Windy Days are Back

Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 8:30 pm HST

Been pretty windy the last few days. Monday was well powered 4.2 for me, pretty bumpy water, not much waves. Tuesday, a little lighter - 4.7. Nuking conditions returned today along with a bit of north swell. I stopped by Hookipa to check out the action there and got some photos and video. Some nice sets were coming in at Hookipa and it wasn't even that crowded. I'll have some footage up of that soon.

Wind should hold for another few days. After that the forecast is a little uncertain. Could remain windy or it could turn light. We'll have to wait and see.

Kanaha Fires

Sunday, April 27, 2008 at 8:30 am HST

Wind came up stronger than I predicted yesterday and teamed up with a nice north swell to make for some firing conditions. Even though I didn't think it would get windy yesterday I kept me eye on the graph. By mid-afternoon it was holding steady with averages around 20, so we headed to the beach.

The park was pretty crowded again, but not as bad as last weekend. Wind was pretty onshore and looked lighter than I exptected. I went with 5.7 and even had to work that a bit at times - a bit too light for my personal taste. I ended up at Lowers - didn't really have the power to get to Uppers. Lowers was firing with lots of fun logo-high, and bigger, sets. Lots of people. Not sure what was up with Hookipa but there were lots of Hookipa regulars at Lowers, making for crowded waves.

LA Conditions on Maui

Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 9:15 am HST

If you were plopped down on Maui the last few days and didn't know any better, you'd probably think you were in Los Angeles. Light winds have meant, the volcanic haze, vog, from the Big Island is saturating the island chain, turning the sky a hazy brown. Yuck!

Light winds, under 10 knots, have prevailed since Wednesday and it looks like today is going to be a repeat. Trade winds are supposed to start coming back online some time this weekend, but my prediction is that we won't see sailable wind and clearer skies until tomorrow. Once they are back, it looks like the trade winds will probably stick around through the upcoming work week.

Back to Light Sea Breezes

Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 3:15 pm HST

We got a couple more days of trades Monday and Tuesday, Monday still fairly windy, but not quite as gusty as the weekend and lighter winds yesterday that just kept getting lighter as the day went on.

Today we've got light conditions. The high pressure ridge has settled in on top of us which sets up a pattern of light onshore sea breezes during the daytime and offshore land breezes at night. Expect this pattern to stick around for a few days and then on Saturday we should start seeing the trade winds filter back in. We seem to be in a pattern of 4 or 5 days of trades and 3 or 4 with light wind lately.

As I mentioned in the last post, Sunday was a big photo shoot day for Team North at Kanaha. Big photo shoots like this are often amusing. One example of this on Sunday was North rider Nick Baker towing Conner Baxter. I didn't have my camera with me at the time, but local Kanaha regular Steve Robinson snapped a few pics and sent them. Thanks Steve!

Busy Weekend

Sunday, April 20, 2008 at 4:30 pm HST

After a few light days of wind last week, the trade winds returned on Friday with beautiful steady winds in the low 20s. It was a great afternoon for freeride and slalom sailing, no waves to speak of except some small wind swell at Camp One.

This weekend at Kanaha was about as busy as it can get. Fanatic has been doing their photo shoot and now North was out in force too - new gear all over the place lots of big sails blasting around at Uppers with a helicopter following them. The weekend also brought out the local picnicers and the local windsurfers plus there's a lot of visiting windsurfers on island right now. Anyone questioning the effect of north shore vacation rentals on Maui windsurfing tourism need only stop by Kanaha. It's jam packed and parked out.

Sailing this weekend was pretty gusty and bumpy in my opinion. We had a moderate north swell but it was pretty junky and bumpy at Uppers, slightly better at Lowers but more sporadic. Hookipa has been a little better with logo-high conditions and still lots of pros out maximizing their time training for the tour.

Looks like another day or two of trades then they take a break for a few days, but should be back next weekend probably.

Hookipa Photo Shoot Frenzy Video

Thursday, April 17, 2008 at 3:30 pm HST

Hookipa delivers the goods as Kauli Seadi, Robby Swift, Jason Polakow, Alex Mussolini, John Skye, Kevin Pritchard, Robby Naish and many more show off the new 2009 gear for the photographers in the water, in helicopters and on the bluff.

