Author Topic: The fall and winter Maliko report  (Read 58383 times)

DavidJohn

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #120 on: February 28, 2012, 05:33:31 PM »

  What did you think about the image quality on the vid I shot?


The image quality was good... I liked the vid but it was a little hard to see.. It was a good view of the others while they were in shot.

What happened to your shoulder mount that you were working on?

DJ

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #121 on: February 28, 2012, 08:05:26 PM »
DJ...Well the trouble with board mounts, as you well know, is staying together with subject.  That was really difficult because LaPer was in a ski, the fastest thing on the water.  It's much better when you have two SUPs... like yesterday's vid  which will post soon.  But although the conditions have been pretty good down winding the skies have been dark.  And that's why I asked about my image quality.  My Canon S100 has a F2 lens at 24mm focal length.  A Panny or Nikon waterproof P/S would look pretty weak with these recent skies.    Everything looks great when it's sunny so I was curious if you could tell.

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #122 on: March 10, 2012, 06:34:06 PM »
Today was very intense.  I was at the canoe hale at Kanaha all morning with all of Buzzy's ohana and extended ohana.  Spoke for my long time friend, paddled out with all his friends and said goodbye.  Over our shoulders, Victor and I couldn't help but see what was happening in the ocean.  Wind speed was 30-40+ mph.

So we left our friends and about around noon we launched.  Maybe the heaviest run I've ever experienced. Legs were already jelly from the morning's emotional ruin but conditions were so intense, you had to focus or you were done.    Long stretched out glides but crossed up with a very large groundswell.  Got bucked off hard on a few high speed drops from those crossed up swells but it finally evened out and before we knew it, we were down to the point where we had to cross the outside reef.  So just past outside Sprecks we made a dash for our usual channel. 

Our luck was bad and a looming set forced me to take the first wave in order to not get annihilated by the rest. Made the drop with back foot on the leash plug but speared up to my knees on the second suck out... .  Cord broke in an instant. Hat glasses blade, all gone but at least we were thru the impact zone.  Came up thrashed but saw my board and began sprinting for it before it blew away.  Victor's leash had held and he was about 30 yds ahead of me.  Seemed to be gaining on my board when a gust  seemed to boost it into an uncatchable (swimming) speed.  Victor fortunately had the  angle on it and snatched my board or else I was swimming all the way to shore. 

Got to my board and  we paddled together with a thirty yd spread upwind... looking for my gear.  Found the sunnies floating like they were designed to do, but the paddle was no where in sight.  Kept up the search (it was my prize KeNalu) for a half hour, just about to give up, when it popped up five yds from me.  Truly amazing. 

We got knocked around a bit on the camp one reef as well but finally made it back to the service and all our friends at the canoe hale.  Minus another hat that sank... Home now and absolutely ruined.

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #123 on: March 10, 2012, 08:38:12 PM »
Nice write up HM, thanks for taking the time.  To say goodbye to an old friend at the beach then paddle out into that big, windy maliko is a lot.  The run itself was enough to wipe me out.  Good work to find your paddle.  Either you're part bloodhound or Buzz pushed it to you...  

Deepest condolences to all that knew Buzz.  I usually try to think of him as I pass by kanaha, but the ocean had a grip on my attention.

Video is dumping into the editor now.  It's only the first 30 minutes, which is relatively uneventful. The real excitement starts as you start to whack the lefts going across the reef, usually at the 30 minute mark for me.  Unfortunately, I didn't record any of the good stuff.  I wasn't going to risk jumping out to reset the camera.  

Wind was cranking east when we went, and I mean ripping.  We all paired up today.  It wasn't planned, but once out there, it was understood.  Definetely not a day to be alone.  We had a great line on the harbor entrance from camp one in as it went ballistic.  Crazy big waves with wind shoving you in.  

Wind and waves are predicted to go down tomorrow, which is fine with me.  I have a feeling it won't be much smaller than today.  10 of 10 today.
« Last Edit: March 10, 2012, 08:42:01 PM by LaPerouseBay »
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LaPerouseBay

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #124 on: March 11, 2012, 01:54:24 AM »
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headmount

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #125 on: March 11, 2012, 10:05:33 AM »
It's leash check time.  Had mine break yesterday at the little string connect that goes into the swivel.  I doubt it broke all from yesterday, maybe, but checking for frayed connections is smart and can save you from a nightmare swim.  Fortunately having a partner yesterday served me well. 

I wish I could figure out how to connect the blade to the board for these  separation types of situations.  I always swim sprint for the board without the blade and until yesterday have never had problems prone paddling upwind once I retrieved my board to find the blade.  But yesterday had too many long periods where my blade could be down in a trough.... unseen.  I finally lucked out finding it but hate depending on luck.

starman

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #126 on: March 11, 2012, 10:35:02 AM »
Well instead of a leash for the paddle how about a bright colored donut floaty thing that slips over the shaft. That way the paddle may make it to the surface quicker..

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #127 on: March 11, 2012, 12:19:25 PM »
Sam Pa'e had a neat trick for swimming with his paddle.  If I remember correctly, he would use a big carabiner on his fanny pack.  The blade would drag behind him and he could swim much faster.  

Here's what I do.  Short bungee with two loops taped to the center of my paddle.  Pull tab in case of emergency.  Carabiner is on back of pfd.  If my leg leash breaks and I need to swim, clip on the paddle.

As for using a leg leash and a paddle leash, it's very controversial in the ski world.  Some do it, but they are very experienced.  Some very experienced guys say it's a bad idea.  I agree with the latter.  A tangle can kill you.  



