PHOTOS: Summer Surf’s Up on the West Side

By Madeline Ziecker

Photo by Madeline Ziecker.

For the official First Day of Summer on Wednesday, June 20 several Maui surfers found themselves at west side surf spot Launiupoko Beach Park.

Waves came in with a decent south-west swell at about 3-4 ft consistently throughout the day. Winds were light so many of the surfers, stand-up paddle surfers, and boogie boarders who entered Launiupoko’s warm waters had a day of nice rides without interference from unwelcome gusts.

A couple surfers who chanced the beach park’s “Shark Pit” got sea urchin spikes in their feet on their way out – but overall, surfers returned to shore with sandy grins; with or without spiky gifts from the ocean.

Photo by Madeline Ziecker.

Some rested the entire day along the Lahaina coast, spending hours alternating between surfing bliss and beach barbecues.

Now that summer has officially begun and surf is picking up on the west side, there are many more long, sunny days ahead at Launiupoko for Maui’s surfers this season.

A surfer paddling out at Launiupoko’s “Shark Pit.”  Photo by Madeline Ziecker.	ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD View of west side waves from the highway. Photo by Madeline Ziecker.
A surfer at Launiupoko. Photo by Madeline Ziecker.	Photo by Madeline Ziecker.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD Photo by Madeline Ziecker.	Photo by Madeline Ziecker.
Photo by Madeline Ziecker.	A grom rips up some 3-footers at Launiupoko. Photo by Madeline Ziecker.