What's better than Ho'okipa? What's scarier?

Jake Miller ripping up Ho'okipa - against Robby Naish

A monk seal watching the action at Ho'okipa

After surviving my two wave heats at Ho'okipa on Wednesday, today I just watched some of the pros sailing there in the morning. Windsurfing legend Robby Naish was facing off against Jake Miller who I've known from board tests for a few years. Most of us thought that Jake had sailed well but the PWA scoring wound up putting Naish ahead. There was a cool monk seal watching the pros at Ho'okipa too.

I headed over to buddy Chris's place near Kanaha where a bunch of us were rigging to sail. It was nice and windy and I set up a 4.7 and after trimming it properly within a few runs I was having a blast. I was jumping, riding waves, turning whenever I wanted and enjoying sailing with a bunch of friends.

It was totally cool to have Jake Miller show up in Chris's back yard to sail with us, right after he competed and controversially lost to Robby Naish. Jake threw and landed a fantastic forward loop right in front of me! This was the first time in a long time that I was sailing in waves on a 4.7 and feeling in complete control. Sweet!

Chris and Dave's backyard launch site
- amateurs and pros welcome

After a good long session, I headed back to shore to grab some water and rig up to the 5.3. This was a much different session. I couldn't get going properly as the wind was lighter. I wasted some time getting the GoPro set up, and still couldn't get back upwind to where my friends had been sailing. I hadn't noticed that everyone else was off the water.

Enjoying the odd jump before I found out about the shark!

A lifeguard jetski was heading toward me and even though I'd been falling off my board a fair bit playing with the GoPro and generally floundering - I always got back up and I didn't think I looked like I was in need of a rescue. As he got closer the lifeguard put his hand above his head like a fin.



SHARK.

I was the last one to be told about the shark by the lifeguards...

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/23847152/breaking-shark-attack-reported-at-maui-beach

There had been a shark attack just down the beach from where I was sailing but I was the last to know and so I was the last person on the water. Needless to say I headed back to shore directly even though it meant a bit of a walk back upwind.

Can you spot the 30 turtles?

It was a day for wildlife. We went for a walk on another beach and saw 30 turtles on shore.

After a great dinner we had a visit from a cool kiteboarder nicknamed "toast" who actually saw the shark attack. He plans on going out kitesurfing again tomorrow but doesn't plan on falling in much. I'll be more careful with my waterstarts too.

So the first session today was WAY more fun for me than Ho'okipa. But shark sightings right where you are sailing are scarier than the waves or rocks at Ho'okipa (or Halloween costumes for that matter.)