Crowded Line-ups for Larger 2nd Swell of Winter

 By Carlos Rock

Surfer finds the tube. Photo: Chris Hisamoto.

Sunday, the ocean was alive at Honolua Bay on the upper west side of Maui as a bigger and better swell woke her out of summer slumber.

The second swell of the winter showed up right on schedule, reaching surf heights of up to 8ft plus on the sets. With this info in mind, many of the surfers on the island flocked to not only the best wave on Maui, but also one the best waves on the planet.

Perfectly situated on the upper west side past the Ritz, Honolua Bay is a geographical miracle that surfers tend to benefit the most from. The reef hugs the northwest swells against the cliffs and produce exceptional waves all the way down the point.

But great waves also produce one thing, crowds. Everyone had the same idea knowing the size of the swell, and how other spots would be too big to surf.

Basically, everyone wanted a piece of Honolua that day, and for good reason.

“Maybe we should go somewhere else.” Crowds at the Bay. Photo: Chris Hisamoto.

There were plenty of great waves on offer for those in the right spot and the ones that have the place on lock down. It is at this spot that many tube riders are put to the test, as the surfers negotiate barrel sections and dodge 100 other people in the water just wanting you to fall so they can get a good wave.

It’s fun to surf amazing waves, life changing even, but add 100+ other people, and the line-up becomes unbearable. And if you are not aggressive to catch waves, you won’t get any.

The magic of Honolua is best experienced in the water. It will keep you coming back for more year after year, putting in some extra miles on the car, and a few extra seconds getting barreled.

“Did you see that one I got?” Photo: Chris Hisamoto.

However, seeing someone else get a great wave is almost as good as getting one yourself. The best waves on offer by Mother Nature were on lock down, patrolled by a solid pack of guys sitting at the Cave section. There are two reasons why they call it that – use your imagination.

This swell is forecasted to linger into Monday, as it will slowly fade out. This winter is predicted to produce El Nino weather conditions similar to past winters. These weather patterns churned out swell after swell keeping surfers sunburned and smiling the entire winter long.