« Last Edit: March 11, 2012, 12:31:44 PM by LaPerouseBay »
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LaPerouseBay

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #128 on: March 12, 2012, 02:29:04 AM »
Great condiions today.  Here's a clip of kanaha.

maliko 3-11-12

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powderskierman

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #129 on: March 12, 2012, 06:59:21 PM »
I have had a few great runs with HM.  My most memorable was on I think my 4th ever downwinder on Butch's big blue.  It was an insane day for me, crazy mixed up swells and gusts over 35. 
I'm from Pittsburgh and lived in the mountains most of my life and this was my first trip to Maui and my first experience in the Pacific.  I forgot to mention, I can't swim to well.  HM and friends call me Pohaku.  Needless to say, I was gripped.  We get to outer sprecks and HM yells to me to look outside.  I just roll over what I considered a huge wave.  It ends up taking HM out and I'm paddling as fast as I can to get outside.  I can't see HM and get on my knees and try to look back for him.  I still don't see him.  2 minutes pass but they felt like 10 to me and I still don't see him.  I figure I'm %^&$# and I'm trying to remember how to get to the channel.  HM finally show up, I'm like, what happened, he says I lost my lucky hat and was looking for it.  It is a Baldface hat which I'm a part owner of and I say, $%#$ dude, I'll get you a case of hats.  All was well and I got through camp one with no trouble, I think because of the huge adreniline rush.  Scary but great run that I will never forget.  Thanks HM!!

PonoBill

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #130 on: March 12, 2012, 07:36:37 PM »
Fun on the Southside today, Steve Gates from Hood River is here with his Daughter Erin and son-in-law Rob, so Rob, Steve and I were going to do a Maliko, but the rain squalls were killing visibility and blocking the wind at times. So we did a southside run from the boardwalk to Makena Landing. Knuking all the way to Sorrentos, then past Four Seasons it picked up again then turned outside just before Makena. We went early--like 11:30 or 12:00 and that's too bad because it was filling in nicely when we left Makena and was blowing like crazy at the boardwalk when we got back. Did the board switch there--wasn't thinking.

I rode my Bullet, and had a tough time with balance. Probably fell 20 times. I've gotten used to the F16 and being able to stand in one spot--I planted the nose of the bullet in a lot of wave backs.
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.

headmount

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #131 on: March 17, 2012, 11:07:36 AM »
In two more days, we who SUP DW will be jumping back to the spring and summer report, where in our absence, surf ski discussion has had an elongated hijack.  I hope the surf ski stuff remains because their input is very intriguing.  Any way you get down this coast with a paddle is intriguing.  

Pono Bill was concerned this winter about lack of glassy surf days.  I told him some winters are like this... and then he got his wish... for the first week in Feb.  Glassy clean waves.  But the last five weeks since have been almost non stop epic downwind conditions with several days topping 40mph.  Maybe the best stretch I've seen.  Sure, there have been whales and rogue waves  to steer clear of on the outer reefs but the overall wind speed has been spectacular in what is usually the calmest part of the year.  WHo knows what spring and summer will bring in this topsy turvy year?  I'm just thankful for what we have had this winter.  This stretch of coastline when the wind is strong, is a wonder of the world.  

So spring means the rest of the paddling world begins to focus on rough water paddling.  The paddling 'season' will restart.  It could continue to be fantastic but will be a little like having to sing after Jessica Sanchez on American Idol (my wife watches it, but yeah, the girl sings awesome)

Pono Bill will soon give us the slip and return to the summer wind machine in Hood River.   LPB, will stay and at some point switch back to SUP... maybe.  My bet is one run on his SUP and he'll jump back to his ski.  There are a few others that report in these threads and I hope to meet all of them.

Lost a very good friend to a heart attack on the run this year but on runs since, I've felt the spirit and energy of his presence... so I got that going for me.  Gunga Gunga Galunga

headmount

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #132 on: March 18, 2012, 10:36:26 AM »
Yesterday I did a run with Jeremy and Jill.  Went early enough to avoid the glare and Jeremy took a camera to coach Jill.  He is in absolute control out there and it's really amazing to take a drop and see him in your peripheral vision right next to you.  Also it's a rare time to see one of the top paddlers in action for an extended period of time since he's hanging back to shoot video.

 Jill will of course always be my ultimate hero.  She was the ER nurse in '07 when I went in for my A-fib and diagnosed and attended to me immediately  ... when time was of the essence.

Beautiful run and when I was all wrapped up, Keith called hungry for a run so I went again with him.  Launched at 3:30 which is usually kinda late but it was still cranking and the grain on the water was perfect, altho heavy afternoon glare was hard on the eyes, even with sunnies. 

Another old hang gliding pal lost his surf ski on his run.  He made it in, I know that much, but no details.  Apparently dehydrated and  exhausted.  If you come one here with a surf ski, check out what guys like Eric and LPB have as accessory equipment.

LaPerouseBay

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #133 on: March 18, 2012, 12:58:48 PM »
Just got word that Doug had hypothermia after his swim. He's ok, not sure if he's still in the hospital. 

His boat washed up at kanaha, destroyed.
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LaPerouseBay

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Re: The fall and winter Maliko report
« Reply #134 on: March 18, 2012, 06:27:39 PM »
Doug got knocked over by a wave about Sprecks.  No info on why he separated from his ski.  He had to swim in to kanaha.   

His paddle was found in the water by oc-1's.  He was very late, so the fire dept. searched with the helicopter.  At times, the helo was right above him, but could not see him, (white rashguard).  Hypothermia, dehydration, exhaustion.     

I'm not sure where the boat washed up.  Maybe over by ledges.  It's in the grass at the harbor now.



A young strong oc-1 padddler busted a cable and finished early at kanaha.  He was able to phone his friends from the water.  He tried to secure the rudder with rubber, but the knot failed.  He and the boat are fine. 
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