where should i go this winter

NICA, you really do watch to many movies if you actually believe Hawaii is like you say it is. Not to encourage any more kooks in the lineups, but the Hawaii you describe really only exists on TV. Not to say it doesn't have its flaws, but man the perks.

 

Hawaii in the surfing offseason would probably be great but I don't want to surf around 100 obnoxious pros when I go on a surf trip. That sounds horrible to me. Let's put it this way, it's the same as saying do I want to go to Myrtle Beach or the Outer Banks to relax. Sure Myrtle Beach has more golf courses and dance clubs but I'm there to relax not hang with drunk 17 yr olds on spring break. Same principle.

 

Surfing with pros is really not that bad. Most the time they stick to the rules. And generally have a really good attitude. I've had my best sessions with pros out. Play at the competitions level right? If theres a handful of pros out ripping you think its not gonna up your surfing a little? Plus they'll start pushing you into gems as they are paddling back out. Stuff you would never have gone for before, but with a little encouragement from guys you know have a solid idea of what they are talking about.

 

I haven't been around too many pros but I recall sharing a peak with Josie Graves once at Ponce Inlet. It was a fun day, not huge, but decent size and really fun. He and his crew were good surfers and it was fun trading waves for a bit. He told me about his rental house in PR. For all I know he's one of the dudes on here lol

I'd go to Hawaii in a heart beat if circumstances were right. Nicafiend, you should give everything a chance before judging it. I haven't been, but I wouldn't avoid the place because of the things you've mentioned. There has to be plenty of waves somewhere you can ride on that Island without too much hassle.

 

you really are an idiot who has no clue of the landscape

so, in that vein, please stay away

kook

 

Surfing with one or two pros (they aren't bad people) sounds awesome, I've been in the water with some but surfing with the North Shore winter crowd is a totally different beast. Have you ever watched a WSL event and heard them saying....I got out before the sun came up because there's no way I wanted any of that crowd? That's coming from a fu(king pro. Nobody in their right mind wants to go on a surf trip where a WSL event is taking place. You people are freaking stupid!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sure next you'll say the Gold Coast is chill. You can have that $hit. Please post your great close-out scrap Pipe wave while I'm over here surfing my brains out in Mozambique.

 

Thats the thing with the wsl events. Let them all fight for the same wave their contest is at. There are many other world class waves just a few reefs down. No matter where the contest is, hawaii, austrailia, blah blah blah.

 

I think this is the point Nica. Pipe is a zoo sure but there 10+ waves very close by that are still very good. No one is saying go to NS during triple crown. Time it proper and you can score a variety of waves every day.

 

Exactly, and more to the point. There are amazing slabs that most on here havent even heard of or surfed within 20 minutes of the zone and they absolutely fire on certain conditions and no one takes cameras.
I dont surf pipe crowds, no way, I get mine there in Oct and April and surf many many other waves (that totally beat any wave I surfed in Nicaragua and I spent weeks up and down the coast one summer) for the other 7-8 months the NPAC produces

Also, I got pushed into a big wave game, turns out its fun. never thought I would, but I did, at least on the marginal/big. not pushing limits, just going for what I can, which is mostly small waimea and I went to phantoms 2x. that was hectic and not for me although I got the biggest wave of my life.


cant find multiple reefs that make proper 12-15 footers in too many other spots, let alone one in your trunks in the first world.

the variety of surf from knee hi pidleys to macking outer reefs with every flavor in between amkes this zone the placee.

I was kinda over it first time I visited. by the 3rd day I asked my wife if we could stay the winter here instead of going to other islands. Bathymetry, exposure, swell consistency, and dominant tradewinds make it surfable to totally epic just about 7 months straight


anyone else ever been to both? Which do you prefer: Nica or HI?

Id go to Nica if I was on a slummin it trip with the boys, but wouldnt really return other than that

 

I loved nica. But we stayed right between colorados and pangas. Surfed every day and got barreled every session.

 

if money and time didn't matter... P-Pass Micronesia

POHNPEI – SURGICAL STRIKE TUBE FEST

http://www.boardroomshow.com/caroline-islands/

 

NICA,
Gotta side with T-Rex on this one.

I lived on Oahu for 7 years over two periods.

You definitely do not have an accurate impression of the North Shore.