Hookipa Photo Shoot Frenzy Video

This video didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. Too much other work is piling up so I had to just call it good enough for now. Maybe I'll do an extended remix later this summer on some of these that I slapped togther before they were fine-tuned.

Wind report - wind has gone super light today. We're socked in with clouds and stagnant air. Things should start to improve tomorrow and trades should be back online by Saturday.

Hookipa Photoshoot Photo Frenzy

Wednesday, April 16, 2008 at 6:30 pm HST

Didn't get a chance to go down and sail yesterday and conditions were a bit on the light side today. So, no sailing report, but here's a little photo essay of Monday's action at Hookipa. Still editing video from that - might have that ready tomorrow night.

Hookipa Photos

Monday, April 14, 2008 at 9:00 pm HST

Went to Hookipa this morning to shoot some photos and videos. Got a bunch of video and a few photos. Here's first batch of photos. Video to come in a few days...

Went to Kanaha after Hookipa. Super light on the inside due to very offshore winds. Super windy on the outside - maxed out on my 4.2. Big, meaty, bumpy waves at Uppers - close period, lots of waves doubling up. Pretty wild. I didn't bother with Lowers. It looked way too light down there.

Starboard Photo Shoot Video

Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 5:30 pm HST

Video of some of the Starboard photo shoot yesterday. Some freestyle, some freeride and some tandem sailing.

Starboard Photo Shoot Video

Today's sailing report; some really nice wave riding at Lowers, 4.7 for me for awhile until the wind came up. Uppers was bigger, but compared to Lowers just wasn't settting up nearly as well today. I hear Hookipa was zoo with photo shoots going on there. Thought about going and checking it out after sailing, but the sky got hazy and squally and I figured the lighting would be terrible. Maybe tomorrow.

Gusty Days

Sunday, April 13, 2008 at 8:30 am HST

Couple of pretty gusty days Friday and yesterday. Sailed Sugar Cove on Friday. Wind was anywhere from 4.2 to 5.3 for me. 4.7 ended up working the best. It was kind of nice to get away from the Kanaha crowds for a day. Sailed up to Secrets looking for a wave, but it wasn't really happening there. Even Spartans wasn't breaking. There were some small breakers at Sprecks, good for jumping. Lots of people were down there throwing back-, push-, and forward-loops.

The plan yesterday was to go to Sugar Cove again, but the wind was really easterly yesterday and Sugar Cove is super wind-shadowed when the wind turns really east. So, we ended up at Kanaha.

Kanaha was packed, lots of vacationing windsurfers, local weekend warriors, local picnicers and all of Team Starboard doing a photo shoot. I grabbed the video camera and tripod and shot a few minutes of the Starboard photo shoot action. Got tired of getting sandblasted though so I rigged up my 4.7 and headed up to Uppers.

Wind was super gusty again and the water was hellaciously choppy. There were some sets rolling in at Uppers, but often at weird confused angles and directions. After half an hour I decided it was just too nasty and headed in.

After watching more of the photo shoot I noticed that Lowers was breaking pretty nicely and that there weren't that many people on it, so I decided to give Lowers a try. Turned out to be pretty sweet. The waves at Lowers were setting up pretty nice - shoulder- to head-high and it wasn't quite as gusty as before. Got lots of nice rides, but then the wave started getting more crowded again so went up to check out Uppers again.

Much windier up at Uppers. Amazing how a few hundred meters upwind it can be so much windier than Lowers. Got some good rides there too, head- to logo-high, but again, the direction was kind of weird there so it was often a crap shoot in wave selection. Lots of waves doubling up and coming in at unpredictable directions. Still a fun session though.

So, today is looking like it's shaping up to be another windy one. Looking at the bouys, it looks like we've got a good size north swell running right now, so it could be a pretty good day. Stay tuned for footage from the Starboard photo shoot some time in the next day or two.

Oh, almost forgot. I got this super cool comment from a guy in Spain yesterday:

Hi, i,ve been following your blog for the last 6 months or so, i started when i first planned to spend my just married trip in maui, and so i did from march the 23th to 31, i,m 36 and i windsurf since i was 14 years old, Maui is very far from spain and for me its been not less that a dream come true. I, d like you to know i am very thankfull for your efforts in order to keep updated your blog, that helped me to find out how thinks work there, ¿were you the guy with an ezzy sail and a tabou board? if so, i think we shared some nice sesións in kanaha. Anyway, your blog is a window that shows up a view of whats going on in "all around the world windsurfers capital" please keep on doing such a great job, there is many people out here that reads what you write.
Alberto

Thanks Alberto for the very kind words. Must have been another Tabou rider that you shared your sessions with though, I'm on Gaastra not Ezzy.

