The Surfing Blog

Unlike other organized sports, surfing doesn’t have a universal rulebook or referee system that enforces everyone to surf under the same rules (unless you are contest surfing).  There is nothing that anyone “has to” understand in order to participate.  In football you can’t play unless you understand the rules like offsides, out of bounds, illegal hits or that each team has four attempts to get a first down, etc.  In order to try surfing, all you have to do is buy a board and try to catch a wave.  There are no official fouls that cause you to lose yards or sit in the penalty box.  This is what makes surfing unique and special, but at the same time can make surfing frustrating.

I’ve compiled a list of things that can be considered the DON’Ts of surfing. You don’t want to do these things while in the lineup because they will either end in you having a bad session, someone yelling at you, someone sending you in, someone cracking you over the head, or someone getting hurt.

- Don’t paddle out in conditions you aren’t ready for.  This happens too often and is not only dangerous for the surfer paddling out, but for the other surfers also.  While it is good to have that desire to improve and get better at surfing, make sure you keep things in perspective.  I have personally paddled out and realized the waves were just too big for me and had to kick my pride and tell my friend (who was comfortable with the waves that day) that I didn’t feel comfortable and was heading in.  A bit embarrassing, but I’m alive to surf another day.

- Don’t paddle out with a crew of people.  This is a don’t you will want to follow before you are even in the water.  A crew is an unpleasant site for those who are already in the water.  Imagine you are out having a great time and you look to shore and see a crew of 4-8 guys about to flood the lineup.  If you paddle out with a crew you are automatically putting a sour taste in everyone’s mouth and no matter how good you surf or how respectful you are, they aren’t going to like you.

- Don’t disrespect the locals.  Love it or hate it, locals deserve respect in the lineup.  If you like to play basketball, would you drive to a basketball court across town and just start demanding to play?  No.  Surfing is no different. If you are new to a lineup, take some time to get a feel for the wave and the crowd and earn your spot at the peak.  You should start by surfing the shoulder for a while. There is nothing worse then a random guy coming out and acting like he owns the place.

- Don’t drop in on other surfers.  This is hopefully an obvious “don’t”.  If someone has caught a wave and you are paddling for it, stop paddling and wait for the next one.  Never drop in on another surfer.  This will keep both you and others safe.  If you drop in on others you are bound to get yelled at, sent in, or beat up.  Many times you will get all three.

- Don’t take all the waves.  It is not ok to catch a wave, paddle right back out to the inside of the pack and take the next good wave.  A pack of surfers in the lineup is like the DMV.  There is a lot of diversity and you have to pretend that everyone has taken a number.  Sharing the waves will allow you and everyone else to have a much more enjoyable session.

- Don’t get in the way.  If you just caught a wave and are paddling back out and another surfer on a wave is coming towards you, it is your job to get out of the way.  If you can’t get far enough down the shoulder you may have to paddle to the inside, straight at the white water.  Although this isn’t a favorable decision, it is the right one.

- Don’t make a ton of noise in the water.  Yes, surfers want to have fun while they surf, but nobody wants to hear that one guy who is super loud and annoying throughout the session.  There is nothing wrong with a hoot for a buddy getting barreled or smashing the lip, but don’t be a barney making a ton of noise throughout your session.

- Don’t let go of or ditch your board when duck diving waves. This is extremely important. If you have to let go or ditch your board while duck diving, you are out in conditions too big and shouldn’t be out there. This is an automatic way for other surfers to gauge your ability. If you do this you will be yelled at and sent it. Guaranteed. It is very dangerous because once let go of your board it flings towards other surfers and can cause serious damage.

In all, these rules of surfing will help you enjoy your session more and keep you safe.  What don’t you like seeing in the lineup?

If you want to run into pro surfers at night and eat some of the best Thai food of your life, luckily there is actually such a place that exists. It’s Haleiwa Eats in Haleiwa on the island of Oahu. Haleiwa is the place to go for dinner when you are staying on the North Shore, and Haleiwa Eats is every local’s favorite. You may love Thai food, but if it isn’t your favorite, don’t give up on trying it out. A few years ago when I was just visiting the island for a week with my family we were told that we had to eat at “Eats”, as it is known here. I think each one of us had a complaint or two about eating Thai food, but we listened to our friends and its now a family favorite. Another cool part though is that you almost always will run into all the biggest names in surfing, especially during contest season. I try to eat there a few times a month and without fail almost every single time I get to eat right next to my favorite surfers, both local and visiting.