First, T-Rex is right. Hawaii is the birthplace of surfing, and so much of what you've read and seen revolves around the North Shore. Any serious surfer owes it to themselves to see some of these iconic places firsthand. I still remember the first time I saw Pipeline. Somehow I was expecting some sort of epic entrance, like a big neon sign that said "PIPELINE!!11!!" Instead, you park in front of an elementary school, walk through a parking lot past a guy selling t-shirts, hit the beach, and it's like this big beachbreak except for this peak with 100 guys sitting on it, spitting out death tubes, and it's 50 yards down from the lifeguard stand. It's disconcerting.

I remember sitting out at the beach park one day, watching Pipe breaking for about an hour, and the crowd looked fairly light and the surf was better, so I just, you know, paddled down and caught a few waves at ****ing Pipeline. You just don't get it until you've seen it. Or the expanse of Sunset. Or how utterly ****ty the parking is at Waimea.

Sure, the big name spots are super crowded while the tour is in town. But dam, man, there are waves everywhere on the NS in the winter. And if you have a car, the west side has much more challenging surf, and mid-day, mid-week you can catch world class waves almost solo.

Meth capital? I have no idea what you are talking about. I show up, I surf, I go home. Not sure how meth factors into it.

I might recommend avoiding the NS while the tour is there, but once the Triple Crown is done the crowd thins by half. And by March/April someone like me can get a wave at Pipe or Backdoor.

You are just wrong, brah.

 

Ahh trev good for you man. Get me two wherever you end up. May the 4 winds roll you safely home.


As far as advise, I say, go wherever you're capable of going, and chose to.

 

Go to Ireland. Because o'Barry says so.

 

aye o trevie I got a free bike for you if you come to hawaii, I surfed so much during your stint here 2 winters ago and I know I will surf more with you around in general, so I selfishly say Hawaii lol

 

Fark dude if you'd surf Ireland you might wanna consider Scotland. I know I'd jump all over that Thurso reef, but you're a goofyfoot so there's that.

 

I wish someone could actually comprehend what I've said in this thread, and that is....Hawaii could actually be fun place to visit AWAY from the Tripe Crown winter season, if I go on a surf trip I don't want to surf the next wave over, you're taking me way too serious when I say "meth capital of the world" but if you don't think it's a problem there you're just flat wrong, I'm not a fan of really crowded lineups, I have no doubt watching Pipe go off in person is amazing but the whole North Shore vibe just doesn't interest me (why that offends anyone is beyond me), people are generally a product of where they grew up and I find alot of the big name Hawaiian surfers to be repulsive and I just don't enjoy the whole aggro vibe scene. If you told me you hated a movie I loved or a favorite band it wouldn't bother me at all. Everyone has their own taste and I can respect that. I wouldn't say you have to like Black Sabbath (if you're a metal fan) because they invented metal. That's just flat dumb!!

This is a quote from the "Do crowds keep you from surfing" thread....Worst I've experienced were in Hawaii, where it seemed like every guy was on a yuge longboard & on top of that they were good surfers, every one of 'em. I saw guys back paddle people who were already up & riding, drop in on the very steep & deep & force the already-riding guy off. Vry aggro.

Why isn't Yankee wrong? He's been there, I'll take his word for it.
Jesus Christ people!!!!

 

Nah I get what you were driving at bro. Maybe the delivery clipped a couple nerves with the others. Sometimes it's better to just say "fvckit" and move on to the next subject rather than defend yourself and aggravate the situation.

Just chalk this one up to simple miscommunication and slide on. You've been a solid contributor and it sucks whenever we lose a good one.

 

Man, a lot to peel back in this post but I will give it a try. You came across as though you would never go to Hawaii b/c of "your" perspective on the place. Yank's post was vague, your's specific, and three of us tried to elaborate on our experiences otherwise.

It's not about settling for the next peak over. There are dozens of very good waves around the island. Those who want to charge pipe charge pipe. You don't settle, you paddle out, wait, and paddle into one. Not many people will do this even if the crowd is minimal. If you are frothing to surf pipe, you would have done it already but you haven't.

The bigger point though is the experience that is offered in the Hawaiian Islands. And quite frankly that could be different for you, yank, or I. I can tell you, I'm a Haole boy from the east coast (hope that term doesn't offend any donkeys around here), and I surfed my brains out out there. Rocky point was my fav (well, and yards) but I surfed every spot (not Waimea, and rarely Sunset...my biggest board was a 7'6"). I have surfed the whole island. The waves are all you want then some. It actually gets pretty dang serious in the lineup. The north shore for any serious surfer is a place to charge and test yourself. I was both humbled and blessed with some those waves.

I would actually encourage you to go there with an open mind and see one of the most intense and rewarding (and sometimes humbling) stretchs of ocean there is. My .02.