Author Topic: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report  (Read 403325 times)

covesurfer

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1936
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1350 on: April 09, 2015, 01:22:59 AM »
Wish I would have taken the GoP out today but a little of that stuff goes a long way for me. If I could change the POV easily, especially while underway, I'd be more inclined to take the camera with. But shooting tons of stuff, always from the same point of view, I get bored with it (no pun intended) and it ends up all looking the same - only the clothing changes.

Good trades were in the afternoon forecast and A-squared, the Road Warrior, is visiting from the PNW. So I signed on for the 1pm shuttle. Thought about taking my boat as it was cloudy and iffy as late as noon. But, it was raining so hard at our house, I didn't want to hassle with loading it and my board was already on the car in the garage and ready to roll. I wouldn't even have to get wet. As I drove down the hill, the rain let up and it started looking windier and less cloudy upstream. Things might be good afterall.

Shuttle was almost full but I was the only one that was going standup. Everyone else was in an OC1. Except Art and DK, who were going in Dave's 2-man. Wasn't all that excited to know I was going to paddle the run alone but that's how it was going to be. And, I was super stoked to be going on another Maliko run, even if it meant paddling by me own self. Headmount and some of the other guys had headed to the south side but I was up for the wild and wooly again. Maliko is so addicting. Plus, I learned to live by the old 'don't leave wind to find wind' adage a long time ago.

Wind was looking good on the way up. When we got to the gulch, Ralf was hanging out by his truck with his downwind board, waiting for conditions to get good. Which, apparently, they did, just about the time the shuttle arrived. For a brief second, I thought, cool, someone to paddle with! But then, reality hit. Ralf hammers me. Always. On my very best days, meaning rarely, I can sometimes keep Ralf in sight. On those days, he'll only get about a mile out front. So, I was still going to be paddling mostly alone. At least I could start out with Ralf.

I had one of the slowest runs in quite a while but it was mega fun. Huge east windswell was running, wind was really good, 15 to 25 had been forecast and that's what Maliko delivered. There was some nasty surface chop running along too and it was what I'd call a very technical day. There were some epic drops, great linked up glides but I also had four, count em, high speed wipe outs.

These weren't my usual lame get-offs where I fall in feet first, catch the board on my way down and I'm back up and running in no time. Today, I had falls going full tilt down big, steep faces. No chance to grab the board, it was head and shoulders pitched into the ocean followed by my feet. The board went to the end of the leash on all four falls. I literally can't remember the last time I had crashes like today. They were full on surfing wipeouts. It was just bouncy and rough out there. Going in to the harbor was unbelievably jumbled up. Not only were the waves running in two directions at the same time, there was all the bounce back from stuff pounding the jetty and refracting back out. I really don't like falling near the harbor mouth and I concentrated hard to get in upright, which I managed to do after my last fall about a mile from the harbor entrance.

Looking at the Garmin, I had some really fast mile times for most of the run but mixed in with those good times were some very slow times for a couple of the miles. Those ended up slowing my overall time down but I knew that the fast miles were really smoking and the Garmin shows that. Overall, it was a really challenging and fun paddle. There was no cruising today and no relaxing and letting your attention wander. Once you got outside the bay at Maliko, it was ON. That was so fun, I might even do it again tomorrow.

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1351 on: April 09, 2015, 02:29:53 AM »
Sounds like my kind of day. I love the crazy ones. I'm probably out for two more days waiting for these cuts on my knee to close up. Got the culture news back from the doc--staph of course. The Hawaiian state bacillus. The antibiotics I'm on seem to be working, everything is healing up. 
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

LaPerouseBay

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1969
  • downwind dilettante
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1352 on: April 12, 2015, 10:54:27 PM »
South shore has been amazing this weekend.  I'd post this on the smokin' south shore thread, but this thread is sort of the unofficial ski thread.  Really fun runs.  I'm so glad summer is here. 

http://youtu.be/-yzpDwo1cII
Support your local shaper

Southbay

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 770
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1353 on: April 13, 2015, 12:31:58 AM »
WOW!  LP that looks insane.  So bummed to have missed it.  Great video, thanks for sharing.

covesurfer

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1936
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1354 on: April 13, 2015, 12:39:30 AM »
Texted you SB. Both days were outstanding. Maliko looks really good for tomorrow provided it doesn't veer out of the north again.

Saturday's run to Polo was better for me than today. Wind was good, waves were amazing both days but today it felt a lot stickier today than yesterday and there was some surface chop that I had a real hard time with. I fell 7 times today, between the ponds and Makena. Yesterday was a no fall day. Still had great runs both days. Today was just more challenging and I was a lot slower.

Also, HM, RR, Stephen and Kathy (in their oc2), PB and I all encountered a pretty agitated whale somewhere off Wailea. He came pretty close to HM. I made a hard left when I saw him breaching but he still passed about 25 yards away. He was a lot closer to the other guys.

Looks like today was pretty stellar in the ski!

Southbay

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 770
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1355 on: April 13, 2015, 12:44:57 AM »
Yeah, I was on major Daddy duty this weekend.  Nursery and guest room had to be painted, and I put together more furniture that I care to ever do again, and I am not done.....hoping to get a couple runs in this week for sure.  Keep me in the loop!  Thanks guys.

covesurfer

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1936
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1356 on: April 13, 2015, 12:57:03 AM »
Forecast looks great for tomorrow and a swell is predicted to hit Wednesday. Molokai is next weekend!