Don’t think that I am some weirdo that gets star struck by seeing famous surfers; I’m really there for the food. It’s incredible. One thing you have to try is the coconut rice. It doesn’t matter what you order for your main course, coconut rice on the side is a must. If its your first time there, you now know you are going to get the coconut rice, and here are some of the most popular dishes to go with it: Panang Curry, Bangkok Night Noodles, Yellow Curry Noodles, Pad Thai, Cashew Chicken, Monsoon Shrimp, Pineapple Curry Shrimp and The Gulf of Thailand. Literally everything there is amazing. Every time I venture off of my usual picks and try something new I am thoroughly impressed. It doesn’t matter if you are choosing soups, noodles, meats, or seafood; the chefs at Haleiwa Eats know what they are doing. Check out their takeout menu right here, and don’t forget the fried coconut ice cream or fried bananas for dessert!

I’ve got to admit that there is one thing I hate about Eats. It is expensive, and the prices are always going up. I used to be able to eat for around $10 a few years ago, and now when you include tip it usually comes out to around $15 to $20. That is just for a simple meal, I’m being cheap and not getting drinks or desserts, so it can add up quick. I also think that sometimes the service is kind of slow. It never can annoy me too much though because the food is so good. Another thing you should know is that Haleiwa Eats does not serve alcohol, but they do allow you to bring your own.

If you are planning a surf trip to Hawaii, plan on stopping at Haleiwa Eats. It will most likely be the best place you pick for dinner throughout your trip. It’s easy to spot on the main road through Haleiwa, close to Matsumoto’s Shaved Ice, which is another spot you must hit, which we will be sure to write about later on. Eats is a tiny place with a small dining area and a couple of outside tables, but guaranteed to be drawing a crowd. Don’t worry; the waits are never too long.

I can’t tell you how glad I am that I downloaded this film on iTunes for $7.99 instead of purchasing the actual DVD for $29.95. Simply put, this surf movie did not live up to my expectations. Billabong’s “Still Filthy” was inspired by their 1988 release of “Filthy Habits”. The 1988 film started “a revolutionary formula that simply featured kick-butt surfing cut tightly to kick-butt music”. I don’t think that Billabong did a very good job of following that same revolutionary formula.

The surfing in “Still Filthy” has its moments, but all together it isn’t anything that special compared with other recent releases. Lee Wilson, Andy Irons, Shane Dorian, Wade Goodall, Joel Parkinson, and Taj Burrow are definitely the standouts in the movie. There is a section with little snippets of a ton of Billabong riders that don’t have their own sections and I think the surfing in this section is some of the best. While certain clips are unbelievable, like some of Taj and Wade’s aerials or Shane Dorian’s backside tubes at Cloudbreak, in my opinion this film didn’t top many of the other films already out there.

As for the second part of that formula, the soundtrack in “Still Filthy” is terrible. I know there will be those of you out there who like it, and for you, I’m sorry, but I don’t even think I can watch it again based on the soundtrack. It was the worst I’ve heard in a long time. The music did not draw me into the surfing at all, it was pretty much just obnoxious and I had to turn it down and just try to enjoy the surfing. The best way to enjoy this film is with the TV on mute and your iPod in hand. If you do it this way… maybe you will notice more spectacular surfing than I did.

I want to surf Macaronis in the Mentawai Islands more than any other wave on earth. A perfect left starting with a barrel section ending in one of the most rippable waves on earth…what more could a goofy-foot surfer ask for? The thing that is surprising about this wave is that more than just a handful of the world’s best regular footers call it the most fun wave in the world even though for them they have to surf it backside. Right now we all have the rare opportunity to win one of three 8 day/9 night trips to the Macaronis Surf Resort to be taken up any time between February and November 2010. All you have to do is click on the link to the resort, and on the top of their homepage follow the link to subscribe to their monthly newsletter and you will automatically go into the drawing. But as we all know that our chances are pretty slim of actually winning, while you’re on their site check out the special rates they are offering for those that book before November 30, 2009.

