19 for The Butterfly Effect 2012, an annual women’s water movement community paddle founded by Maui “aquaholic” Tatiana Howard and organized in part by Surfrider Foundation – Maui Chapter.

The all-day event began at 8 a.m. at Paia Bay Coffee, where ladies registered for the non-competitive downwinder and took advantage of $1 coffees until 9 a.m.

Registration was followed by a quick Baldwin Beach Park community cleanup and a paddle warm-up session with local pro-paddler Talia Gangini at 10 a.m.

The Butterfly Effect 2012 participants at Kanaha Beach Park. Photo by Madeline Ziecker.

Women of all ages gathered around a large, butterfly-shaped floral display to do yoga stretches, meditate, bond with fellow paddlers, and watch Tatiana Howard ceremoniously release a handful of Monarch butterflies. Just before paddlers took to the water’s edge to start the anticipated downwinder, a helicopter swooped down on the beach to dump piles of fresh bougainvillea flowers on the amped-up crowd.

Women Butterfly Effect paddlers leaving Baldwin Beach Park. Photo by Madeline Ziecker.

At 11 a.m., spectators had a sight to behold as women gathered their gear and headed to sea for the 3-mile paddle that would bring them to Kanaha Beach Park for refreshments and talking story throughout the afternoon.

Though the Baldwin-Kanaha downwinder was the highlight of the event, The Butterfly Effect celebration didn’t end there. Thee Salon hosted a The Butterfly Effect variety fashion show at 6 p.m. with silk dancing, fire hula hooping, live music, and a catwalk from models dressed in pieces by local designers.

One thing to understand about women, especially athletes – when they commit to something, they usually mean it. The Butterfly Effect women and friends were so devoted to having fun that they dragged their very tired, high-heel-constricted feet to Charley’s at 9 p.m after the fashion show to keep the party going with DJ Jay P. and DJ Boomshot on the dance floor.

View of The Butterfly Effect 2012 paddlers entering the water at Baldwin Beach Park. Photo by Giora Koren.	A helicopter dumping flowers down on the beach. Photo by Madeline Ziecker.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD Photo by Madeline Ziecker.	Photo by Madeline Ziecker.
Photo by Madeline Ziecker.	The Butterfly Effect founder Tatiana Howard. Photo by Madeline Ziecker.
Photo by Madeline Ziecker.	ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD Photo by Madeline Ziecker.
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Photo by Madeline Ziecker.	The Butterfly Effect women reaching for flowers that fall from a helicopter above. Photo by Madeline Ziecker.