Butterfly Effect 2008

Friday, April 11, 2008 at 10:30 am HST

Last April, Tatiana Howard established the first annual Butterfly Effect, a women's downwinder from Hookipa to Kanaha. Last year's event took place in howling winds. Despite it being a women's only event, I tagged along last year with my wife - I didn't want her to get to do the downwinder before me.

This year, I think maybe I'll focus on getting some video and photos of them launching and sailing at Hookipa, then head downwind in the van and maybe stop off at some of the beaches along the way and see if I can get some video of them from the beach. Anyway, if you're interested or know someone who might be, here's the details that they just sent out via email:

Hi Everyone!

Its been a year already since the first Butterfly Effect started here on Maui. During this past year the Butterfly Effect has traveled to Brazil, New Zealand and Australia! Each one has been tons of fun.

Now, its time for the 2nd Annual Butterfly Effect! It will be held on Saturday, April 19th. Attached is a flyer and schedule of the day. We will be having Anthony's Coffee at 10:00 AM at Ho'okipa, a warm up directed by Maria Souza, a great all women down winder, Flatbread pizza at Kanaha, Dakine and Naish gifts, a Big $5 donation Raffle, free windsurf and stand up paddle clinics by Anne Marie Reichman, Tiffany Ward and Maria Bela, after party pupus and drinks at the Naish Pro Center, and tons of fun all day!!
Be sure to mark your calendar to remember this fun day.

Much aloha to you all,

Tatiana Howard and Juliana Farias

P.S. Guys are invited to join us girls in the after sailing fun at Kanaha!

See down the details SCHEDULE:

10:00 AM – All participates meet at Ho'okipa for Anthony's Coffee and sign up
( even if you're going to launch from Sprecks, meet at Ho'okipa first)

10:30 AM- Warm-up by Maria Souza
(Professional Atheletic Trainer)

11:00 AM- Group photo and 1st group launch from Ho'okipa

12:00 PM- Sprecks: photos and meet up with the 2nd group

12:30 PM – Leave Sprecks and continue down-winder to Kanaha

1:00 PM- Meet at Kanaha for Flatbread Pizza and ending ceremony with gifts, prizes and
a $5 donation Raffle

2:00 PM – Windsurf and Paddle Board for beginners Clinic at Upper Kanaha directed by Anne- Marie Reichman, Tiffany Ward and Maria Bella

3:00 PM – Equipment Shuttle to Ho'okipa and Sprecks
( Please RSVP for this)

4:00 PM – Pupus and Drinks at Naish Pro Center

*1st Group is recommended to be advanced and very comfortable in the water
Windsurf- completing jibes at least 50% and can sail down wind
Kite surf- able to kite down wind
Stand Up- comfortable with the distance
*2nd Group is recommended to be at a intermediate level
Windsurf- in foot straps and harness and working on jibes
Kite surf- able to kite down wind
Stand Up- comfortable with distance
* This down winder is for fun and we take no responsibility, so make sure you feel comfortable in the water.
If in doubt don't go out!

PLEASE SEND US EMAIL AT butterflyeffectmaui@gmail.com with:
- Name? Nationality? Sport?
- Where do you think you will launch?
Hookipa or Sprecks?
- Do you want to be a part of the beginner's clinic of Windsurf or Stand Up?
- What are your goals for the downwinder?


Organized by: Tatiana Howard and Juliana Farias

April Showers

Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 8:00 pm HST

Rained most of the day yesterday and just about everywhere on the island from what I could tell.

Today started out cloudy, but without rain at least. Midday, Kanaha started teasing with readings in the mid-teens. By 1:00 it had hit 20 for average - enough to lure me down. On arrival I found lighter wind than I expected and more onshore as well. Rigged up the 5.7 anyway. Almost enough - probably would have been with a different board. Lots of people were out on the water making it work, but I've got a slow-to-plane (but really turny) big wave board, so I had to really work it. Good to get on the water again nonetheless and the forecast for tomorrow and the next few days is for the wind to build.

