Hawaii travel advise

For me, I'd rather live in San Diego than Florida, but Florida is probably more practical for cost of living purposes. So for retirement, I think I'd do Florida!

I've said for years, that when I retire, I will sell everything off and move to Oahu! I'd be fine with working what I'm doing now until I'm well into my 70's.

 

Not sure if serious or sarcasm haha.

Sometimes Diamond Head is suite though!

 

If it's waist high just rent a long board and hang out in town...surf, eat and drink at the ocean front in Waikiki (Duke's is pretty chill). It really takes a 3'+type of swell to hit most of the reefs for a short board IMO. There are a few spots that can break at 1-3' and be fun on the short board but there will be all kinds of bruddas on it...unless you go off the beaten path and those spots you will have to sniff out on your own. If NS has a 3' swell, I would definitely rent a car and go there. Early season swells are nice. 2-4' and you will be very stoked I think. Otherwise, short trip, I would not waist too much time driving (traffic can be a *****). Waikiki is touristy but there are at least 6 breaks in walking distance that I wish I was walking to right now...free trip is killer.

 

"waist to chest" Hawaiian = Double Overhead

Diamond Head = Belmar

Good luck dude. All of my travels and I still haven't made it to da Islands. Guess it's a bucket list thang now...

 

I don't even know where to surf at 3' on the North Shore. Rockies would be my first guess, but that might be kind of crowded. I'm not sure if the rest of Ehukai works on a swell that small this early in the season. MIS would know. I think the sand gets kind of messed up there in the summer...I can't even remember anymore.

There are plenty of places to rent a longboard on the south shore, though, and can be super fun in town on a log. I think you'll be seriously stoked.

Also, if driving to the North Shore, consider taking the Kam Highway around the windward side instead of taking H1/H2. It can be a bit slower, but it's a prettier drive. You might even see some surf at Makapuu, Sandy's, or out by the Kualoa Ranch, or some of the more norther beach parks.

Make sure you take some pictures and give us a report when you get back. I need closure on how your trips pans out.

 

This post is useless without pics

 

Nice! Glad to hear you're having a great time on Oahu! Surf a few for me! It's my favorite place in the world, yet I haven't been there in almost 4 years. LAME!

 

Hit Ali'i Beach park in Haleiwa if you're getting swell on the north shore. Very fun breaks over there. Be nice to the locals, they are cool and will let you get a couple set waves if you behave yourself. Be careful if you go left, there's a rip that will suck you in to the rocks if you're not careful. If you have swell in the south, head over to Diamond head. There are some really good breaks there and less of the tourists crowding things up. Have a mai thai at the Royal Hawaiian when you're done for the day. It's the pink hotel next door to Hilton Royal Hawaiian Village. Their mai thais are the best on planet earth in my opinion. Post some damn pictures too.

 

HAHA perfect, good to hear!

did I tell you that your staying at the perfect spot - if you had to stay anywhere on the south shore??? lol perfect waves right out front at Ala moana!

If you venture out on the other side of the harbor right there- there is a park with a little peninsula that jets out- its like park-likish with a walking trail and all around it. Anyways- other then a cool place to watch the sunset- there is a right on the other side of that peninsula that breaks pretty good too...

Anyways- glad you got swell! This time of year is perfect- usually youll get a south swell and an early (and manageable) north swell.

don't forget to take a ride to diamond head- specially in the early morning before the wind- some really fun waves there- and will be slightly bigger then where your at now...

 

I surfed Ali'i Park in Haleiwa a few times, on recommendation from a guy I know, who is probably damn near a pro, at least compared to me. He's been living in Hawaii for years, but lives on the Big Island or maybe even in Maui these days. He had experience there. He didnt warm me of the rips out to the rocks though, which I found out about on my own, and then almost gave my then-fiance a heart attack over. The next year, she kept guilt tripping me into not going to that spot again, because of what happened the first time. I went back again the third year we went in 2012, and I did much better that time. Showed it to my brother when I took him in February 2014, the last time I was there.

I guess the guy I know, didn't warn me of the rips because he's more experienced with Hawaii swells than I am.

Also +1 to Mr. Belmar on Diamond Head being better in the morning. It's usually pretty flat-ish or small later on in the day though. Not sure if that was just me when I was there, or if that's the standard for Diamond Head. I usually stay in Diamond Head when I'm there.

 

Haleiwa scares the crap out of me. I had a "bad experience" there the first time I lived in Hawaii, and after that Haleiwa wasn't even on my radar for a surf check, even though it's more or less the first spot you hit coming up from town.

The most recent time I lived there I never even checked it. I just drove straight through until I hit Lani's. There are far more sensible places to surf, IMO.

 

Never surfed the islands, what makes Haleiwa gnarly? I've never heard that before.

 

I've still got an old copy of Searching for Tom Curren on VHS. Played fine last time i watched it....mind blowing surfing.

 

+1

There are far better spots, especially if your there for a short or limited time....

 

We're talking almost 20 years ago at this point, but I just remember Haleiwa having a horrible rip. It was impossible to keep position and it just isn't an easy wave to surf. I tried it a couple of times and never could seem to figure it out.
Then, of course, I went out on a "good size" day and got completely mauled. And that was it. I'm not saying it isn't a good wave, but it was just too much work to figure the break out. I don't remember the details anymore, I just know it scared the **** out of me.

 

Undoubtedly MIS was out there off to the left surfing Avalanche during that clip.

And I say screw that to that break as well.

 

Definitely agree with that.

I've had the pleasure of being taken out by a wave on the North Shore, then not being able to catch my breath. It scared the **** out of my then-fiance at the time haha. She would lecture me about how I can't surf these ''Big'' and ''Dangerous'' waves in Hawaii, like I could back home haha. She knew **** about surfing and she's ****ing lecturing me!? I know she cared though, I expect everyone's wife/girlfriend would be the same, if they really cared.