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In early 2006 when I was thinking about the theme for this website for the year (each year
has had a theme to it, mostly goal-oriented), I already really knew what it was going
to be. Because it has been too long since I've done a major trip somewhere and there are a lot
of places that I would like to go. So in essence, by giving the theme of "Destinations"
it inexorably forced me to plan something big.
And here's the Destination. I'll be on the North Shore from Nov. 17th to 24th, followed
by an inter-island flight, where I'll be staking out Honolua Bay on Maui from the
24th to the 28th, then unfortunately returning home.
(silence - gulp).
This is a major undertaking for me of epic proportions. I have no travel supplies, nothing.
All my "travel" and "destinations" have been in and about Southern California from
Rincon to Ensenada. Well, those Destinations have become, well, too familiar, too close
to home, and well, I've surfed the crap out of SoCali and Baja for over 20 years without
so much as venturing elsewhere. It's mostly been a money issue, if you ask me. But this year
I've scrimped and saved and have received some donations from family to aid the cause,
and now it's just all added up. Earned and saved the vacation time from work and
all that stuff, too. So it has been a somewhat focused, well-kept secret. Until now.
(silence-gulp).
I have my plane tickets, rental cars and rooms. I have my haole activities pretty much mapped
out (Arizona, Missouri, Luau, etc.). And the hardcore part about it all, the only thing
that gets to me a bit - is that I'm going alone. Yup, no one but me. Of course there are
ups and downs about this. No one to share the experience with or see me drop in or
get raked across some reef, or kill the time on the flights, or help with bags and
stuff traveling bros do for each other. Well, I mean, do bros help each other when
they travel? It's not like I'm going to be on a boat with 10 other guys
in the Mentawais. This is a solo excursion.
I really don't have a clue about what it's going to be like. But then again, all I have to worry about is
me. And I can surf and eat and sleep and play and explore and do whatever I want, whenever
I want. Which I'm totally looking forward to. And since both my rooms have kitchenettes,
I can, ah, sleep in till whenever I want and make chocolate chip pancakes in my hotel
rooms as a soothing, relaxing, default routine. Hell, I'm even going to bring my
favorite spatula. This is quite possibly the thing that I am looking most forward to. Chocolate chip
pancakes on my lanai overlooking Waikiki Beach and the Kapalua coastline. Can it get any
better?
(gulp-silence).
I had two alternate Destinations in mind as well and researched all three at once. One always needs a backup of sorts.
I was really stoked on maybe going to Morrocco, based on what I saw in the mags recently
and for the lure of all the perfect right point breaks there. I'm a right point break
freak and was drooling over all the photos on and off line that I've seen of Morrocco.
Plus it's pretty inexpensive, too. But a LONG ass flight with connections in New York
and London. The second alternate dropped out pretty quickly because it's not the right
season. New Zealand. Better a summer destination. So it came down to Morrocco and Hawaii.
The decision to go to Hawaii and not Morrocco was a difficult one. But after doing the
research, Morrocco seemed so similar in geography and culture, so to speak, as Baja,
that it almost seemed like it would be like GOING to Baja - maybe a little too easy. Plus, the inevitable
phrase kept going through my head. You just haven't surfed if you haven't surfed
in Hawaii. It think that's pretty much true. Since the 1800s, it's been THE
Destination.
And it's also pretty true that when I roar off the tarmack in San Diego that I'll be headed
towards the most challenging surfing experience a surfer can face, as far as I'm concerned.
And to say that I won't be half-petrified (maybe even a little MORTIFIED as to what I've gotten
myself into) as my back is planted
to the seat at take off, would be an understatement. I mean, I'll get stuck next to grandma or something and won't be able to talk out the anxiety
or the thrill of the whole thing, you know. I'll have to put on some Pink Floyd or some
Rush or something and deal.
(silence-gulp)
I've already spent about $150 on supplies - wax, leashes, boardshorts, rash guards, etc., and will probably
spend that much again before I leave, without question, so it's about $500 just to get that
stuff together. I mean hell, right now, 17 days before takeoff, I don't have a board bag
for the sticks. But that's coming together pretty quickly, obviously. I don't want to buy
a new one, but then I think, well, if I DO buy an expensive one, that hell, I'll just have
to keep USING it. Like to go to New Zealand and Morrocco.
I'll make one thing completely clear. I'm not going over there to surf Pipe or Waimea
or to get towed in at Jaws. I'll leave that to the experts, thanks. Although if by happenstance
there is no one out at, say, 6 foot Backdoor one day, it wouldn't be beyond me to at least,
well, maybe paddle out and try to get ONE. This might be realistic. Sunset Beach is on my hit list
without question, and the 8-6 that is going with me is the perfect vehicle to get me there,
besides the pickup truck I secured from Enterprise. I'll enjoy kooking out at Waikiki. This
is actually a goal for me. I can't stand longboards and have never ridden one. But one of the
two is going to change in the next 20 days. With my hotel reservations, I get a free surfing
lesson from the Hans Hedeman School of Surfing at Waikiki and a free two hour board rental.
If you are going to log it, why not do it the first time at Waikiki. Right. So I'm in on
that deal. I'm just going to pretend I don't know how to surf, then go out there
and have a good time and freak the instructor out or something. I'm sure they've seen
it all.
