Feburary 9th 2008
Location: Hawaii, Northshore
It was huge, and i mean big, 10ft measured at the back of the wave. I stood with my family on the beach in awe of the pure force of the wave. I asked the evivitable question of my brother who had brought his surfboard and still hadn't got it wet.
"Going out simo?"
He turned to me and gave me an are you crazy look and shook his head. I totaly agreeded with his decision. I've never thought of surfing as an extreme sport and all those massive waves you see on TV make you go wow, but seeing it up close is something else. It was extreme.
" Theres about 60 people in that line up" Dad observed as we watched another massive set roll in. I don't know how long we stood there, it was transfixing.
Thats the great part about Hawaii's north shore in the winter, the swell and the endless amount of locals surfing the break. To get the the northshore we had hired a car, took insurance, and got a GPS. The unit was terrible and caused more stress than it relieved.
The purpose of this trip out to the other side of the island wasn't only to observe the surf. We had planned to visit Hanauma Bay - world famous location of elvis presily beach partys. You know those movies where he's a race car driver, a sailor or something random that seems manly, and they always seem to end with a party on some tropical beach that looks like a set, well, this is that beach, and it does look like a movie set.
Funnily enough its also a world class coral reef and snorkling location, and national park which requires that you watch an educational video before you get in. As the movie prattled on I turned to my brother and said
" You know we arent going to see any turtles right, they are probably extremely rare."
"Yeah - it would be nice though"
Thinking back on this now maybe it was the expectation that we were not going to see them that made it so special but as i watched a family of 3 turtles feed on and glide easelessly throught the dead looking coral reef i remember feeling like I had found my dinosaurs
