Another Week of Solid Swell

By Carlos Rock

Kelly Slater screen shot on a Pipe bomb! Photo: Carlos Rock.

Surfers are in for another week of solid swells as the North Pacific keeps pumping them out.

Hawaii has always been known to light up later in the season, even in the summer. That’s why the beginning of the winter season was so slow, minus the first huge Jaws swell in October that no-one saw coming.

But now that March is here, and the swells keep pulsing, surfers are left wondering if the best is still yet to come. By now, everyone should have had their fill of great rides this winter because the north shore has been going off for the past three months.

Could it get any better? It helps to have goals.

Did you get spit out of a barrel? Did you stomp your first air? Did you do your first reverse? Did you surf Jaws? Or have you just refined that cutback?

Whatever the case, this winter has been awesome. Not deathly huge the whole time, but enough to keep the adrenaline flowing and your leashes in check.

(Click to enlarge.)

The work week will see waves in the HUGE range, so the wrap around from the swell will see other spots of the island produce great waves.

The recent run of incredibly windy conditions coupled with the full moon have brought in Portuguese man-o-wars. If you are not familiar with these creatures, they are basically a jellyfish with one long tentacle. If you come in contact with one, it’ll sting the s*** out of you. They have a sail that sticks above the water to be floated around, and when it is windy, they get washed up along east facing shores.

The tentacle could also wrap around your arm or leg and sting you multiple times. Nasty little things. Seeing a number of these guys washed up on the shore kept some surfers out of the water, despite the waves being OK from an east swell.

Portuguese man-o-war. Photo: Joel Morin.

Meanwhile, the first event of the ASP World Tour started today with the Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast so be sure to catch the live webcast to see Hawaii’s hope for a world title John John Florence and Maui boy Dusty Payne hold it down with all the big boys.

Or just get out in the water and catch a few waves. The weekend could see Kona winds return as well.

The late winter and all of the pros down in Australia has left the north shore of Oahu uncrowded. For the least crowded north shore waves all winter, this is the time to try your hand at the seven mile miracle.