The package deals at Macaronis Surf Resort sound incredible. The surf trip package includes:

- Airport pick up/drop off and all transportation to/from Macaronis Resort (including ferry tickets, AC cabin and take away meal on ferry, Indies Explorer transfers to/from Macaronis Resort)
- 3 meals served daily prepared by our chefs either at Macaronis Resort or aboard Indies Explorer
- Use of resort equipment including snorkeling gear, fishing equipment, sea kayaks & stand up paddle board (SUP)
- Water dispenser in rooms, juice, tea & coffee making facilities in Cafe
- Silabu Village contribution US$1.50 per day
- Mentawai Tourism Tariffs US$3.00 per day
- Indies Explorer over-night surf excursions
- Speedboat transfers to/from local surf breaks

The following services are available at Macaronis Surf Resort but are excluded from the package price:

- Laundry service
- Beverages and snacks purchased over the bar
- Satellite telephone use
-Traditional Relaxation Massages (about $11 each)
- Wireless Internet Hotspot available in villas and around property (about $3 per hour or $30 for unlimited service). Speed up to 512 Kbps
- Photography - ask our surf guides, they’ll be happy to get a few shots of you, or bring along a professional photographer with your group

This is a surf trip worth looking into. There are a ton of epic surf breaks easily accessed via the speedboats at Macaronis Surf Resort. The speedboats will pick you up at your villa and take you out to surf spots like Macas Right, Bat Cave, Green Bush, Silabu Left, Gilligans, and of course Macaronis. Accessible by the Indies Explorer are Hollow Tree’s, Lances Left, Bintangs, Rags Left, Rags Right, and Thunders. We’ve all seen places like Macaronis and Hollow Tree’s going off in video segments, but check out the video below of Green Bush. Clearly there are a lot of perfect waves within reach of the Macaroni Surf Resort. With so many incredible breaks to choose from, you are guaranteed to find perfect waves with just a couple of guys out. The resort itself looks unbelievable, and will keep you satisfied with plenty to do when you are not out surfing. If you are planning a surf trip to the Mentawai Islands, Macaronis Surf Resort is definitely a place you need to consider.

This past season I have entered into a whole new category of surfing…big wave surfing. Having lived on the North Shore of Oahu for a couple of years now, I’ve always had this desire to get out in the water on those super swells when every normal spot is closed out. And when everywhere on the North Shore is closed out, you are left with only a few options: Pipeline, Sunset, Waimea Bay, or some other outer reef. I know a lot of guys that charge big waves and they convinced me this was the year to do it. It is not as hard as it seems, but it does take some guts. Here are a few pointers to surfing the legendary Waimea Bay.

Start off Small

Try getting out to Waimea on an 8-12 foot day (Hawaiian Scale). On these days it is a lot easier to make it into waves and the consequences of falling aren’t nearly as severe. The crowd is a lot mellower, with just a few guys out usually. The currents aren’t as strong, and the shore break is not as treacherous. Also make sure you have a good-sized big wave gun, at least in the 9-foot range. Without the right board you will struggle to get into a wave. I started out with an 8’4 gun that was really meant to surf a place like Sunset or maxed out Pipe, and it didn’t go so well for me. All these things combined and you’ll have a perfect first-timer’s session at one of the most famous big wave spots in the world.

Know the Conditions

Make sure you know what the conditions are like. Study the time between sets on the outside and shorebreak. Check out how strong the currents are and watch for a little bit to get an idea of what the ocean is doing out there. Paddle out on the side of the bay farthest from the jumping rock. In the beginning of the paddle, stay close to the rocks, right in front of the wave, and then the current will start to pull you to the middle of the bay, right out to the channel. Make sure you know how to swim in without your board. This is extremely important out there, because it is fairly likely you’ll have a situation where your leash or your board breaks and you have to get in without it. If you can’t handle yourself swimming out there, then don’t paddle out. To swim in, swim as close as you can to the rocks so you can avoid the current that pulls you out and to the other side of the bay. If you do this you also get some help from the massive walls of whitewater pushing you to shore.

Have Fun

Waimea Bay is one of the few spots in the world where sharing waves is acceptable. On a big day out there it is a really cool experience. A lot of surf spots around the world are very quiet when they are crowded. People tend to not want to make a scene, and will carry on quiet conversations with a person or two but in general they aren’t very loud. Out at Waimea, everyone is stoked for everyone else. They cheer people into waves, share waves with friends, and look out for one another. Taking the time to prepare for surfing Waimea and getting out there on a big day should be something every surfer attempts to do in life. It will be the experience of a lifetime.