The Butterfly Effect

More than 100 women participated this year in the 4th Butterfly Effect. Organized by Tatiana Howard. An event only for women. Windsurfing, Kite Surfing but most came with their Stand Up Paddle board. This year a little more challenging than the last years because of the waves. Meeting point was Hookipa where big sets came rolling in. After a welcome greeting, releasing of the butterflies and stretching it was decided to go to Sprecks and start there.


Starboard Butterfly Girls


Start in Sprecks

Butterflies...

Meeting in Hookipa

Coming around Camp One

Dagmar passing the Helicopter

Stretching in Hookipa

Releasing the Butterflies

Laura on of the few brave ones on her wave board

Peahi (JAWS) March 30 2010

I have waited a long time for this day. Finally, march 30 was the day. A super late in the season big swell. I called my tow partner Cyrus the evening before if he was ready to go to JAWS to go windsurfing. Cyrus always is. The swell looked big enough and the wind had been super strong the last couple of days.

Cyrus and I met in the morning in Maliko, together with my long time friend, Diony his Tow partner Juan, and Jeff, HOT sails owner and photographer today. We strapped everything on the Ski and the sled and launched. The way up there was heavy, we arrived in Peahi after 30 minutes, cold stiff and red eyes from all the water we got in our faces.

We were the first. I rigged up and tried to position myself in the line up. By the time Diony got to the scene I was dialed in and had my first waves. I used a Smack 4.8 and a quad 76 which is a little big for these conditions but I know the board well and I felt good on it.

Anita Harris http://www.anitaharris.com/ and Dave Martyn took all these shot from the cliff, a big thank you to them.

One of my first waves , woooaa haaa

The speed on the wave is amazing

Diony Guadagnino

Diony in the pocket

Maui Mix Whales , Windsurf & SUP

Last weekend the wind started light so I decided to go whale watching with a stand up and a 5.3 sail/ On Maui you don't ahve to go far to find some whales. I found 3. You could see them jumping/breaching from far. When I finally got the camera ready they stopped breaching off course and started slapping with their fins on the water surface. Amazing creatures , specially when you get that close.

Today everything was right waves, the wind picked up and a good crowd in uppers. Diony came from Venezuela to join us on the water.

This week I also tried out the new BOLT, a 4 batten, light weight sail for free style and wave.

Trying the new Super freak prototype

Plenty of wind, Hookipa sessions and a turtle downwinder

Last week many good days in Hookipa. There is a whole Scandinavian Crew sailing in Hookipa and Kuau. Pilip Wallin shot a nice video in HD which you can see below. Hot Sails riders Ola & Andres & me and other riders Mark Angulo (always there and always sailing amazingly) and Robby Swift who hurt himself this session as did Robby Naish a few hours before. Pilip gives a niceview from the hill overlooking Hookipa beach a place where you can spend days just watching, the sailing, the waves, the crashes on the rocks and everything else what's going on down there.


Last week I had a few sessions on the Quad 71. I use the 76 as a alround light to medium wind range board and the 71 in Medium to stronger wind conditions. The 76 is very forgiving, and easy to get through the white water but still radical, with snappy top turns. In big waves where you generate a lot of speed the board is a bit wide. Still it is my all time favorite. The 71 feel a lot smaller and is not so forgiving on the wave. But It handles tight turns and lots of speed. Last week we were looking to go to Jaws for w windsurfing session in the end it didn't happen because there was to much wind chop which would make it impossible to stay on you board coming down wave size that big.n For days like that were you don't need tight turns but most of all control I think a narrow single fin board with some double concave is the best option. For everything else a Quad.


MALIKO DOWNWINDER


This weekend I made a downwinder with Dagmar. Nice day, medium trades, sunny and many turtles.

The Maliko to Kanaha Run is about 1 hour and 35 minutes if you take it easy and 1hr and 15 minutes if you go full on.

A Downwinder is a nice combination of paddling & surfing. You are basically riding the wind chop/swell the whole way. A few strong strokes and you catch chop ride 50 meters a few more strokes an other chop.... Good training and lots of fun.

ALOHA from Maui

Beautiful Outer reef day

They were calling 15-25 feet. After driving up and down the coast to find the right spot, I met up with Gaimpaolo, together we paddled to the out reef.

It was one of those perfect days. Big and high peeling waves, glassy, now wind and just 4 of us out there and a couple of tow in crews.

I had the HD Go Pro camera mounted on my head,Giampaolo on his paddle. This time I made only pictures. Which this camera does very well by the way.

We stayed out from 7:00 to 11:00, Dagmar took care of the shop. I saw this one coming last week and we sheduled this session as a 'have to go'

Unfortunately the wide angle lens doesn't reflect the actual size of the waves.

Also check Gaimpaolo 's site with more action. http://www.mauisurfreport.blogspot.com/

This is one picture where you can actually see a little bit of the actual size of the waves. The pocket just behind me and peeling in front, what a life. Wooohaa...

Here is a shot of Giampaolo, he also had an awesome day.

Giamo Paolo made this one from his paddle mount.

I broke my leach, the a tow in team helped me back to my board. After that it was a short leach with a big not which held up for another 2 hours.

My version of Ben Stiller, 'There is something about Mary", see Giampaolo's blog. http://www.mauisurfreport.blogspot.com/

Another shot of Gaimpaolo sharing this wave with me.

Look at this perfect shape.

Aloha from Maui

Oh Beautiful Hookipa

Sunday morning,
glassy, big waves a beautiful day, a stand up day. I leave my wife and daughter before breakfast, after quick birthday call to my sister in Holland. I drive down 3 minutes before I see how good the waves really are.
After a couple of tries I made it out in Kuau. Getting to know my new 9'1" a little bit better. A few amazing drops and rides.
Although the forecast wasn't to good. The wind picked up strong enough in the afternoon. This time Hookipa. The Light winds on the inside made it challenging to get out. Below is a picture of Ola from Sweden with a huge set in front of him.
Once you were out you could ride the big sets and just get out in time and don't ride them in all the way. But what fun it was. Sharing Hookipa only with hand full of other riders. Brilliant as ever Robby Naish. Daring as always, Mark Angulo, Young riders Bend, Connor Baxter and my friend Andres. Hookipa at it's best.
Thanks Kate, for the pictures



Ola facing nature

Robby Naish

Bootm Turn Robby Style

Bend on of the youngest riders in Hookipa

Mark Angulo

The Waterman League

Waterman League's Stand Up Paddle World Tour is on in Oahu.

Maui's Kai Lenny (17) , Robby Naish and Slater Trout (15) all made it through the first round.

Here are some pictures from the trails and first round.

The wind is back on here on Maui. Since I have the new GO PRO HD camera I made some movies but did not edit them. From wednesday on there is lot's of waves and wind. But first those Waterman League pictures.

These pics don't need any words.

Aloha from Maui, Bart