The calendar says July which means I should be on 4.2 or 4.5 every day, consistently. Sure, I’ve used the 4.5 and 4.2 some this month, but typically in July it seems like that’s all I use and it’s pretty much the same conditions every day. Not so this year. Seems variety is the name of the windsurfing game this July on Maui.
Started off the week on 4th of July needing my 5.3 on an incredibly mellow sailing afternoon. Super steady breeze and brilliant sunshine. A picture-perfect sailing day by most windsurfer’s standards. Kanaha was super crowded with lots of BBQers out, grilling up all kinds of tasty-smelling grinds.
Despite a forecast for lighter wind on Monday, it was actually much stronger. Wasn’t expecting to sail but by late morning Kanaha was reporting numbers in the low 20s. At the beach it was still a bit onshore. Looked like 4.5, but factoring in the onshore nature of the wind I rigged 5.0. Perfect for the first hour. Spent the session up at Camp One, the only place at all with a tiny bit of wind swell breaking. By the end of the session the 5.0 was maxed out. Time for lunch anyway.
By the time I was done eating and ready to re-rig, wind had come up another notch. Glad I hadn’t rigged the 4.5 like I had been planning. Sand was blowing on the beach – a sure sign it’s 4.2 for me. That was mostly the right call, but winds were a bit flukey. There was brush fire just upwind in Paia and my theory is that that was generating some strange wind vortices near there and thereby messing with the wind.
Little bit of everything wind-wise on Maui on Wednesday. Could have used any given sail in my quiver at some point during the day and not in succession. Cranking 4.0 conditions at times, and light 5.7 at times. 5.0 was the right call for the 3pm session. Mostly powered for awhile then the wind started backing off down into the 5.7 range. Absolutely flat as far as waves go, even up at Camp One.
On Friday, I enjoyed a fun, well-powered 5.0 session up at Camp One – the only place with any swell breaking. Fun backside and an occasional down-the-line hit on some pretty smooth, mostly waist-high stuff. Very, well powered on 5.0. Spectacular, hot and sunny weather. After a short lunch break, re-rigged down to 4.5. Wind had definitely built but also turned a bit more onshore. A bit gustier and holier than earlier. 4.5 was the right call, but not quite as fun as the earlier session. Didn’t make it up to Camp One – tide had changed and the wave set-up wasn’t as favorable.
If the week was atypical, the weekend was even more so. Light and flukey winds dominated both Saturday and Sunday and to top it off we had an unusual out of season north swell. I heard that Hookipa was head-high yesterday, but heard the wind was super flukey with tales of people having to swim in. What’s more, the next few days are setting up to look pretty light. According to the National Weather Service Forecast Office:
AN UNUSUAL MID-SUMMER FRONT NORTHEAST OF THE ISLANDS WILL HELP KEEP TRADE WINDS WEAKER THAN NORMAL THROUGH THURSDAY….
This being Maui, I wouldn’t rule out the chance that Maui will work it’s wind magic and provide some sailable wind somewhere. So, if you’re here on your windsurfing vacation don’t despair. But keep an eye on Kihei, since it often gets the strongest winds in these types of patterns.
