KK's Vacay: Landing in HNL and Arriving at the Dojo

Surf Report: 2 foot Diamondhead
Water: Warm
Atmosphere: Sunset over the hills
Winds: Calm

I landed in Honolulu, smiling from ear to ear.  I could smell the sweet scent of plumeria's carried by the warm ocean breeze.  The sound of buzzing planes and airport announcements muffled my air pressure popped ears, and I could feel the humidity on my skin perspiring into small packets of sweat.  I hunched over to grab my bag and swung it over my shoulder.  I brought the boys of the Dojo some cronuts as a gift from LA.

Earlier this morning, I had woken up at 530 in the morning to start my yoga routine.  I heated up hot water, sipped on it as I stretched my neck, shoulders, core, hips, legs, and ankles.  Pat was awake already since he had to go work early.  Mel was up and gave me a biiiig hug as we said our "See you rater" to each other.  Pat had convinced me last night to bring my boards to Hawaii.

"You sure you're not taking your boards to Hawaii?" he asked.

"Yea, I'll just buy one there, and sell it back," I said.  It was already 9:00 PM and I wanted to relax.  All my stuff was packed and ready to go.  I plopped down on my chair and opened Surfer Magazine.  The first article was the Editor's Note, which detailed the Editor's trip of a life time that he was supposed to take with GoPro CEO on the CEO's private jet.  Every thing was set, packed, and ready to go... and then his wife went into labor.  His first born son was born the night he was supposed to go to Indonesia with GoPro's CEO, so he had to stay behind, his quiver left in the back of the room gathering dust.  Instead of a 20 hour red-eye on a private jet, he had a two and a half month red eye that included burping, pooping, changing diapers, feeding, and cleaning.

The focus of the article came onto his quiver, where he said that he had been all over the world with his boards, and that these boards were still with him even when his son was born.

So this hit me hard.  I need to take my quiver.  It's MY QUIVER.  They are my boards.  So what if they're not made for Hawaiian waves?  They're YOURS.  Your babies.  They've gone up and down the coast of California.  Some have gone to Hawaii.  And you're going to not just Hawaii, but the NORTH SHORE.  The surf Mecca!  The proving grounds of all things surf related.  You have to take your boards.

"Hey, can I borrow your board bag, Patdeezy?" I asked.

"Yea, you can even take one of my boards if you want," he replied, with a relieved smile.

So, I packed my Neck Beard, my Channel Islands "Aloha" board, and one of Pat's Nezzy surfboards that he takes on his surf trips.  Last minute packing is not my thing, but this was necessary.  I had to take my boards!

United Airlines charged me $100 for the whole board bag.  No questions about how much did it weigh, or how many boards were in there.  The only question was, "Cash or credit?"

I did not have my celebratory beer at LAX though.  I just went to the gate and waited for my flight, listening to my music on my phone.

So, I land at HNL, and go to baggage claim.  I have to go to odd-sized baggage claim and while I was waiting, two surf pro looking guys come with their backpacks and guitar.  The shutters of the odd-sized baggage claim open, and two guys start lugging out surfboard bags full of expensive, valuable surfboards.  The two pro looking guys get their bags, and so does another guy waiting next to me.  Where was my bag?  I check the last bag... and it was this bag.  I forgot - this isn't YOUR surfboard bag... it's Patdeezy's.

I go to the rental car spot, and this Auntie helps me out.  She said, "Ok, so you have an economy size car, yea?  Are those your boards?  How many did you bring?"

"Three."

"Those won't fit.  Upgrade for an extra $10 a day to a mid-sized SUV.  You can have a Jeep!"

"Fiiiiine.  You sell icicles to Eskimos don't you?" I laugh with her.

We start joking back and forth and she says, "Oh my, I'm not supposed to be laughing like this!  I'm not even close to being done with work yet."

"What time you pau hana?" I asked.

"Ohhhh about five."

"Well, if you're laughing like this during the day, it can't be so bad until you're done right?  Unless you want to take work seriously like those guys."

"Oh them? Yea they are toooooo serious!" she said, gleaming towards her co-workers.  Her co-workers smile and wink.  "Ok, so go outside, and choose your car.  Have a nice day!"

I go outside with the sun blazing on me.  I really need some water, but I need to choose which car I want to rent.  There are mid-sized Jeeps, a Nissan, and then a SUBARU!  I immediately open the Subaru, check the seats, check the A/C, and was sold.  I bring the car around, pack my boards, ukulele, backpack, and bag.  I call Justin, aka B-Sauce, and let him know I'm on the way to the Dojo.

The Dojo.  B-Sauce, Shizzles, Alex, and Kev live there.  It's where I've stayed last trip.  It's where I met Fransauce years ago.  It's where it feels like home. There are Japanese style shouji windows, and a sliding door that resembles a traditional Japanese house.  I call B-Sauce, and he tells me he's biking running errands, and he will meet me at the Dojo in a few minutes.  "Aloha welcome back!" he adds.

Arriving at the Dojo, I schlep my luggage to the house.  I leave my board bag on the side of the garage area, and proceed upstairs.  I get a cold glass of water, and chug it down.  There's a new sofa in the living room, which will double as my bed for the next four days. 

I roll out on my foam roller and close my eyes... Wow, am I really in Hawaii in December?  It seems unreal... I breathe slowly, rolling out the kinks in my back and shoulders... Hawaii... in December...

"Oh SHIT! Klaude??"

I open my eyes, and it's Shizzles. 

"What's uuuuuup!! We were wondering when you were arriving!!" He gives me a big welcome back hug. 

"Yoooooo! Yea I just got in.  I love my new bed!" I tell him.

"Oh yea man.  I just got up from a nap."

"Oh nice... Hey have you ever had a Cronut?"

"What's a Cronut?"

Well, my friend, here you go!

Cronuts from DK's Donuts in Santa Monica

B-Sauce gets home, and we exchange our big manly hugs.  He gets down with the Cronuts too.  We then take a trip to the Kahala Mall and get some sushi at Kuru Kuru Sushi, a kaiten sushi place.  It's good, but the cash register girl was kinda rude... she just talks shit, trying to get attention or a reaction from the customers.  Not something you want to do to get repeat customers, for sure.

Kuru Kuru Sushi

We then bust out the ping pong table, and play for a few games. 

Ping Pong Tournament

Fransauce got off work around 4:30PM, so he stopped by in his work clothes.  We hang out, and he asks, "Do you wanna surf?"

"Yea! Let's get wet."

So, we head to Diamondhead as the sun was setting. 

It was a shitty day, maybe two feet and mushy at Diamondhead.  We made the trek down the donkey path... the donkey path that I missed so much... We paddle out as small waves roll in, and I paddle.  My shoulders aren't in Hawaii shape.  I can barely keep up with Francis.  My shoulders are burning already, and we're not even half way to the line up. 

Francis, changing with no towel <3

I duck dive.  THUNK.  Crap, did I just hit my board on the reef?  Is it too shallow right here? 

I check my nose of the board, it's fine.  Fins are fine too. 

I catch maybe two waves on my shortboard, and we head back in as it was getting dark.  As we get changed, I notice a gash on the bottom of my board.  FUCK!!

We get back to the Dojo and Alex comes home.  We didn't get to see each other last time I was here since he was training for the Coast Guard, but now he's returned, so we give each other big hugs.  I show him my board and he said he'll fix it tomorrow and it will be done by the end of tomorrow.

"Do you wanna go canoe surfing tomorrow?" Alex asks.

"Hell yea, I always wanted to!"

"Ok, we'll go tomorrow then."