O‘ahu in December 2023

[ReForest]

@ReForest

Logs beckons...

Best narration in a surf vid ever?

We aren't going anymore

My wife's grandfather got sick in the hospital in Tennessee and she flew out there to check on him and used the money we saved for Hawaii to do so. He had an infection in his spine and in toe (toe had to be amputated) that was so severe it was causing delirium and other problems. If she didn't go over there and tell the doctor on staff that he's a f*@&ing moron, he might have died.

 

[Ranga]

I'd honestly consider wearing booties to get in and out of the water at a lot of those spots. I fucked up my feet and lost a toe nail at uppers when it was like head high. Fucking rocks and urchins all over the place. Also...sharks.

I really don't recommend paddling out at Sunset when it's 10ft Hawaiian if you've never surfed out there before. It's fuckin hectic with the crowd at that size and the current can pull you up to yards quick. Cheeto is right that you won't actually drown, but as an average Joe with no big wave experience it's not going to be a pleasant experience.

The amount of water/mass in a wave there is like nowhere I've ever been. like it takes four-five seconds to pass under you. I'm a full rube when it comes to wave choice out there -- suckered by ever capper.

 

[centrlcoastkook]

Sorry that ReForest isn't able to make his Oahu trip, but me and my 12 year old son are headed to Oahu from the 16th-20th. He is a beginner/intermediate surfer. I haven't been to Oahu since before he was born, but last time I went there I had a good time surfing spots like 3's etc... right at Waikiki. That was the plan this time too, but now I'm starting to worry that those waves might be too small this time of season. Would I be better off staying somewhere we can park a rental car and we could drive to spots that might be a little better? We were going to rent a car at least 1 day anyway and do the North Shore pilgrimage (watching..not surfing). What do you guys think?

 

[gbg]

Plenty of easy waves for you two non-surfers at Stonezone and Monster Mush.

 

[centrlcoastkook]

Plenty of easy waves for you two non-surfers at Stonezone and Monster Mush.

Thanks for the tip Gary. Non-surfers LOL.. I'm just stocked my kid wants to spend some time with me.

 

[parkiteric]

I'd reccomend the Pupukea/Gas Chambers/Turkeys/Rockies zone.

After a few days of that, if the swell is manageable, have a gander at the OTW area.

Also, I have never surfed Chuns, but have seen it look super fun. I had always heard it written off as a longboard/old man's wave but coming from coldwater CA looked quite appealing.

Sunset scares me as I've heard far too many horror stories. Never dipped my toe in.

Turkeys is not fun. The reef will shred you up like none other, so stay at pupukea/chambers or rocky rights.

 

[casa_mugrienta]

Turkeys is not fun. The reef will shred you up like none other, so stay at pupukea/chambers or rocky rights.

All of the reefs at all the spots will shred you, especially on the smaller days especially if there's no sand.

 

[parkiteric]

All of the reefs at all the spots will shred you, especially on the smaller days especially if there's no sand.

turkeys is different. No one surfs there for a reason

 

[vanrysss]

Gas chambers is like a concrete slab with moss growing on it, heavy wave for sure but hitting the reef isn't gonna leave you getting stitches.

 

[goingoutside]

Gas chambers is like a concrete slab with moss growing on it, heavy wave for sure but hitting the reef isn't gonna leave you getting stitches.

Try surf it on a maxing day out there, at a lower tide, me thinks you would have a different opinion...

Same goes for "Turkeys.

Most days those spots are sub-par, however on the right direction and swell size one can find some.

Benji Brand at Gas Chambers - YouTube ...it does help if you grew up near there...

You don't want to try surf waves like this at those spots....unless, or course you, pull it off.



....I am goinoutside now....mid to late Dec. 2023 is looking like there could be some good days...paddle hard boys!...







....

 

[hammies]

I like that tube ride, pedal to the metal the whole way.

 

[Bob Dobbalina]

I remember getting really fun, small waves at one of those turn off spots between Haliewa and everywhere else when I was a kid. One of those spots with some bouldery rocks on the inside, lefts on one side, rights on the other. I don't know which one it was.

I've been to Hawaii 3 times. But I've never had a good surf in Hawaii.
To be fair, none of those trips were "surf trips"
1) The first, I was 14, mostly riding longboards. Haleiwa had waves did NOT look fun for me. Surfed Bowls, or near Bowls. I guess that was ok.
2) The second time I went for work and my back was fucked. Surfed Makaha once, small. It got bigger and my back was wrecked. Surfed Sunset Point. It was small and still intimidating. I've never gotten used to staring at the reef. Flew to Kauai to visit a friend and surfed small waves.
3) The third time it was August and I was with my ex. I don't think I surfed.

I wish I would've gone with more of a surf focus in my youth

 

[vanrysss]

Forecast looks pretty dire for the first week of the trip. Big NE swell with wind to match, gonna be a lot of driving to the west side.

 

[parkiteric]

connecting from the outside bombs at makaha to the inside shorebreak is so much fun.