Of course I've looked into every service imaginable - from renting and buying boards,
videographers, photographers, food, activities, digs, cars - I almost made the decision to stay
at Mark Foo's youth hostel up on the North Shore because of low rates and also because of
being around other traveling surfers. I gave them a call and looked at their stuff online
and wasn't too impressed. Plus, I'm a town kind of guy and want to be in and around Honolulu,
Waikiki and Diamond Head at night. I also looked into a seven day surf guide adventure
with a well-known big wave surfer, but I could not afford the $1,000 per night he wanted
for room, board and guiding. I would have liked that alot. Just a BIT expensive.
For a couple of months I've looked at having a board shaped - and everyone wants $800 locally
for the length and custom shape (7-10 as a base, white, simple). That's more than
the plane ticket. So if worse comes to worse, I'll contribute to the Hawaiian surf shapers
and get one over there, preferably used, if necessary, and bring it back as a souvineer
and hang it on the wall, if I live through this.
So, with all this said and done, I'm a goal-oriented person. And here are my Top Ten Goals:
1. To actually get on the plane and go. I think that's the most important one, and it was
very tough to do this, knowing I am going alone with no island experience or knowledge
of anything over there. Word: Committment.
2. To bring familiar equipment and have it work for me in Hawaii.
3. To know my skills and limits beforehand and to set realistic goals about what type of surf
I want to be in. Give me six to 10 foot FACES in clear, warm water and a shot at surfing
the way I know I can surf and the rest is destiny or fate. To apply everything I ever have
trained for or know about surfing, and take all that with me as my companion, and feed
off my years of experience, and rely on this self-confidence to get me into the waves that I want and out
of situations that I may experience or don't want. The common sense factor within
me will be well-used. There isn't anything wrong with admitting it's just
too challenging or too big at a given time and watching or walking away from it,
or seeking out something more manageable elsewhere.
4. To use my strength and enjoyment of surfing a wide variety of breaks and surf a wide
variety of waves and not just stick to a couple of spots. I want very much to surf
as many places as possible, with one exception, below.
5. My "throw caution to the wind" statement is this: No matter how large or small Honolua
Bay is on Maui, my entire trip is really structured on catching that place at any size. And
I don't care if it's 2 foot or 10 foot Hawaiian, I'm paddling out there and surfing. To me
this is the largest committment of the trip and continues to fuel the fire inside of me
to acclimate on Oahu and explode physically and mentally on Maui. I'm more excited about
Maui than Oahu. Maui is the gem of my trip. If I get Honolua twice a day for four days
and don't see Jaws or surf anywhere else, I could care less. Seriously. I've had a love
affair with the photos and layout of that place for almost as long as I have been surfing.
And goal wise, ending up on Maui keeps me excited throughout the entire trip and gives
me something to look so forward to the entire time. I can't wait to island hop.
Just can't wait. Maybe you can feel how excited I am about that. Even if Honolua
is flat (doubtful!), I'm still paddling out there. Those that have been there and surfed
it say it's one of the most beautiful setups on the face of the planet. With my right
point break skills heavily intact, I see no problems paddling out and succeeding.
6. Everyone who has been to the islands has something different to say about vibe,
locals, attitude, aloha, localism, etc. There are good stories and there are heavy
stories. I hope to stay positive. I have good crowd experience, good manners and know
that I am a guest. I have impeccable knowledge and skills about the rules and 99 percent
of the time I play by them and, unfortunately, expect others to play that way too.
But I won't let following the rules dictate how others may treat me or view me and I will
stand my haole ground if challenged. Sometimes if a dog barks at you, you have to bark
back to get some respect. Or some waves. I'm wiping the slate clean as far as aggressiveness
and attitude and will adjust according to local tradition! But I won't tollerate the
"go back to the mainland haole kook" bullshit if I'm surfing perfectly by the rules,
and surfing well. Ignore the hype and have my experiences.
7. Socialize, network, see the sights, be friendly, hospitable and intrigued; Take 2,000
photographs, 700 hours of video and get at least one picture of me riding a wave on
both islands.
8. Try not to be heartbroken if one or both of my boards break in 50 pieces. I love them
both so much. I have taken care of them and they have taken care of me for many years.
I hope that continues in Hawaii without interruption.
9. Plan for an emergency. Have an emergency contingent plan on hand for medical, family,
financial and unforseen things, especially since I am on my own.
10. Most of all, really, is to enjoy it. I've never done anything like it, so, here
goes. If I can get into a grove and push my limits to an extent that is acceptable,
I will do that and gradually work into new territory. What I would like to do is to prove that I can do this, that I can make
some waves that I thought previously I would never see in my lifetime. This could
mean one wave or 100. I don't care. As surfers we all know that making a single wave sometimes
is all it takes. I'm thinking that within my 11 days and nights there has to be a wave
that changes me as a surfer. That's the essence of travel, in my mind.
So, with that all said...16 days and counting. The one other thing I'm really looking forward
to is UNPLUGGING from the world. Of course, I'll be at an internet cafe on a daily basis to email
or write the day's blog via email and check the surf reports. Maybe I'll end up just using
a pen and paper sometimes, writing and reporting from the beach, the lanai, pool side,
at the Arizona...maybe I'll email a friend here, and then he can FTP a "photo of the day"
along with my daily writings. That would be pretty hot. We'll see.
If anyone has any positive input, I'm up for it. Save the trash talk and "Don't come
over here" for someone else because I won't even read it.
- Cliff
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