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1357 on: April 13, 2015, 09:11:26 AM »
Maliko, maliko Maliko!  I need a Maliko run.

I passed super close to that skinny guy. Close than I intended to--he moved towards me, but I could see him all the time, he didn't sound deep. That would have been scary. Better to see them than to encounter them. He was coming in a straight line, and I didn't want to veer too far. I figured if I turned out and he turned out he might dive and start breaching again.  the water is shallow over the reefs in Whale Alley so I figured he'd stay in line. He did. Hey, buddy, go get some krill.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Starting off f*&#ed
« Reply #1358 on: April 15, 2015, 10:01:14 PM »
Today looked ugly but doable on the north shore. Storms rolling through and the north swell coming up. But it was the best option, so off we went. Coming out of the gulch it looked like death and destruction. Swells blasting over the rocks, crossed up mess, and the wind gusting in out of the North. WTF.

Still, it looked okay on the outside, so we're hugging the rocks on the right, headed out, and a wanky wave hits the nose of my board and I fall. No big deal EXCEPT the wave pivots the board in front of me, and now I'm not doing a regular fall, I'm doing some kind of crossed up mess. And I feel the kind of nasty little hot pain in my left knee that says "remember that meniscus you used to have..."

So bad news. I do a little inventory, and discover I can stand, but I can't step back. When I do my left knee buckles. Okay, I can live with that, don't step back. It's only Maliko. Still...Boyum comes up and says "are you OK?" Turns out that I think I'm acting normal, but I'm listing about 30 degrees to port. He and Stephen resolve to keep an eye on me despite my protestations. That actually felt pretty good.

It got pretty big and wild at Camp one. Big slabs of water coming under, and occasional sets that looked way bigger than the 5 to 7 feet that surfline was talking about. Not being able to step back turned into a bigger deal than I thought. I dropped into some of those big boys, and when I got to the bottom I just had to grit my teeth. I did three major league face plants of the variety where you fall onto the nose of the board and roll off groaning.  The worst part was getting back up in the pilot for victory at sea with only one leg that was working.

Fortunately things started loosening up around Kanaha and I started having fun again. Unfortunately two tugs and a barge decided to come out of the harbor mouth just as I started in. I caught up with Thomas Maximus just as he was coming into the harbor, and the big reflected wave was beating up both of us as we tried to figure out if we could squeeze past the barge. We could. We did.

My knee is feeling OK though it's making clicking noises when I move it, and I have a big fluid pocket behind my knee--what they call a bakers cyst. And kind of a funky swelling under the knee. I have a appointment with my knee doc the day after I get back to Hood River. I'm hoping he says there's a little more tread on the tire and just shoots the thing up again. Lasts about eight months.

In the meantime, there's more good downwinders coming. might as well use this sucker up. No point in saving it--my ballet career is over.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2015, 10:07:07 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Blue crab

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 224
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1359 on: April 16, 2015, 07:26:15 PM »
This is a shot Jeremy Riggs took of me yesterday on my first Maliko.  I have no idea how he can look backwards while holding a camera in one hand and take shots like these, all while gliding.

It was pure bliss out there. Very jealous of you Maui guys. I've been lucky enough to do a Kihei and a Maliko on this trip. Both runs are world class and totally distinct from one another. I've never heli skied, but this seems like a similar class of experience.

covesurfer

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1936
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1360 on: April 16, 2015, 08:55:33 PM »
This is a shot Jeremy Riggs took of me yesterday on my first Maliko.  I have no idea how he can look backwards while holding a camera in one hand and take shots like these, all while gliding.



Haha, that's what EVERYBODY says! It's why he's know as 'His Glideness'....

That's a great shot, looks like a good day. Stoked for you Blue! Be careful, you'll be shopping for real estate next....

We did the south side today. It was super windy and then calm but the windswell was good the whole way. Three of us are doing Maui to Molokai on Saturday. Talk about out of bounds, mid channel is about as wild as it gets.

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1361 on: April 16, 2015, 11:37:16 PM »
Good Maliko yesterday except for torquing my knee. It recovered well, and today was a rocking southside. I went way out, even way out for me, and it was excellent. Lined up, big drops, lots of speed. Only fell twice and I was still the last one in and everyone was loaded up and dry. These guys are just getting way too fast.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Blue crab

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 224
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1362 on: April 17, 2015, 12:51:44 AM »
Thanks Cove, It was great to see you again, albeit briefly. Not sure we'll hook up this time as I am balancing family activities (surfing, snorkeling, luau-ing, etc....) with downwinding. If I do get out again, it will probably be with Jeremy tomorrow or maybe Sunday.  Have a great time crossing the channel. Our place in Kaanapali overlooks the run and I am envious to say the least. It is on my bucket list for the next 2 years.

covesurfer

  • Teahupoo Status
  • ******
  • Posts: 1936
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1363 on: April 17, 2015, 12:54:55 AM »
Are you going to be here into next week? I'm hoping to make the gorge race in August so hopefully I will see you there.

Blue crab

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 224
    • View Profile
Re: The smokin spring and summer Maliko report
« Reply #1364 on: April 17, 2015, 01:22:59 AM »
We fly out mid afternoon on Monday. A Monday AM run is theoretically possible but boy would that piss off my family (might still be worth it). Will also be at the gorge race in August for sure.

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal