This is how the Waiehu side looked in the early morning. Huge respect to those kids that were ripping out there, that looked like hell to me.
This is Subs, the most outer peak of Honolua Bay, the only one catching the easterly swell.
This photo illustrates the poor conditions due to the onshore northerly wind.
I ended up surfing Fleming instead. It was fun, but mostly because it was my first surf there. One spot less off the list.
I timed it so that I could get another short sesh in before work and here we are again on the Waiehu side.
Chris Pagdilao looks pretty solid on that one.
Jason Hall backdoors a chandelier section trimming the speed down with a double arm grab.
His bonzer board appears to be really fast. Here's Dave Kalama and his son Austin checking out the bottom of it. Photo by Jason Hall.
I only had 40 minutes and my heat strategy was to be patient, sit on the outside for a really good one and call it. Which is exactly what I did and, despite falling on the closing maneuver, I gave myself a 10 for that one.
Had a great buzz going through all my work shift, after which I went back out again.
Didn't do as good, but had an excellent workout. When big, that spot should be called Thousand Paddles (quoting guy in the parking lot).
Lester is out of the way and not making waves for us anymore. Thanks for the goods. I love hurricanes when they only bring waves.
Buoy readings 4am.
NW
14.3ft @ 14s from 97° (E)
I'm posting this one just to show the size of the swell Lester is still producing up there. But we're not gonna be hit by that new energy.
Pauwela
4.6ft @ 10s from 56° (ENE)
4.3ft @ 11s from 66° (ENE)
We are still being hit by the energy generated yesterday during Lester's pass north of us though. That's a fun size from a direction that hits Hookipa well. So both north and east shore will still have waves today, even though with a downward trend all day.
We are still being hit by the energy generated yesterday during Lester's pass north of us though. That's a fun size from a direction that hits Hookipa well. So both north and east shore will still have waves today, even though with a downward trend all day.
Lanai
1.7ft @ 13s from 229° (SW)
1.1ft @ 7s from 197° (SSW)
0.8ft @ 9s from 192° (SSW)
0.4ft @ 22s from 211° (SW)
Wondering what we're gonna surf tomorrow when the hurricane swell will be gone? Check that lovely 22s reading at the Lanai buoy and smile...
Wondering what we're gonna surf tomorrow when the hurricane swell will be gone? Check that lovely 22s reading at the Lanai buoy and smile...
Below is the Sotuh Pacific map of August 29. The very strong fetch SE of New Zealand is responsible for that very long period energy registered at the Lanai buoy. 6 days of travel instead of the usual 7 despite the very long distance, since the longer the period the faster the waves travel.
The period of a swell is a function mostly of the travel time (it increases as it travels) and the wind speed of the generating fetch. The pressure in the middle of that low is 936 mb and that means hurricane force winds.
0.4f are going to be barely noticeable though, so expect the swell to rise tomorrow. Because of the long travel time, south swell always rise and decline much slower than closer generated NW swells. They are also remarkably slow at the onset. The more they travel, the more the fastest period sets separate themselves from the shorter period ones and at the very beginning of a far generated swells it's only them arriving to the shore. Later on there will be more of a mix of periods. The 20+s (for example) ones from the back of the fetch will have caught up with the 16+s ones from the front of the fetch and the frequency of arrivals will be higher.
Below is the graph of the Samoa buoy. I should have saved it yesterday to show the rise of the swell, but it's good to know that it was 4f 16s down to still 4f 14s in the past couple of days. Take a couple of feet off because of the energy loss and there you have it.
A long lasting south swell after a double hurricane punch... not too shabby of a way of waiting for the winter.
Wind map shows a very weak NW fetch, a windswell one and a solid Tasman Sea one. As usual, that'll do even better for us once it moves on the other side of New Zealand. Surfline forecasts the peak of the related swell at 3f 15s on Thursday Sept 15th. And there should be another one after this.
So it looks like the south swells will save us from the flatness/smallness of the north shore (starting tomorrow) for the first half of the month.
That's good to know, but enjoy your day in the water without worrying too much about the future, because the moment is now.
The local wind is always the most critical part of the morning call. If the MC2km maps would be updated at the time I do it, it would be a lot easier. You guys can always check them later (link n.17 on the right ), this is the less reliable windity closeup at 2pm. 12 knots is not too high of a speed, but 80 degrees is a direction that gets amplified a lot by the Haleakala, so there's hopes for wind related sports. More at Hookipa than at Kanaha due to the easterly direction, as the picture clearly shows.
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