Transition

Tuesday, April 8, 2008 at 6:40 pm HST

The last couple of days continued the trend of predominantly north winds, making Kihei the best option for planing. Today was a transition day as the upper level trough that's been causing the recent weather moved over Maui on it's westward trek. The day started out with light south winds, but by afternoon there were some northeast winds showing up at Kanaha that were temptingly close to sailable - upper teens for average.

The official forecast for tomorrow is for light winds and for trades to show up on Thursday and build into the weekend. But after today's wind at Kanaha, I think Maui may be a bit ahead of that schedule and we might see sailable winds tomorrow.

Maui Wave Exotica Video

Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 11:10 am HST

Latest video episode. Footage from this is from March 27 at Hookipa, featuring the usual Hookipa suspects; Robby Naish, Kevin Pritchard, Levi Siver, Kauli Seadi and others. Tried a couple of different things with this one. Credit for the idea goes to Hookipa regular, Jazz, who had the idea for the slow motion and stop action aspects related to this particular song. If you like it, credit goes to Jazz for the idea. If you don't, blame goes to me for execution of the idea. Thanks for the idea Jazz!

Maui Wave Exotica Video

Wind has continued to be a bit light on the north shore. We're still getting mostly north winds thanks to an upper level low parked nearby. It's been sailable in Kihei. I got a report yesterday from Matt K. that Team Starboard was out in force at the pavilions park in Kihei with lots of insane freestyle and fast slalom blasting.

Not sure what the wind is going to do today. It has dropped in Kihei, and the north shore is teasing, but staying just below sailable threshold for me. It's now looking like it will be Wednesday or Thursday before more typical trade winds will kick back in. Till then, it's a teasing game of wait and see if the wind comes up, and if so where.

Comments

Robby's Rocket Air! Winds are awaiting my visit on the 14th!! They will blow for 31 days...
bigG

Trades Slack Off

Friday, April 4, 2008 at 9:00 am HST

Well after about 20 days in a row of moderate to strong trade winds, winds eased up on Wednesday and Thursday. I had actually planned to take a day off from sailing on Wednesday to let my tendonitis-ridden shoulder and elbow rest a bit, so I was fine with the wind being light. I think it was probably still sailable in Kihei possibly both yesterday and today, but the north shore could only manage average winds in the mid teens.

Winds today are predominantly out of the north so far which may indicate another Kihei day, but they may clock around to the more normal direction as the day goes on. In fact the forecast is for the trades to return to their more normal east-northeast direction this weekend. Good timing since we've got another north swell forecast to arrive sometime later today and tomorrow. Also good timing for all the board and sail brands here for the annual photoshoot fest. If you're not familiar with that, all those great photos from the equipment manufacturers that you see in the magazines and brochures, most get shot here on Maui in April. So, we'll be seeing lots of team riders, lots of 2009 gear, lots of helicopters buzzing around Kanaha, Camp One, Sprecks, Hookipa. It's kind of amazing to see all the staging that goes into these things. So, hopefully I'll be getting some photos and videos of the spectacle to post here over the next few weeks.

Speaking of video, I'm hoping to get a chance today and tomorrow to put the finishing touches on the next video. Should have a new video from Hookipa posted here some time on Sunday. Trying some new things with this one so it will be a little different.

Also new, if you haven't noticed on the right side of the home page, Windsurfing Talkstory is now available here on this website and recent episodes are availble as a podcast on iTunes. You can either subscribe on iTunes and listen on your iPod or just go to the Talkstory page, click on a link to a show and listen on your computer. As new shows become available, I'll make them available in iTunes.

Slalom Photos

Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 7:30 pm HST

Photos of slalom practice yesterday at Kanaha. The same bunch, plus a few others were out again today blasting around the bouys at Kanaha.

The 4.2 got a rest today. Winds backed off just a bit - nicely powered 4.7 was the call.

A friend forwarded an email to me today from his sister who stumbled onto this site..."I thought I'd take a mini-vacation and I Googled "windsurfing Maui" and found mauiwindsuring.net. They had a video of windsurfers riding waves at Hookipa last Thursday. It was quite the video and provided a nice mini-vacation."

Very cool. It's great to get comments like this from people. Another site regular, Brian from Vancouver, is visiting on Maui now and expressed the same sentiment. It's pretty gratifying to hear that this site provides a brief respite from winter and the daily grind.