KKs Vacay - Canoe Surfing and Sandy's 120513

Surf Report: 2-3 feet
Water: Warm
Atmosphere: Sunny
Winds: light

Bogarts Acai Bowl

and Bagel Sammich

I get up in the morning and get to my warm ups, which now include yoga, foam rolling, and theraband exercises.  Then, I go to Bogarts for breakfast.  I order an Acai bowl and a bagel sandwich, which is loaded with sprouts, Macademia nut spread, tomatoes, and capers.  They also had a dark chocolate truffle coffee that I had to order.  So delicious!! 

Diamondhead Reef

After I eat that, I return back to the Dojo as everyone else is getting up.  Alex looks at my board and fixes the ding quickly.  He drives Kev and I to his work, the Outrigger Canoe Club.  Alex fills us in on how we should coordinate paddling.  We swim to the canoe, and get in.  I sit in the front, Kev in the middle, and Alex is the anchor.  He unties the canoe, and we start paddling out to sea.  We get to a spot where there are small waves breaking, with a SUP taking some small waves for long rides. 

Alex starts to tell us how we should start on one side, then switch after ten or so strokes when he or I make the call.  "OK!! START PADDLING!!"

We paddle furiously.  There is water spraying off the bottom of the canoe.  I am nearly blinded as I continuously paddle.  I feel the boat start to pick up speed, and we stop paddling.  "Ok, LEAN TO THE LEFT!!"

Our boat takes off on a beautiful wave.  It felt like a bobsled or roller coaster ride.  The wave kept breaking and we just watched our canoe glide along...

"Ok, paddle again!!"  The wave starts to reform, and we paddle.  The boat picks up speed again, and we're in the glide of the wave.

The boat turns out of the wave, and we start paddling back to the point. 

"Wow, that was one of the coolest feelings ever!" I yell to the boys. 

As we wait, we talk about what to do if there is a wipe out. 

"Abandon ship when I say so!" Alex says. 

Kev playfully splashes water on us as we wait for the next set.

"Ok, PADDLE!!"

We paddle hard.  I see the nose lift up... Shit! Here we goooooooo!!

I put up my hands like I was on the log ride at Disneyland.  The nose dives in, and sprays buckets of water into our canoe.  I lean all the way back in my seat to compensate for the nose dive.  So much water is moving, I don't know what is going on.  Abandon ship?  No one's yelled it... Just hold on!!

Then the boat miraculously holds on in the wave.  We're gliding down the face fast.  The water we took on has to be shoveled out, so Kev, being the middle guy, takes a jug of water with the bottom cut out and a cap on it to scoop it all out while we ride.  The wave takes us for a looooong ride and we finally get out on the channel.

"Damn Klaude, you were about to abandon ship!! I saw you with your hands up like 'Ahhhh!'" Kev laughs.

Alex and I laugh at this as he scoops out more water from the canoe.

"Let's go for one more," Alex says.

We paddle out to the spot again, and we wait for a wave.

"Hey, where ya'll wanna go eat after this?" I ask.

"Wherever you wanna go, Klaude," Alex said.

"How about Ono's for some poke? I'm dying for some poke."

"Sounds good, I haven't been there in a minute," Kev says.

"OK, start paddling!" Alex says.

We paddle for a set wave, and the drop isn't as critical as last time, but it's still a long ride.  We enjoy the glide as I see the corals under us shoot by like darts.  We all lean to the left as Alex anchors his paddle into the wave to guide the canoe.

"Keep paddling!" Alex says as the wave reforms on the inside.  We paddle a few more strokes to keep up with the wave and get in to the channel.

"Man, that was one of the funnest things ever!" I yell.

"Man, you were about to abandon ship on that big one though!" Alex laughs.

We paddle from the channel back to the boat docking station.  As we paddled across the Outrigger Canoe Club, the people in the restaurant overlooking the ocean  start cheering us.  They must have been watching us catch those waves.  They're all waving, whistling, and applauding us as we paddle in. 

We dock the boat and swim back to the beach.  We rinse off at the shower, and head back to the Dojo. 

B-Sauce is up now, so we get a few ping pong games in.  Alex finishes the ding repair, and we decide it's time to eat.  Alex, Kev, Shizzles, B-sauce and I climb into Kev's car and head to Ono's Hawaiian Seafood for poke.  This place used to only have three types of poke, but now they have about twelve.  Their prices haven't gotten too steep. 

Ono's Hawaiian Seafood - a MUST!!

After we eat, we head to Sandy's beach to body surf.  Body surfing is another art form the Hawaiians perfected.  It's so scary dropping in on an inch of water as a wave pummels you from behind.  I am apprehensive at making the drop since my shoulders are so sensitive.  I don't want to injure myself, so I don't push myself over the ledge.  But, the waves were really playful and fun this day, and I got a lot or practice in.  B-sauce, Alex, and Kev are all really great body surfers.  They're able to make the drop and get barreled constantly. 

On our way to Sandy's...

We head back to the Dojo after an hour or two of body surfing. 

It just so happens that the Honolulu marathon is happening while I am staying in Hawaii.  And, it just so happens that one of my child hood friends, Taiki, is running the Honolulu marathon.  We meet up for some dinner, where we eat at Izakaya Naru.  This place is one of my favorite places to eat when staying in Hawaii.  Every menu item is original and unique, and the specials change daily.  So, if you miss out on the cold noodles with yuzu or braised pork, you won't have a chance to have it the next day.  Taiki, B-sauce, Taiki's friend Ericka (?), Shizzles, and I gorge ourselves on deep fried pork spare ribs, taco rice, and golden slow cooked pork.  Taiki couldn't drink because he's been restricting himself for the marathon.  He has been training since August, and hasn't drank alcohol since Halloween. 

Slow cooked pork

"Taco" Rice - Spicy and Crispy!

Deeeeep fried pork spare ribs

"I can't wait to drink when this is over!" he says.

We eat tons of food and call it a night.

Alex was back home with his girlfriend, Cassandra, and he asks where I wanted to surf tomorrow. 

and the obligatory sunset view from the Dojo

"North shore is 3-5 feet tomorrow, right?"  I ask.

"Yea, but maybe West side will be less crowded?"

"Ok, let's go West side," I say.